Apparently some parents in Idaho think that 10th grade Science teacher Tim McDaniel should not use the word vagina when discussing sex ed in his class. I’m just curious…what word should be used? I mean, yes, in my daily life, I do have a tendency to use twelve year old words, coochie, wang and boinking describe vagina, penis and sexual intercourse in a funny and light-hearted way amongst my friends and family and they just laugh at me. I try to use the official words when I’m speaking with clients or strangers, if those words may need to be used, but for the most part, I do revert to childhood. However, I do know the words. In fact, I knew the words when I was a little girl. My parents did not substitute words like bug, basket and rosebud to discuss body parts, as some of my friends’ parents had. No, they wanted their daughters to know the medical terms of our body parts so that we could accurately discuss aches, pains and when we just felt that something was wrong with those body parts.
I wonder if the parents who are protesting this teacher’s use of the word vagina are one of those parents who let their kids believe that kissing makes babies, babies are brought by storks and the only people who get STDs are those bad girls who carry condoms. I know, I know, I am being too judgmental, but it sort of worries me, since in some cases, sexual education is only going to be taught at school. Sure, it would be great if kids learned about sexual health from their families, from early on learning how to protect oneself from disease, early pregnancy, learning that sexuality is not shameful, but really…what are the statistics on parents who teach that at home? So instead, I am assuming that these parents would prefer that sexual health not be discussed at all…leaving young men and women to experience sexuality, menstruation, puberty, nocturnal emissions and other normal side effects of being human as it comes, leaving these kids to trip and tumble and uncomfortably grope their way through adolescence and adulthood. I suppose that it would be better for the children if they are just celibate until marriage, then just hope that they figure things out.
Nah, I think not. I think that forewarned is forearmed. I think that having an education in sexual health gives a young person not only a leg up when it comes to seeking out partners, but also knowing when something doesn’t feel, look, smell right on their own bodies. I think that the fact that a childhood friend thought that menstrual blood was secreted from the same orifice that urine comes out of…is super sad. I’m just glad that she asked someone before she tried putting a tampon into her urethra…OUCH!
I don’t think that anyone should go through life without education. I think that education of all aspects of life are important. Do these parents want their pubescent daughters and sons to go see a doctor and say “Hi doc, down there hurts.” Or would these parents rather their sons and daughters not be responsible for making sure that if they do in fact have sex prior to marriage, they make sure that they are not the recipient of something that they will have to carry with them through life, whether it be a baby or an STD?
It scares me that in today’s society, parents have an issue with the word vagina being used in a classroom. This argument is not protecting these children. Trust me parents, your kid is hearing much more distasteful words for the beautiful womanly body part…what, it’s okay because it’s from their peers rather than from a teacher? Oh yes, because your child’s peers are absolutely going to give your kid the proper education. If I had received my sexual education from my peers, I probably would have lost my virginity before I turned eighteen. I probably would have freaked out when I started my period. I probably would have had many more children than I did. But no, I received my sexual education from my parents and teachers. I knew that those sores…well I didn’t want them. I knew that I was in charge of my body. I knew that it was my responsibility to keep myself healthy, mentally and physically…when it came to my sexuality. I have never had one of those moments of “Oh I really shouldn’t have slept with that guy” because I feel empowered in my choices regarding my sexuality.
It scares me that in this day and age, parents are still wanting to believe that their children aren’t sexual beings, when in fact, sexuality is beautiful, elegant, fun, sweet, gentle, fierce and everything in between. Shouldn’t we teach children to embrace that part of being human, of being touched by the divine in the ways that our bodies work? Shouldn’t we teach them the proper names for body parts, that the word vagina is as benign as the words elbow or heart? Shouldn’t we teach them that knowing your body and what you can do with it is as important as the what you can do with it part? Shouldn’t we teach them that they are in charge of their reproductive health, that they are empowered and in control of who they share it with? Doesn’t that start with knowledge of how things work?
Hellish Behavior 