Comprehensive Sexuality Education should be an opportunity to promote evolving nature of relationships, to understand the complex concept of consent, to promote gender rights and equality, writes Edwin Thomas
As an adolescent, I experienced a lot of things happening around me, and most importantly, to me. We were expected to act like adults while constantly being reminded that we were neither equipped nor ready to be one, essentially rendering yourself to be a child. The hormones go haywire, most of us are trying to figure out and explore our gender and sexual identities with no help and support from family, school or the government. We get a half-hearted lecture on menstrual hygiene or crude information on condoms and abstinence, with the blind belief that no one is having sex. Biology lessons on reproductive system are glossed over whilst we are threatened with the downfall of society if you access pornography. And then you limp until the finish line of college and you realize, you are full of questions/doubts/misconceptions while struggling to engage in adult relationships.
The world may have drastically changed, but one thing still sticks - adolescence continues to be one of the most challenging times in one's life to traverse. Growing up to be a well-rounded individual requires an extra bit of support.
Presently, India has around 253 million adolescents (refers to the period between the ages of 10 and 19). That is bigger than many countries, put together. We know for a fact that around 17% of women aged 15-19 have had sexual intercourse while around 1.4% have engaged in it before the age of 15. On the other hand, the percentage of men aged 15-19, who have ever had sexual intercourse is 8.2% while 1.1% report having indulged in it before the age of 15 - and that is just those who admit it. By not granting adolescents their right to comprehensive sexuality education (CSE), we are allowing young people to "wing it" - not only in their admittedly sexual lives but also in the aspects of their physical, mental and emotional beings. Read more via Times of India