Taboo vs. Necessity? M’sians Share 5 Things About Sex Ed They Wished They Knew When They Were Young

One of the biggest misconceptions about sex education is that most people think it would teach kids all about “how to have sex” – alas, that is completely false. From learning the basics about the human body to understanding what sexual assault is, there are a lot of things most Malaysians aren’t exposed to when growing up, and only because it’s considered ‘taboo’.

In fact, sexual education actually has the potential to teach Malaysians about important topics concerning their health and safety that can help them even well into their adult years. Thus, we’ve asked a few Malaysians to share their opinions on what sex ed topics they wish they learned from their younger days. Read on to find out more!

1. Getting to know your body and how to respect it

Even though we did learn about basic human anatomy in science class, the lack of sex ed in school (and at home!) has caused our society to be bashful when it comes to our own bodies. As a result, we never properly learned about how to understand and respectfully treat our body. So, in case you have a younger sibling, nieces/nephews or children of your own, these are the very basic rules that you should openly talk to them about to normalise these conversations:

• Teach basic facts about menstruation so they know it’s not a shameful matter
• List down the sensitive parts of the body that they should NEVER let other people touch
• Prepare them about the changes their body will go through during puberty

2. The concept of consent and setting boundaries

The importance of consent is often undermined, due to the lack of conversation around this topic. In fact, some adults don’t even fully understand the concept of it!

When it comes to sexual activities, consent is the utmost important aspect. It’s described as a mutual agreement between two parties to engage in sexual activities, which also needs to be clearly communicated to respect each other’s boundaries. Without consent, any sexual activity can be considered as rape, which is a serious crime!

The concept of consent also involves the usage of protection, which is important in the practice of safe sex. One of the most common forms of protection is the usage of condom which can be widely found in the market.

3. Sexual assault is MORE than just physical

One of the most important aspects of sex ed is learning about harassment – sexual, emotional or physical. In the case of sexual harassment, it can be further broken down into different categories, namely:

• Verbal
• Gestural
• Visual
• Psychological

That’s right, sexual harassment can even be done by what we say or the pictures we show people. Unfortunately, people who never properly learned what sexual abuse is would be clueless about what steps to take when they are victimised. This is a sad reality, which explains why a survey found roughly 54% of sexually harassed victims in Malaysia didn’t even report their case out of embarrassment.

4. How to communicate and understand each other’s preferences

It’s pretty common for Malaysian adults to feel really shy about openly discussing sex (even with their partners!) since it’s such a taboo topic. In reality, communication is key in understanding each other’s preferences and help foster a healthy relationship.

But what should you discuss when it comes to sex? Here’s what you can start with:

• Your sexual health
• Preferred method of contraception
• How to tolerate differences in preference

Through communication, you and your partner can gain physical, emotional and mental benefits, such as:

• Fostering a healthy sexual relationship to avoid STD/UTI
• Creating a safe and pleasurable space in the bedroom
• Building trust and forming a better bond with your partner

If you need more information about this, you can also check out this A – Z guide to help you discover pleasure in and out of the bedroom!

5. You can still practice safe sex AND make it pleasurable

Information regarding safe sex practices is super important, because it plays a huge role in decreasing the spread of STD’s and UTI’s. However, many Malaysians have the misconception that using contraception, such as condoms, can make the experience less pleasurable.

The truth is, what makes sex less fun for both parties is the fact that Malaysians don’t know enough about condoms to make the right choices. Condoms actually come in various types that include different sizes, fits, textures, etc. This is why choosing the wrong type of condom that doesn’t properly suit you can ruin the experience for both parties!

So, to educate the public regarding how to properly choose your protection to practice safe sex, Durex is setting out to tour the nation and spread more awareness about this topic!

That’s right! Durex has kickstarted its Come Together campaign and now, they’re going on tour with the Durex Come Together Roving Truck!

As the number one condom brand in Malaysia, Durex aims to empower youths and educate them to make the right decision for themselves, by providing the right information and products. Hopefully these efforts can normalise sexual topics and create a safe culture within our society.

Some of the initiatives that Durex has launched as part of the campaign include:

• Durex Train the Trainers initiative in partnership with SPOT
• Durex Come Together Higher Institution Workshops in partnership with SPOT
• Durex A-Z guide & sticker pack to help couples learn more and get intimate with each other

And now, with the Durex Come Together Roving Truck, the brand aims to get even closer to the audience by visiting high-traffic venues, such as malls (in the morning) and clubs (at night) to spread safe sex education! The roving truck will be making its way from 26 to 30 December 2022. Some of the venues that will be visited include:

• 26 Dec:
  • Plaza Akardia (3PM – 11PM)
• 27 Dec:
  • Menara Star, PJ (3PM – 4.30PM)
  • Symposium Mansion, PJ (7PM – 11PM)
• 28 Dec:
  • NST Bangsar (3PM – 4.30PM)
  • APW Bangsar (7PM – 11PM)
• 29 Dec:
  • China Press, Bangsar (3PM – 4.30PM)
  • Bangsar Village, Jalan Telawi 1 (7PM – 11PM)
• 30 Dec:
  • Sin Chew Daily, Jalan Petaling (3PM – 4.30PM)
  • G-String Bar (7PM – 11PM)

Sounds interesting, right?! If you’re keen to drop by the roving truck, you can also expect to have fun with some live music, drinks and games at the Durex Come Together Roving Truck.

So, you get to learn about sex education AND party while you’re at it! ?

Sounds like a really fun time to us! BRB, we’re leaving soon to check out this truck. ?

If you want to know more about the Durex Come Together Roving Truck or you’re interested to educate yourself about safe sex education, you can visit Durex’s website here or you can also follow them on Instagram and Facebook for more cool updates!