I learnt from school about Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) but it was usually too general and skimpy and I did find it difficult asking questions about it. I wasn’t really curious too because I thought I didn’t need it.
When a young girl got pregnant, we’d make statements like, “Doesn’t she know about condoms???” But the truth is a little more complicated than that.
The truth is, she probably knew about condoms but like me, never really wondered. She was probably too shy to go to the store and get it because she wasn’t really supposed to be having sex anyway. Or to go to the hospital to ask about other forms of contraception and safe sex. She probably couldn’t ask her boyfriend about it because she was scared of driving him away. She didn’t want him to feel she didn’t trust him by asking him about condoms and his previous sexual partners. Worst of all, she couldn’t even talk to her best friend because she didn’t want to be labeled a bad girl.
That’s how to get an unwanted pregnancy: ignorance, fear and judgement.
Let’s not even talk about STDs.
SRH is so much more than knowing about different contraceptive methods.
Its the right to information without judgement.
Its the ability to know your body intimately and be ready to protect its dignity at any cost. Its knowing that you have a say in what happens to your body. You are not an observer.
It is not a need-to-know topic, it’s a must-know!
And whether you are presently sexually active or not (unless you plan to be an 80yr old virgin😁), you are concerned. So get curious!!
I’m glad that my ideas are slowly but surely changing lol. I’m becoming more invested in the ins and outs of my body. Its true that it’s not always easy to talk about, but it’s a work in progress
Its funny that we accept the fact that we have to learn to be good at anything. But when it comes to sex, we think that things will just fall into place. Saving yourself for marriage does not stop you from being prepared and armed with information. Your husband is not going to teach you more about your body than you.
On the health aspect, adopting good practices for menstruation, vaginal cleaning, medical checkups etc is also something most of us take for granted.
SRH is not a need-to-know topic, it’s a must-know.
