Importance of sex education from childhood

- Aakansha Saha, X

We have all fallen victim to the lack of knowledge about our bodies , sex, romantic relationships, sexual relationships and many more personal aspects of our lives. This comes from the taboo, we as a society have created around these topics, especially in Indian society — where things as normal as a girl getting her period, often times is said to be unholy.

 Undeniably, we have all suffered from this lack of knowledge as it strips us of our bodily autonomy, it shapes the way we react to certain things and it dictates what we should feel and how we feel it.

 

This issue leads back to only one solution: Sex education.

 

So here's your guide on why and how teaching children about their bodies is not only important but essential in today's world.

 

1)”why should we start Sex education from childhood?”

 

In an age where no man, woman, or child (or even, animals, in some cases) have been spared from sexual assault, sex education is essential as it talks about consent and bodily autonomy. Teaching kids topics as complicated as consent in a simpler way like “good touch and bad touch” which is comprehensible for them will always help them understand and set their boundaries, helping them recognise unsafe situations.

 

On that note, sex education does not only talk about safety; it also talks about topics like growth, puberty and awareness. Especially in a conservative country like India, we need to teach our young girls that having a period is not dirty, wrong, impure etc. not only girls, we need to teach our boys about menstruation so they develop respect and understanding about it. Oftentimes, I have heard my own friends say that they were confused or scared when they first got their period; some didn't even know what was happening in their bodies. It is beyond heartbreaking to know and live with the fact that so many little girls have grown up and were left to figure out these changes by themselves. How confusing was it for them? How much shame did they feel talking about something so natural?

 

Naturally, we should also teach our boys about why and what happens inside their bodies when they hit puberty and challenge the idea of “masculinity” that the patriarchy has imposed on us. We have to let our boys know that crying is okay, being sad is okay, self expression is okay. It does not make them weak. True masculinity will never cost you self-expression.

 

2)Debunking misconceptions about sex education

 

“kids are too young to understand these things”

 

This is a fairly common misconception. Sex education for young children has been shaped in a way where it is easy for them to understand. It teaches the correct names of our reproductive body parts, like any other part of the body, the concept of consent-as earlier mentioned in simpler terms like “good touch vs bad touch”.

 

“Talking about sex will make kids curious and lead them to being promiscuous”

 

Let's face it – we have all learnt about sex early on in our lives, may it be from a friend, something on the internet, overheard conversations, whatever it was. Would you rather have your kid learn about something so crucial from another kid at the playground or from an educated adult in a controlled environment?

  Kids will figure it out, one way or another. So we have to take responsibility to teach our children about it in an age-appropriate manner to ensure our kids refrain from practicing unsafe sex in the future.

 

“Sex is impure. Sex education goes against religious values”

 

Religion has been used as a cover-up for a lot of things and sex education seems to take up the most part. As a Hindu myself, I know that Hinduism has never shied away from explaining and nurturing the act of sex, relationships and morality. So much so that we have a whole book on it known as the kama sutra, written in the 3rd Century by vatsyayana. The kama sutra is not only a guide about sex, it also teaches us about morality, mutual respect and relationships.

       The taboo created around sex is a direct impact of colonial rule, which imposed the ideals of Victorian morality upon us. So let's stop blaming our religion and start embracing it!

 

“teaching kids about their private parts is inappropriate”

 

I would like to approach this myth by saying, teaching kids that their reproductive organs are “inappropriate” is already very concerning. By teaching kids about their bodies we help them understand human functions and build confidence. It helps them recognise when things go wrong within/with their bodies like identifying inappropriate behaviour or abuse from others which ultimately leads to a healthier and safer lifestyle.

 

 

3)The role of parents and schools

 

Parents are a child's first educators. So parents must create a safe environment for kids to learn about these topics without the fear of guilt or shame. Normalising discussions about body parts, emotions and morality is essential in letting the child realise that topics like these are completely normal and it is okay to ask questions about them.

        Meanwhile, teachers can provide scientific and age-appropriate conversations like talking about STDs, UTIs, Contraception, Protection, Puberty, Menstrual hygiene, etc.

 

Parents can help teach their children moral values, emotional well-being, cultural significance and religious beliefs, While, teachers can help them teach consent, boundaries and how to respect and identify when someone is going against them.

 

By educating kids about these topics we can prevent them from being misled by false narratives imposed on them by society.

 

 

4) Benefits of sex education

 

Sex education has numerous benefits in the long run. I have listed a few down below to help you get a brief overview!

 

●      Teaching kids about consent and boundaries from a young age helps them recognise and report abuse or inappropriate behaviour faster leading to less sexual abuse.(To some extent)

●      Sex education covers topics like emotional growth, maturity and how to nurture relationships. This will ensure our that our kids have a better experience since they have a clearer view of communication and morality.

●      By educating our kids about these topics we directly challenge malicious gender

stereotypes such as “boys don't feel pain”, “women are the only ones responsible for contraception”, “men can't experience abuse”, “women are weaker than men” and plenty more.

●      Teaching young girls about basic menstrual hygiene prevents them from developing many diseases and helps them recognise their bodies better.

●      Not only that, it also helps in reducing unwanted pregnancies, UTIs, STDs and other health risks by practicing safe sex!

 

5) Conclusion

 

A lack of proper sex education leads to numerous problems such as STDs, UTIs, mental health problems and stigma. By teaching proper sex education, we help children grow and know about their bodies, ensuring they live life with confidence and strength.

 

How do we exactly do this?

By normalising and advocating for sex education to be taught in more schools without shame!

 

By embracing sex education, we create a safer, more educated and progressive society. Not only that, it helps people create and live with unity and harmony despite our differences, since sex education teaches us how to keep and respect boundaries, emotional intelligence and confidence. Together we can grow and make the world a better place for generations to come.