“Sexual Concepts” are very important in our lives. However, many people have wrong sexual stereotyping concepts because of wrong sex education or lack of sex education. ST discusses the concept of sex that we must all know ........................................... Ed
Sexual Concepts Both at Home and Abroad
In the Country
“No!”, “Don’t!”, “Don’t do it!”: Anyone who has completed or completed a course in South Korea must have heard it once. It is the type of education we are currently receiving. It is not to acknowledge the perpetrator’s wrongdoing, but to demand the victim’s verbal resistance. Although society has become more open to discussing sex these days, there are still many factors that must be fixed emotionally and institutionally.
Korean Educational System
Sex education in South Korea is in a blind spot of interest. Sex education in school is totally dependent on teachers’ discretion, and education for adults is almost nonexistant. Usually, during health class and home economics class, sex education is taught by a school nurse or a visiting lecturer. Most of us would have listened to the regular curriculum, “Ova and sperm meet to induce insemination.” However, even this is not done properly due to the lack of time. According to the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology’s recent five-year implementation of sex education in schools, 5.17 hours of education for elementary school, 3.5 hours for middle school, and 5.5 hours for high school were conducted. It is quite few compared to the 15 hours of compulsory sex education a year claimed by the Ministry of Education.
A Standard Plan
“Women are weak against moods, while men are weak against nudity.”; “To prevent sexual harassment on the subway, keep your bag strap long.”; “If the sexual organ is not inserted, it is not sexual assault.” These are a few examples of the content of the revised gender education standard. Not only does it strengthen reproductive, masculine-oriented descriptions and gender stereotypes, but also excludes various family forms and sexual diversity. According to the standard, victims of sexual assault appear to be blamed for the crime because they did not resist fully. The terms “LGBTQ,” “masturbation,” and “sexual pleasure” are other concepts that the standard plan does not describe. Intentional silence on sexual minorities can promote prejudice and groundless hatred. Also, students who do not have a proper education about “masturbation” and “sexual pleasure” are likely to consider the wrong information as true.
The Netherlands runs Europe’s most successful sex education policies and programs and has the lowest teen pregnancy rate. Sex education in the Netherlands includes not only biological content, but also a wide range of areas, such as contraception, sexual activity, conversation skills when meeting the opposite sex, and social values about sex. One of the most important features of the Netherlands’s sex education is that classes are held in debate forms. Students are allowed to recognize the importance of sexual knowledge on their own. Through the debate, students do not feel ashamed or secretive about sex. In particular, the ritual campaign “No Means No” in the Netherlands has significantly enhanced awareness on the importance of responsibility in sexual relations. Under any circumstances, “No” is accepted as “No”.
Since 1970, Germany has incorporated sex education into its formal education program and strengthened it into compulsory education since 1992. Sex education is a must in Germany, with students conducting presentation classes under the theme of sex. And gynecologists and urologists visit schools to educate students. In Germany, sex education is very direct. In particular, its comprehensive programs have helped prevent sex crimes. Within the time to learn self-defense, special police officers in the field of sex education regularly visit to provide education on the prevention of sexual violence.
The United States
The United States has revised the General Health Education Act to provide sex education beginning at kindergarten. It also operates sex-related communication channels in elementary, middle and high schools to help solve questions anonymously at any time. The school’s health care center is equipped with contraceptives so that students will not have a sense of rejection when looking at the tools. One of the most famous sex education tools in the US is taking care of dolls. The class asks students to keep a diary for a week by taking care of a doll that is almost the same size as a newborn. Through this experience, students can establish a responsible sex culture.
Sweden was the first country in the world to mandate sex education in 1897. In Sweden, parents cannot oppose their children’s sex education. Education is organized by age. Lower graders in elementary school learn the biological sex differences between men and women. And at ages 11 to 13, students learn about secondary sexualization, the structure of the sexual organs and the methods of masturbation. Then, at the age of 14 to 16, they learn about fetal development, pregnancy, childbirth and sexually transmitted diseases. During this time, students are given free condoms. Finally, at the age of 17 to 20, they learn about gender morality, sexuality, and social welfare policies for childbirth and childcare.
