HYDERABAD: The popular Netflix series Sex Education is making a comeback with its third season. It addresses the mainstream topics like consensual sex, sexuality, and parent-child conversation regarding sex. However, such shows aren’t produced in Indian languages nor is sex education conversed in Indian families. The discussion is especially important at a time when CBSE students are up in their arms about some important lessons being knocked off from the syllabus.
Let’s talk about sex, they demand. Heroshini Komali, aspiring actor of Komali Sisters’ fame says, “Netflix hosts a lot of teenage and high school drama that normalises the western culture. Sex Education is a show where we see encouraging talk between parents and children about their romantic and sexual relations. In India, there is always criticism against western parents, but I feel they are just more understanding and friendly. We do not have prom nights in India unlike the west because parents here believe school is for studying and this mentality needs to change,” added Heroshini. A student of MA Education from the University of Hyderabad Alekhya Devarakonda said, “Acceptance of such shows ultimately will reduce the unhealthy illegal pornographic consumption which is accessed to understand the realities around sex.”
The culture, the habits, the history, social status, and the family orientation has an immense effect on the sex education of the child, she added. “Having a healthy and factual conversation about sex even in school is important to break the myths and misconceptions,” said Alekhya. However, the content creators must keep an eye on what kind of sensitive content they release and its effects on the Indian adolescents. Prarthana Earla, a freelance psychologist in the city said, “Various Indian series like SHE, are trying to forcefully put sexual content without providing a base for sex education.” In the west, children are taught about consent at a young age of four years and starting sex education at primary age in India might attract criticism but children can be taught about consent and touch.
“The first ones to communicate to children are the parents, then teachers, and finally, the psychologists but not many institutions appoint one. Eventually, there is nobody to talk to the child r e n , ” s a i d Prarthana. “Not just sexual abuse but also a lot of extramarital affairs can be curbed with the help of a sex therapist like in the series. Conversing about sexual problems in one’s married life can often save a lot of marriages,” Prarthana added. Neetha Nair, a businesswoman, and mother of a 14-year-old added, “Talking about sex helps children to protect themselves from sexual abuse by knowing the difference between good and bad touch. It is always better to teach them all about human sexuality in a professional and structured manner, than have them find out from unreliable sources. Encourage them to ask doubts because half knowledge is dangerous.”
Sritama Maitra, assistant professor and research scholar from Loyola Academy, Hyderabad said, “Sex education should be made a part of education. The classroom is the b e s t p l a c e for t h i s discussion.” “We all know of people abysmally imparting sex education by skipping the topic, bringing religious ideas into it, some portray it as shameful and even evil, while some others bring in gender stereotypes into it. This doesn’t help the cause at all,” Sritama added. The debate needs to shift from whether sex education should be a part of the curriculum which indeed should be but to how the education is being imparted and who is entrusted with the task because teachers who themselves have mental blocks about the issue will make things worse than they already are for the children.