Confessions of a Teenager - Ch 1 - The Problem with Our Society

I will not go into any historical references or facts regarding corruption, but present a realistic problem which many Indian teens and young adults have definitely faced.

So, one fine morning, somehow I cut my arm badly from a metallic edge and decide to go to our nearest medical shop for TetVac. It was around 11, and there are 4–5 moms with their children waiting for the school bus to arrive. Often, they used to stand inside the shop to escape the scorching heat outside.

While I’m sitting on a bench waiting for the attendant to prepare my vaccine, a pretty woman (I assume to be around 25) comes to the counter. She scanned the entire shop in a strange manner, which made me even more curious what she was going to ask for. Then, she dropped the bomb - “Bhaiya, mujhe ek condom dijiye” (Can you please give me a condom?)

Suddenly, everything changed. The 2nd shop guy at the cash counter dropped his pen and stared at her in shock, while the expression of the moms were like:

Two moms even took their children outside the shop, while others stared at her in, possibly despair. The sudden change in behaviour of the people around her even made the woman feel deeply embarrased. The guy at the cash counter even added, “Madamji, ye sab lene ke liye raat main aana parta hain, abhi nahi” (Mam, you should come for these items at night only, not now). She didn’t wait for another moment, and left quietly.

Conclusion: Why was the pretty woman forced to feel embarrased? - Only because how Indian society percieves sex, love and related topics as a taboo, a matter of social disrespect. These have made the ultimate monument of hypocrisy in India:

a) The Kamasutra, the ancient literature which depicts the highest level of knowledge regarding sexual poses, tantric pleasure and love-making, was developed in India only, by the saints and yogis (considered messengers of God). Yet, our society treats these as taboo and uncultured topics.

b) Not only the moms at the medical shop, but every parent wants his son/daughter to receive good education. Yet, when such a trivial yet important topic of human physiology (Refer to Class 8/9 Science/Biology book chapter of ‘Reproduction’) comes forward, they run away. This lack of sexual awareness is responsible for the large numbers of STDs/STIs in India.

c) If Indians were so shy, refraining from any conversations regarding love, relationships, sex and condoms, how did India reach a population of nearly 1.3 billion?

Indians are preaching talks regarding sexual health and awareness as dirty, uncivilised and taboo, yet practising the same without a moment’s hesitation behind closed doors, leading to so many abortions and infanticides. If this isn’t the biggest practical example of hypocrisy, then what is?