2017 Aug 25
The topic of sex education in Sri Lanka has always remained a controversial and divisive issue. While old-school conservatives (exhibit A, a majority of Lankan parents and “aunties”) are concerned about the values such programmes would impart on young and impressionable generations, sex ed is merely a way to educate young people on their bodies, their choices and provide information related to their sexual wellbeing.
Perhaps a reason why such a course is frowned upon may have to do with society’s attitude and perception towards sexual activity as a whole. The media plays an influential role and wields a great degree of power in shaping our thoughts and ideas. Given the rebellious portrayal of youth in western media, taken together with our conservative Lankan values, it is no small wonder that many are concerned that exposure to sex ed will unleash a wave of sexually liberated young people unable to, as the saying goes, “keep it in their pants”.
While confusion may exist as to the actual content of such courses, it must be understood that sex ed can always be tailored to specific cultural contexts. That being said, too much discretion should not be allowed to rob it of its core content or values.
So what could a potential sex ed course look like? Having taken a brief look into what such a programme consists of from other countries, we were able to identify a few core areas. Sex ed generally includes information on:
- Sexual health (covering areas such as reproductive health, STD prevention etc.)
- Issues of consent (no is certainly not a yes/no, no one’s acting “hard to get”, nor is it an invitation to try and convince the other otherwise)
- Safe sex practices – awareness on contraception, including and not limited to:
- Condoms
- Sterilisation
- Emergency contraception (morning after pill)
- Intrauterine Devices (IUD) – both copper and hormonal
- Hormonal methods including birth control pills, patches, rings etc.
- “Natural” birth control methods ( planning sexual activity around fertile and non-fertile days in a woman’s period cycle, withdrawal etc.)
- There are even freely available apps such as Natural Cycles that are as effective as the pill in preventing pregnancies, which works by tracking a woman’s period cycle and informing the user when they’re most fertile/not likely to get pregnant
- Awareness of sexual habits and preferences (for instance, no, you will not earn a one-way ticket to hell for having entirely normal, healthy sexual urges, provided you handle them responsibly)
- Gender identity and sexual orientation (yes, you have a choice!)
- Countering myths surrounding sexual practices (most bogus myth award going to the one on how a social construct such as virginity determines a woman’s value as a human being)
- Inter-personal dynamics in both romantic and non-romantic relationships (AKA how to not be a douchebag in a relationship 101)
This list is by no means exhaustive. Many programmes are also often abstinence based sex ed, which involves a heavy focus on abstinence until marriage. While some may argue this may be the most appropriate type of content suited to our local context, we must bear in mind that most teenagers are, and will remain sexually active despite every advice to the contrary. Being overbearing and forbidding youth from the proverbial forbidden apple often does more harm than good.
The time is ripe for us to stop shying away from uncomfortable topics simply because it is inconvenient. The lack of awareness and information amongst our youth on sexual health has proved to be a massive liability which has manifested itself in a myriad of ugly consequences. It is critical that we equip young people with the necessary knowledge and attitudes that not only allow them to take control over their future, but also instill in them a much required sense of responsibility and accountability. With effective sex ed, we may no longer be compelled to Google our way through the complex reality of human sexuality.
That’s all for today folks! But stay tuned for a few Sex- Ed for Dummies 101 articles!
