*When Tyra Banks was just 11 years old, her mother, Carolyn London, took an unconventional approach to sex education, turning a train ride from Los Angeles to San Diego into a classroom.
As Us Weekly reports, during an appearance on Australia’s “The Kyle & Jackie O Show” on June 20, the 51-year-old supermodel and her mother shared how this unique experience shaped Banks’ understanding of relationships and her body. London fostered an environment where no topic was off-limits, encouraging Banks to ask about everything from drugs to intimacy.
“I would ask my mom about drugs. She would be like, ‘Well, this one does take you up. This one takes you down sideways. This one takes you ’round and ’round,’” Banks recalled. When it came to sex, London was equally candid, explaining how men might approach her daughter and the emotions she might feel.
“She put me on a train. It was a two-hour train from Los Angeles to San Diego, like, a two-hour drive. And she gave me the birds and bees talk,” Banks said, noting she was still a virgin at the time.
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London’s openness stemmed from her past. Having become a mother at 19 to Banks’ older brother, Devin, she understood the risks of ignorance.
“I was a teen mom because of what I didn’t know,” London said. She believed in equipping her children with knowledge to navigate the world confidently.
“One of the things I did was to approach your children in a way that you want to arm them to go out into the world. So no subject is taboo. If they ask you, they deserve the truth,” she explained.
The lessons paid off. Banks recounted her first serious makeout session, where a boy’s whispered words triggered a memory of her mother’s warnings. “I jumped off the couch, and I was like, ‘My mama said you would say that!’” she shared, highlighting the lasting impact of her mother’s guidance.
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