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Tuesday, April 08, 2008

Ignorance goes a long way....or something.

In this part of my world, sex talk is still a taboo... calling your private parts in their own name, even in medical context, can even cause red faces and crossed eyebrows. But the catch is...everyone assumes almost everyone is doing IT.

I'm not saying sex talk is a must over every cup of coffee shared with a friend -- what I am driving at is, let's face the fact that some
4.9 million young adults, with ages raging from 15 ( yes, you read it right, one and five, fifTEEN) to 24 are sexually active even before they tie the knot. Statistically speaking, 1.6 million of them are not only active, but are actually doing it with multiple partners and some 400,000 did it with the same sex. That's a freakin high number with a crazy low percentage of only 19% who are smart enough to use contraception to protect themselves from pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases like HIV-AIDS.

Did I scare you? ok, don't get carried away and let me stop you from buying your kids condoms and don't even think about the phrase "
Go out and multiply" as an opening line to your kids as you picture yourself handing them the goods...Noooooo -- sending them armed but not teaching them how to use the weapon is like but sending a kid to battle with an uzi -- by the time the war starts -- he scrambles, only to have the weapon backfire to his face, he'll surely come running back with an accusing finger shouting "it's your fault!"... well, that is, if he survives the bang... as most kids don't, especially women. With our patriarchal society in constant watch for unwed mothers, "loose" girls, and the like, we find ourselves in the midst of struggling teens trying to grow up too soon because of necessity and guilt...ending up more confused and shattered than before.

So pretending that a rise in number of unwanted pregnancies is not happening is just downright dumb... Well, there is that occasional parent that really believes that their children are not doing it and was only able to find out otherwise when- surprise! surprise! - she found out she was pregnant. Babies are bundles of joy, of course... and when they come, you just have to welcome them with open arms...but babies are also very expensive bundles of joy...lucky for those who can afford...unlucky for the 80% Filipinos who dwells at the bottom of the pyramid ( inverted or not - bleah!)... STDs (or STIs - Sexually transmitted Infections - as it is fondly called now), on the other hand will never be bundles of joys...they itch and they produce foul smells -- and 80% of peole who have them, don't even know they have them...now, let me ask you -- would you rather have a
pasaway kid or would you rather have a pasaway kid with STD? hmmm.... I hope that made you stop and think.

Anyways, I don't see parents anxiously pushing their children to an open sex talk soon -- most of the parents don't know how to start it. Who could blame them...most likely, their parents didn't do it either...and also, timing is everything...and timing can be a bit --- hard to figure out. To pre-empt the talk would be like pushing them to war prematurely, doing it too late can be --- well, too late.
*slaps my forehead!

So why is sex a taboo? maybe it's not...we just mistook it as one...a child asked her mom, "what is sex?" -- the mom, wide-eyed, embarrassed, and definitely stunned-- she spats, "
shut up!"... child goes to dad, asks the same question and gets the same response...Child goes away thinking..."sex is shut up (?)"...what is shut up? a playmate offers...."something the french invented?"... Waaaah! *tagem!

17 comments:

OIMS said...

It's amazing really. My own mother never told me a thing, my best friend had to clue me in on the little things in life... forget the "bigger things." LOL!

I live in an area where there is a tendency for young girls to become pregnant on purpose! Sorry, it's a religious thing for them, but scary as all hell. We moved our son out of a small town for that very reason before he hit high school age. There's enough "going against 'em" without throwing that in their faces.

Interesting approach and post to a subject really talked about. Thanks!

OIMS said...

correction - meant "rarely talked about" - sorry :)

13thWiTCH said...

@oims - haha! i don't wanna ask how u learned the "bigger things" then ^.^

** one interesting thing u said there..girls getting pregnant for religious purposes? do u mind if i ask where ur hometown is?

Anonymous said...

If somebody is harmed when one talks about it (i.e., offensive), then it shouldn't be talked about (sex); if nobody is harmed (i.e. mature and consenting adults), then it is their life and it is up to them what to do about it!

13thWiTCH said...

@philosophy online - i agree to that to some degree, there are some things you have to let others decipher for themselves...however, if the issue becomes a public concern, in this instance, the rise of STD's and unwanted pregnancy, one's social responsibility to curb this phenomenon is a must...for sooner of later other's quality of life will be affected.but of course, there are lost of things to consider upon doing so... let me take this to another context...if all farmers decide to plant bananas instead of rice, you wouldn't be too happy now would u? ^.^

sir mabu oi..palaway =P

cathara said...

ive read this yesterday i think but just got the chance to comment at the moment.
im just glad i got a mom who explained things very well, its maybe becoz she doesnt want history repeating itself. oh yeah.
so thats why i go for obama lol.

-catea

Anonymous said...

Leah, ha ha ha...now you are philosophical...is the issue of sex a public concern?, i.e. there are consequences to sex, of course, but sex is not a public issue per se (wa may labot ang public ana na butang). The concern of the public is the consequence of sex, i.e. pregnancy, (but only if it results to problems, but if it does not, then it is a wholly private matter and the government can and must not do anything about it).

Anonymous said...

Meaning to say, you're 100% right!

Paoper said...

Welcome to the Philippines, a bucket of subcultures where hypocrisy outweighs reason. Pleasantville is such a nice place to live in. Too bad it's only on DVD.

What the F am I saying. Now how 'bout a kid debating with the parents on "Sex Positions: Yesterday vs Today". That'd make a fantastic script for a play!

Anonymous said...

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13thWiTCH said...

@xio - all i cud say is -- gud luck & keep those meds within reach. *wrinkles nose. ^^

@perfumes - tnx perfumes...will add you on my blogroll too ^.^

BillyWarhol said...

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are U Chief Librarian!!

;))

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Anonymous said...

pa ex-link poh..
i added u already & plz add me too.tnx.. Im from davao too.

Unknown said...

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13thWiTCH said...

@cam & Anerson - no probs ^.^

BillyWarhol said...

awesome Post*

congrats to U for being Brave enuf to Speak Up about the Baloney*

I wish I was getting More o the Good Stuff these daze*

sigh..........

;))

13thWiTCH said...

@billy -i think uv had more than enough o last a lifetime...have u seen catea's sinful blog? you have a big space with ur name on it...hahaha!