I can’t blame them because the three letter word S.E.X. sells.
If you don’t believe me, here’s a list of famous and box office local movies that talks sex.
From the 90s like Isteri, Perempuan dan …, Black Widow, Lenjan right down to the millennia like Ombak Rindu.
Many perhaps have watched the Suamiku series which boast titles such as Suamiku Sotong, Suamiku Mr. Perfect 10’ and Suamiku Ustaz.
The one thing that binds these movies is the underlying message of sexual connotation behind them. What I despise the most: ALL these movies at some point if not all are still sexist.
Perhaps, many women's groups have publicly raise their concern over this matter for the last two decades or so, but the fact remains, not much has changed. Indeed, change has come too little and too, too slow. Viewers are still being bombarded with sex and women are still unabatedly being used as the selling tools.
Honestly, I can’t even think of one particular Malay movie that is ever so sincere to portray the strong will and goodness of a woman and her contributions to the family institution.
Many might agree that the whole ‘Suamiku’ series is not solely about sex, but mainly on the holy matrimony and union of a man and a woman in Islam. But then, what does a marriage comprise of if it is not sex?
Now, since the censorship board and the ministry in charge sees that there is no harm in rolling out these movies to the public, no qualms at all with young eyeballs watching these movies, then, why is it that we still contemplate and hesitate on having a proper sex education for the people?
Especially for school students?
If we are selling and promoting the innuendos of sex to our children, then what's stopping us from explaining this part of life called sex to them?
Another striking example would be during the much-publicised Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim-Saiful Bukhari trial. How many times and days that the words ‘anal sex’ popped up in the headlines of all news establishment?
Thanks to that, my daughter knows the meaning to the word ‘liwat’ at the tender age of four!
Well, you see sex education in Malaysia has previously and consistently been a majorly begin-end affair. The multiple subjects of where do babies come from, the story of the start of the humankind that is so crucial to every human being has only the minimal amount of honour and space, squeezed in between some aspects of reproductive health subject that is incorporated into other school subjects - only to be taught at the age of 16 when the average age for a kid to reach puberty is between nine to fourteen years old.
Not all the things that the government does towards sex education is inapt though.
I applaud the government for its effort to add in some elements of knowledge on reproductive system with a new curriculum that brings sex education to 11-year-olds.
But then, that alone is not sufficed, to say the least. That is just a small fragment of it all and there were even reports saying that school teachers are uncomfortable to talk openly about sex to their school kids in class especially the younger ones. How is that even so? And if that's the case, then maybe we should school the teacher first before the kids?
Really, where do prepubescent kids go to seek for crucial information on sex? The Internet? That is even detrimental. Google the word sex and you will get all things porn.
Children need to have a clear picture on sex only because sex is one of the facts of life just like death, the food we take in, the air we breathe etc. Especially on keeping safe from harmful predators and knowing how our body really works, loving our body and respecting both genders alike.
Proper sex education will help them a lot in facing adulthood, their rights, violations and most importantly on how and what to do when faced with challenges of growing up and the changes in their body that is definite and inevitable.
Record shows that there is a worrying amount of babies abandoned and killed each year in Malaysia with at least 100 babies were disposed by their mothers. There was also statistics showing that in every 10 days, an abandoned baby is found in KL alone.
I blame it all on the lack and inexistence of proper sex education in our country.
Even with the whole baby hatch system, the help lines and the whole free and accessible counseling, our people are still dumping and killing babies.
How do we prevent this number from rising? How can we stop baby dumping when we can’t even discuss honestly about how babies are made?
How do we train our boys to be good and responsible husbands or boyfriends when we often cringe by the sound and sight of condoms?
How do we teach our sons to respect and protect women when all the local films and dramas are merely degrading and highlighting the tormenting ordeal of being a mother and a wife?
Look, even full grown adult can get misled by the whole misconception of sex, let alone children.
My point here is, if the government feel that Malaysians are ready to be bombarded with issues on marriage and genders for which both boil down to sex, like in our movies and dramas, then why are our youngsters perceived as being unready for a good and proper sex education which includes teaching on contraception, sexual transmitted diseases, LGBTs, the whole nine yards?
Should sex be a taboo in this modern age of advanced technology and borderless world?
Indeed, education is key and knowledge is king.
On that note, I wonder how many parents actually talk to children about sex. My mom told me about sex when I was nine. At that time, my older sister got her first period and my mom (who is a retired nurse) taught us about the human body, why my sister bled and how we should love and respect our body which leads to her talking about sex, babies and boys and condoms.
I didn’t quite understand it then, but I am pretty sure my sister did. Until, I got another private class from my mom when I hit puberty at 17, (yes, I am late bloomer).
Just like my mom, I want to make it a tradition that when my kids hit puberty, they too will be taught a full course of the human anatomy and adulthood from their dearest mommy. That is what I have planned for my children.
So, what’s yours?
Let's Talk About Sex by Salt N Pepa (1991). YouTube
