Alright, alright it is about sex education, so relax! There are two words in the Indian vocabulary that makes us flinch instantly.
Entrance coaching and… Sex.
The latter in fact is followed by a couple of other gasps including-
Shhhhhhhh!!!!
Sheeee!!!
OMG!!!! I can’t believe you just said it!
Honestly, guys, it’s hilarious the way a lot of us flinch when our dear sanskari ears ‘unfortunately’ come across certain terms! For instance, have you ever watched the reaction of an Indian guy who accidentally witnesses a bra strap, that recklessly peeps out of a ‘careless’ girl’s top? Trust me; it’s priceless!
I mean at first, he’s pretty much like,
And then he looks at it again, and he’s like, shit it’s still there! Then he’s tormented with
“Umm…. Should I tell her?”
“No, what will she think of me?”
“God, what will I do? Wait I’ll tell another girl to tell her. Shit, there is nobody else there. Trapped!”
“Oh my God, it’s looking at me!”
“Mummyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!”
Okay fine, so maybe we are a bit shy! Like a teeny weeny bit, about just a few topics okay! But, so what? We may be shy, yet we are more than a billion in number. Ha! Take that!
So, there are several topics we are not comfortable talking about. But the catch is, these very topics are perhaps the most essential ones to be discussed, and ‘Sex’ definitely tops the charts in this case.
Sex education is not just about sexual intercourse! It’s largely about what is happening in our bodies and also how to make safe and healthy choices. It covers a wide range of topics, including relationships, decision making, gender identity, birth control and sexually transmitted diseases. Sex education when imparted correctly can transform people’s lives and society at large. It removes the veil of darkness and eradicates wrong notions acquired unintentionally.
It equips people with the strength to not flinch at terms like menstruation or periods. Oh, wait a minute! Did I, did I… just say the p-word out loud? Oh oh! I can’t believe I accidentally uttered that word!
I mean seriously folks, wanna freak out a happy looking Indian guy? Just use this word and see how his face changes from serenity to absolute horror. And if you look closely, you can literally see beads of perspiration dripping down his face!
I mean c’mon dude! She doesn’t have cancer buddy; it’s just periods! It’s normal, and it happens to every single girl. Period.
Oh and the journey of a pad in school, let me, let me, please enlighten you.
Pads are transported under high surveillance by specially trained girls who communicate only by actions and glances. Even nuclear bombs are not administered such levels of secrecy and caution!
And Biology classes…
Well, those were fun!
It was undoubtedly the most entertaining and sought after class during high school. One particular chapter endowed with magical powers would automatically silence the whole class and guarantee 100% attendance. Alright stop smiling, you know what I’m talking about!
The level of attention portrayed by students on that day was undoubtedly remarkable and teachers surprisingly, had a lot of questions thrown at them, even from the back benches!
But unfortunately even the most earnest pursuits and sincere doubts had unsatisfying answers which goes along the line of, “Well you all know what happens then. I’m not going into the details. Just read about it when you go home!”
Bummer!
Students are always curious, and there is a lot of turmoil going on inside the adolescent mind. Schools and colleges being temples of learning have a pivotal role in shaping the minds of youngsters. This is exactly why it is imperative, that this knowledge is shared as widely as possible.
Parents solemnly believe that there is NO need to educate their children about sex. Their justification goes along the lines “they shall eventually know all about it when they get older.” But you see guys, that’s exactly where the problem lies!
If the teaching does not come through proper channels, children pick up bits and pieces of information from available sources. In the absence of proper guidance, children resort to obscene magazines and watching porn. These contribute to shaping wrong perceptions about women which in turn lead to several other mishaps. Merely glance at any newspaper, and you will know what I mean.
It’s crucial that the youth of today are at similar levels of awareness and acceptance or else the resulting conflict can be damaging, both physically and emotionally. Depriving students of such knowledge, in fact, hamper the process of taking personal responsibility for their health and well-being.
Every day we wake up to heart-wrenching sexual harassment stories. The grotesque details of these crimes are outrageous. Many of these assaults are committed by adolescents!
In today’s day and age, we are bombarded with too much information and images! Boon or bane, we can’t control this exposure. But we can certainly train minds, to not leave the banks of dignity or rationality.
And our educational institutions are our only shot at guiding minds correctly from the start!