The Types of Contraceptive Methods
What is the most important to remember while having sex? It’s contraception. The definition of the term ‘contraception’ is to prevent pregnancy by using a barrier or pills. Contraception can prevent not only unwanted pregnancy, but also AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) and other venereal diseases. Let us discuss the existing kinds of contraceptions.
The Misconceptions on Contraceptive Methods
Then, what misconceptions do people usually have with these important forms of contraception? ST introduces five representative misconceptions.
Q1. Can a woman get pregnant while she is menstruating? 1)
A1. YES! The rate of a menstruating woman’s pregnancy is lower than usual, but it is not perfectly safe. There is no way of knowing if she conceived because women’s ovulation cycles are irregular. A woman who discharges blood irregularly should pay special attention to it. It may be a bloody discharge, but not menstruation. If you do not prevent conception while menstruating, you could be pregnant. Thus, you must practice contraception all the time. But first, while menstruating, the vagina is so edgy that it can be taken ill easily. That is why experts advise that people do not engage in sexual relations during this period.
Q2. Will a woman be infertile if she takes the contraceptive pill for a long time? 2)
A2. NO! The contraceptive pill does not make a woman infertile. There is an example that a woman can conceive unintentionally immediately after she stopped taking contraceptive pills. The duration of taking the pill is not a factor on the fertility index. Female fertility decreases over time regardless of whether you take the pill or not.
Q3. Does taking a contraceptive pill make a woman fat? 3)
A3. NO! In the past, there has been high hormone content in birth control pills. It makes someone who is taking it fatter through accumulation of water in the body or increased appetite. However, it is a very exceptional case nowadays. Actually, there is research that argues there is no intense weight change in a clinical trial.
Q4. Can contraceptives cause deformities or mutations? 4)
A4. NO! There is no proven result according to scientific studies. The rate of deformities related to taking the pill during pregnancy is similar to the rate of deformities to all expectant mothers (2~3%).
Q5. Does the contraceptive pill make acne worse? 5)
A5. NO! The increase of acne, which is common with weight gain, is not a serious problem these days. A portion of the previous pill taken sometimes can make acne worse, but today’s pill has a low hormone component. The deterioration of acne becomes a rare case. Certain pills are even used to treat acne.
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ST conducted a survey about curious points on sex for five days(7/20~7/24) targeting about 200 people. Then, ST selected four questions and answered them based on experts’ opinions.
Do women have sexual desire? (A, ♂, 22)
Yes, they do. Especially, before and after the ovulatory phase, women’s sexual desire grows stronger. Researchers at the University of Chicago found that women at the ovulatory phase had four times more sex or masturbation than women at the menstrual period.
· Menstruation and Pregnancy
What does period feel like? When a friend is having a hard time with her period, what’s the best way to help? (B, ♂, 21)
People feel differently about it, but they are often referred to as ‘bearing an oyster’. The reason why many women suffer the most from menstruation is ‘physiology’. Many women experience extreme pain in both the stomach and the waist. Foods that help with menstruation include beans and bananas. Beans are rich in estrogen, which strengthens the reproductive system. And bananas, which are rich in vitamin B, help relieve menstrual pain by promoting metabolic activity. So if a friend is going through the period of menstruation, it can be helpful to recommend these foods.
I wonder about the change in the woman’s body during pregnancy. I have not been educated properly. (C, ♀, 21)
First of all, she gains weight. The average weight growth during graviditas simplex is 11 kg, and in the case of a twin pregnancy, it is 14.5 kg. Also, the quantity of blood cells and plasma increases. Blood increases at an average of 40%. It functions by feeding the fetus and speeding up the mother’s metabolism. Also, it prepares the body for bleeding in birth.
· Venereal Diseases
What are the types of venereal diseases and precautions? (D, ♀, early 20s)
A venereal disease is a sexually transmitted infectious disease and breaks out on infection, like that of a germ, virus, protozoan, or parasite. I guess you have heard about gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia, AIDS, HPV (Human Papilloma Virus), hepatitis B, and similar diseases. The best way to prevent venereal diseases is by using condoms. Except in the case of AIDS, which can cause infection through the use of a syringe, and hepatitis B which can be transmitted through body fluids, most venereal diseases are spread through sexual intercourse. A condom cannot prevent diseases absolutely, but it can minimize contact with suspected infectees.