At a recent get together I over heard the concerns of some people about sex in the media.
“God, the media these days is outrageous,” said a lady, shaking her head. “Our old world charm and innocence are things of the past. Generations have lived without being educated on sex. Then why bring it now? It will only spoil our children,” tut-tutted another.
These puritans’ fear stems from the unknown. It is also due to one’s own discomfort with not only the subject of sexuality but also with his or her own sexuality. While the media may just be fulfilling its social responsibility in the absence of formal sexual health education which is a life skill education.
Just as we teach our children how to study and interact with people or how to drive a car, we have to educate them on adult life situations and activities. Avoiding this is akin to a farmer being sent to fight a war without being given any training.
The important thing people forget is that pre-marital sex has been a reality despite the absence of sex education. The very fact that it is a forbidden subject makes it all the more tempting. Sex education on the other hand is all about the dos and don’ts.
A good analogy for sex health education would be ‘insurance’. Just as we resort to insurance to cover our backs, sex education is the means to equip ourselves with the right knowledge. Not the end in itself. The prime aim of sex education is inculcating responsibility.
Responsibility is knowing the consequences of one’s actions. Hence being aware only makes the young adult more responsible and careful. Knowing the repercussions of indulging in unprotected sex and the trauma of teen pregnancy can make the teenager draw the line for himself or herself.
As adults we have an important role to play in being there for our kids when they come to us with their doubts. For which it is imperative that the parent is first of all conscious and comfortable vis-à-vis sexuality. If the child is curious about something he or she is bound to experiment. Hence it is better for them to get the right information.