But despite all that, we don’t take sex education all that seriously, especially in India. Just two years ago, India’s health minister, Dr Harsh Vardhan, said, “so-called ‘sex education’ should be banned.” He tried to weasel out of the controversy but the fact that a doctor like him is making statements like this only portrays how reluctant we are to talk about sex. Opponents of compulsory sex education claim teaching kids about sex will result in them indulging in experimentation, irresponsible behaviour and promiscuity. 

But one needs to understand that by nature’s cruel design, we are curious as a race. We want to know things, and that’s what has led to many discoveries and inventions. What makes parents, schools, and everyone else who oppose sex education think their kids are going to be any different? That their kids will not have curiosities, and then indulge in all sorts of experimentation and what not?

If we do not promote healthy sex practices to be taught in schools, and when I say ‘healthy’ don’t teach abstinence centered syllabus in schools please, we live in the age of Internet, and what you don’t teach your kids, they’ll learn it with a different approach from not so legitimate sources. And then our kids will have dumb, and ridiculous questions.

Like these:

This man never considered the possibility that it’s not his sperm’s god-like potency that got his girlfriend pregnant in the first place.  

Really now? Has no one ever told this person that being gay is not a condition, but a preferred sexuality. 

Can you believe no one told this 17-year-old that boys do not ever get periods?

And nobody told this guy that his girlfriend will not have her periods while she’s pregnant.

Mind you. This guy has fathered a child and yet is oblivious to the fact that there are no tests to determine your sexuality. 

The fact that it is filed under religion and spirituality only highlights how obsessed our cultures are with the concept of virginity. 

Nobody taught this guy what the right way to approach a girl you like is.

Use a condom maybe? 

Has no one taught him what masturbation is?

At least, there were no storks involved here.

Oh no! You did not!

This is the degree of ignorance that a person has; towards his own effing body!

Now, while these questions are funny, this topic in itself is quite serious.

You’ll probably be laughing at these questions and calling them downright dumb. And I agree, they are quite dumb. But they also reflect the sad reality of how clueless a large number of population is.

If only our kids are taught sex education like it needs to be, issues like incest, child sexual abuse and many such others can be dealt with. And no, I’m not asking kids at the age of 6-7 to be taught everything about sex. Age appropriate sex education is what we should aim for. Parents are as responsible as any educational institutions, after all your home is the first school.

Parents need to talk about the birds and the bees, and the flowers to their kids in as much practical sense as possible. Yes, your kid will shy away, and cringe. But later on, it might help them escape an abusive relationship, and save many others too. Half baked knowledge on sex and sexuality might have dire consequences for us and for our kids. 

This is why sex education is so necessary.