Up until a few years ago, a woman had
to get her husband’s consent to buy contraceptives over the counter.
Today, one can languidly stroll into a
chemist after a hot and heavy night, simply pay Sh150 and get the morning-after
pill.
Despite the campaign against using
these pills as contraceptives (because of dire effects such as acquired
immunity and eventual resistance), ladies still pop them like candy.
But in all fairness, it is commendable
that society no longer views buying a condom or a pill in public as
embarrassing (even though, apparently, condom advertisements are still a No-No).
The fact that we have evolved this far
is a good and a bad thing. It is a good thing because we can take control of
our reproductive organs (and who, really, does not want that?)
It is a bad thing because people then
proceed to abuse that power, because they know the consequences can be stymied
with a quick downtown abortion.
By avoiding the debate on pertinent
issues (yes, I am still talking about sex), we risk taking our country to
extremes.
Not talking about Female Genital
Mutilation does not make it right - even if it 'apparently' reduces a woman's
libido. (READ: Agony for girls as culture of silence fuels outdated ‘cut’)
A great hue and cry over the Weka Condom Mpangoni commercial claiming that
it promotes immorality also won't stop men and women from having sex.
On the other hand, a completely
‘permissive’ society - where abortions are legal and women who have many sexual
partners are not considered sluts - is something every outwardly conservative
Kenyan is against. Heaven forbid, right?
But we must talk about sex. The
mystery that surrounds it needs to be unravelled because our current attitude
promotes a culture of ignorance and deplorable actions.
People are doing it and they are doing
it without protection, passing on all kinds of things. People are thinking
about it. They have questions about it especially those that are clueless about
it.
Our children are going into a
hyper-sexed world with absolutely no information except for rumours from
friends and the internet.
What kind of foundation and conscious
thought are we giving them?
Sex is not a taboo. It is a fact of
life, and the more we shroud it in mystery, the more accidents are likely to
happen.
People need to talk about it so that
when do it, they do it right.
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