Why do we need sex education? Because…
I was 11 years old when I got my first period. My breasts started growing and I was sweating and had body hair everywhere. I didn’t know what was coming out of my body. The only thing I was told was that I was a big girl now.
I was 12 years old when my sister told me that the blood is coming out from a different hole than the one I pee through.
I was 13 years old when my friends started joining the club. It was also the first time I heard the word menstruation. But I kept messing it up with mensuration.
I was 15 years old when I got an idea about what actually menstruation is and its implications.
I was 16 years old when I first heard about marital rape. I started to realize what rape actually is.
I was 17 years old when I realized when someone is pressured into sex, it doesn’t mean that they want to. I am learning the nuances of consent, still.
I was 18 years old when I finally realized what sex is. I learned that from stand-up comedy and explicit fanfiction (I still don’t know where my clitoris is).
Last year, a friend asked what masturbation meant. Both of us were over 18. But none of my friends could answer the question. None of us knew where to start.
I am 19 years old now and I asked my friend why “maa ki aankh” is a curse word. I am nearing 20, but I still don’t know what my genitals look like.
I became a “big girl” when I was 11. I ceased to be a minor when I was 18. I have never had comprehensive sex education in my life. I know what the inside of a car looks like. But what my body looks like is still a mystery.