Sexual Education and Wellness: What Indonesia is Currently Missing
The other day, the world was shocked by one of the representatives of the child protection commission that young women can get pregnant if they are in the same swimming pool with another male. The only justification is that male with infatuated with the women and ejaculated, then A strong sperm can swim to a woman’s vagina and impregnate her.
What you don't know is, this is just one story of many that show Indonesia is in a dire of proper Sexual Education that always been considered taboo in Indonesia.
What does Indonesian Think About Sexual Education, Wellness, and Activity?
Sexual Education, or let alone Sexual Wellness is considered taboo and people are not supposed to talk about it. I grew up as an Indonesian kid who lives in the suburbs, didn’t have any talk about my sexuality with my parents because they are either too embarrassed or too shy to talk about that kind of topic with their children. In school, we are educated with Sexual Education, BUT with a twist that sexual things are taboo and you never do this, only a villain does this. We don’t have any proper explanation about contraception, about STD’s let alone how to keep our sexual part healthy because they considered it a taboo talk in school.
So what about society? Indonesia is famous for being a prim and religious country that sees sex as a Zina. Zina is a word from Arabic that translates into “Fornication” or “Adultery”, and because sex is Zina, many religious groups started to think that Big Day is equal to teens “having sex day”. One particular outspoken group is FPI or Front Pembela Islam (Islamic Defender Front) who pretty much-done raids on New Year and Valentine every year because it considered “not Islam value”, Yes this is the same religious group that sues the government to stop selling contraception or they will start raiding malls. The weirdest thing is, even the police also done raids on the cheap hotel to arrest young couples making love. Well, they dubbed it as raids to arrest prostitutes but still a young couple who can’t prove that they are married also arrested.
We have a lot of problems in Indonesia, but Sexuality has considered the evilest of them, which is why people think that sexuality is taboo and not suppose to be taught in school and resulting in many Indonesian don't know (at all) how to keep your sexual part healthy. This is one of the biggest problems in Indonesia.
“Oh come on Dimas, you only can talk but no action!” Sure, I only talk but no action. In fact, about 1 year ago I and my friends are doing social projects teaching basic sexual education and wellness to poor kids in North Jakarta. Before we teach in front of the children, we have to do the screening process by the local health clinic. They literally butchered the contraception part, just because that it’s supposed to be their job and if you teach them this then they will think that free sex was okay, well what the fork! But do they talk about contraception to the young ‘uns? No, i don’t think so?
Indonesia needs a Sexual Revolution
I recently watch Netflix’s Naked Director and surprise by how the Japanese have done this in the ’70s. Sei no Kaihou or Sexual liberation is meant to be women's freedom to express themselves sexually, which not related to more and more stigma that women should do this, don’t be wild or anything. Women are are an individual of themselves, which they have rights to express sexually and be protected by the law.
To be frank, Indonesia is one of the shittiest countries that protect women. For example, Gisella is one of the Indonesian actresses that has sex tape scandals, many people actually demanded Gisella sent to prison for that act. For what?? She made it well, it's her rights to made it. The one you should punish is the one that uploaded that video in the first place innit? Come on guys, use your brain! Another example, actually it's from my family. My aunt is a big fan of an Islamic movement which currently banned by the government today. We have this family gathering on Ied Fitr when everyone comes and celebrates it. My aunt saw one of my niece walking without veils, and she bluntly said that she should be raped because she doesn’t wear the veil. Like WTF? Come on!!
Women have the rights to be protected! In Indonesia, if you got raped by someone because you are wearing a damn tank top and short pants, I can guarantee that someone, SOMEONE actually talks its not the man's fault, it's your fault! In some cases, people demanded that the rapist actually marries the woman that he raped before. There is no logic in Indonesia, only people stupidly throwing opinions
Indonesia in desperate need of Sexual Revolution! It's a revolution where people, especially women can express their sexuality safely and with protection from the law! Everybody should feel safe about their sexuality, and not called it a disease or anything. It's not like Sexual Revolution will legalize the porn industry or the sex industry, but we need people to fight back those stigmas that hurt you. Let's learn sex education as it is, not what religion told you so! Of course, there are contraception pills, and any other method, but it doesn’t mean that it supports free sex life! It prevents children to be contracted STD’s and their knowledge building a healthy sex life ahead!
