Let's Talk About Sex Education (Warning: Contains Spoilers on the "Existence" of Santa Claus)

Growing up, I was that kid who told the other kids that Santa Claus didn't exist. I didn't see what the big deal was, especially since, in my mind, Jesus was an even bigger reason to celebrate (and to be "nice" and not "naughty") than Santa. Not believing in Santa did not ruin my childhood, nor did it hinder me from having a vivid imagination. (Hello??? Do you even know me?)

I say this because I wanted to use this as an example of how my parents raised me. They allowed me my creativity, but they also told me enough about reality for me to appreciate imagination even more.

It was the same thing with sex.



I  don't actually remember having a (huge air quotes coming at you...) "Sex Talk" precisely because they treated my sex questions pretty much the same way they treated my Santa questions: with honesty packaged in a pretty, age-appropriate box. By the time everyone else was having their "Sex Talks", I had already known what a penis and vagina were and how sperm and eggs collide to make a baby. No, really.

I also had Sex Education in HS -- and yes, I studied in a Catholic, all-girls school. Granted, it was pretty progressive for its time (I think this is primarily why my parents decided to send me there). We were not bereft of the fire-and-brimstone type of Religion classes though. By the time I reached HS, even though I had already known the basics, and even though our Sex Ed teachers were a little on the inept side, I found the supplemental information on the intricacies of the reproductive systems of both men and women not only fascinating but also wondrous. I mean, c'mon, God is pretty awesome to have thought of all these things when he made us.

Did that necessarily warp my moral character?

Well, if many vocal proponents of the Anti Sex Ed Movement (that's my own personal euphemism for...well, no, sayang lang yung ginawa kong euphemism), I'm already morally doomed on two counts: (1) I had Sex Education in high school and (2) I am not Catholic.

To quote Dr. Emmett Brown, "GREAT SCOTT!" And to rephrase Jewel's question, "WHO WILL SAVE MY SOUL?!?"

Puh. Lease.

Sex Education is not the problem. Education has never been a problem. You know when it was a problem? When the Spaniards were trying to indoctrinate us back during Rizal's time.

Sex Education is meant to EDUCATE (now there's a shocker) people to make the right decisions based on FACTS. Morality has nothing to do with sex education, per se. Now, if you want to make an agenda out of it and perhaps promote celibacy or whatever, then that's the school's (and to a certain extent, the teacher's) prerogative! But to categorically say that Sex Ed will create a morally bankrupt generation of kids is just plain illogical. My Sex Ed actually made me appreciate God even more. And Biology...not enough for me to actually do well in Biology, but at least I appreciated it more.

This is not about the promotion of abortion or of contraceptives or of whatever it is that these people are afraid of. Yes, it will talk about abortion, contraceptives or whatever it is these people are afraid of. But when has talking about anything -- in an intelligent, pedagogical (hopefully, on both counts) arena -- been wrong??? (Yes, yes, since Rizal's time, but we've established that you've gotten that by now.)

Will it make some people curious about sex and perhaps engage in premarital sex? Yes. Will some people, despite the best Sex Education, still engage in unprotected sex? Yes. Will some of these teenage girls get pregnant? Yes. Will some of these pregnant girls get an abortion? Yes.

But guess what? Earthquakes, volcano eruptions, storms, fires, heck, even Willie Revillame will STILL happen, despite our best efforts to curb evil in the world!!!

Will some people be able to make intelligent sexual decisions based on what they've learned in Sex Education? Yes! And so on and so forth. I think we've also already established this point.

My point is this: People have the right to choose. Equip them to make the right decisions. That is all. If, at the end of the day, they still do something I deem as stupid, at the very least, let it be borne out of what they thought at that time was smart.

And I hatehateHATE that they're bringing in morality and religion into the conversation. God, in his infinite wisdom, has let us keep our free will! Why should we humans be any different? Shame on you for hiding your narrow mindedness behind religion.

*pant-pant-pant*

It's just...grrr!!! It's frustrating to engage in ideological debates with people who are not being logical. I know I'm liberal, but I am also a person of faith, so this is VERY frustrating for me.

Tsk.

And it just turned 7:04 in the morning. Guh.