In 1991, Belgium underwent significant structural changes in how entertainment and information were delivered to the public:
In 1991, Belgium had only a few TV channels (BRT1, BRT2, RTBF, and the border-hugging Dutch and French stations). There was no internet, no social media. For Flemish youth, this was the primary source of sex ed outside of school or parents. Compared to the US (where such content was heavily censored) or the UK (more comedic, like The Little Parachute ), the Belgian approach was strikingly direct and non-judgmental. It normalized topics like contraception, STDs, and homosexuality at a time when many still considered those taboo.
Clear explanations of bodily changes during puberty.
The year 1991 was a turning point. The Cold War had ended, but a different kind of fear was peaking in Western Europe: the AIDS crisis. In Belgium, the government and the BRT (now VRT) launched a series of voorlichtingscampagnes (public information campaigns) that would fundamentally change how entertainment and education mixed. In 1991, Belgium underwent significant structural changes in
The government commissioned a series of voorlichting (information/education) programs aimed at teenagers. The result was a three-part series titled "Seksualiteit" (Sexuality), produced by the educational department Schooltelevisie . While the intention was clinical, the execution—specifically the episode featuring a live sex scene between a real-life couple—ignited a firestorm.
The long-term effect on media content was profound:
There is a robust subculture online dedicated to archiving vintage VHS tapes. Collectors digitize old tapes and upload them to various platforms. When the content contains adult themes, it frequently finds a home on adult video indexers due to relaxed copyright enforcement on those platforms compared to mainstream sites like YouTube. Compared to the US (where such content was
This print-run of 250,000 copies sold out in three days. It was arguably the most successful piece of sexual voorlichting media content produced in Belgium during the 20th century.
One of the most notable examples of media content from this era is the 1991 video production Seksuele Voorlichting
According to IMDb user reviews and plot keywords , the production covered a wide range of biological and social topics in a sequential manner. These topics included anatomy, the function of reproductive organs, masturbation, menstruation, and hygiene. The year 1991 was a turning point
The video opens by comparing infant anatomy to the physiological shifts that occur during preadolescence, setting a scientific and clinical foundation.
: Unlike modern high-energy educational content, this was a straightforward, almost amateur-style production.