Sex Education Book (Photo : Weibo)
Chinese netizens are debating on Sina Weibo over the graphic illustrations of new elementary school textbook on sex education. The textbook discusses sexual intercourse, menstruation, homosexuality and gender equality.
Among the illustrations on the book, published by Beijing Normal University, are the male and female reproductive organs and two people making love, What’s on Weibo reported. The book’s graphic content alarmed a Chinese mother who took a photo of the book, particularly when the woman asks a man, “Can you show me your penis?”
Mother’s Complaint
The mother from Hanzhou, Zhejiang Province who user name in Weibo is @Xinnianggenzhuangnyingzi asked, “Is it reasonable for a textbook to be compiled like this? I myself would blush looking at it,” ECNS reported.
Some netizens oppose the “explicit” way sex is taught to Chinese elementary pupils, while others favor it because China has often lagged when it comes to sex education of students. But the Beijing Normal University Publishing Group defended the book, saying all its contents went through rigorous scrutiny before the book was published. Some netizens described the book as “vulgar” and “tasteless.”
Controversial Topics
Besides the graphic illustrations, among the topics on the book that were debated by Chinese netizens were on homosexuality, the warning to children on sexual harassment, promotion of the single life as personal choice and men running a household is normal. In the teaching on homosexuality, the textbook describes it as a natural thing.
Ancient China was actually not prudish since recent excavations in Jiangsu of artifacts from the Han Dynasty yielded bronze and jade sex toys.
Those who favor the book said it is long overdue. One netizen pointed out that if the textbook was not update, Chinese teenagers would use improper methods such as watch porn to learn more about sex. But one netizen complained, “"The picture showing the mating process of men and women is absolutely unacceptable!”
A similar controversy hit a sex education book for children in Indonesia because of its graphic illustration about masturbation.
