Let's Talk About Sex, Baby: China's Interest in Sex Starting Earlier But Education Remains Lacking

A recent survey found that Chinese youth are having sexual experiences at earlier ages, but their increasing interest in sex is not being complemented by improved sex education.

The study, conducted by the Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, noted that youth in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou are expressing interest in a range of sexual behavior at earlier ages than ever before.

Among those surveyed, the average age for experiencing initial romantic interests or “puppy love” decreased to 13.03 years old from 14.43 in boys, and to 12.21 years old from 13.38 in girls. The survey indicated that about 13.3 percent of the male students and 4.6 percent of females had sex for the first time in high school, compared to 19.5 percent of males and 8.7 percent of females who lost their virginity at university.

Despite the interest in sex, channels to actually understanding sex and intimacy remain limited in China. Nearly 48 percent of youth respondents indicated that when they had questions about sex, they had no options for reliable information. Another 23.6 percent sought answers from the internet. A minority reportedly received help from teachers and parents, 10.7 percent and 10.4 percent, respectively.

It’s not just young people who are wary of discussing sex. The survey also showed that only 9.8 percent of dads and 11 percent of moms answered their children’s questions about sex when the topic was broached, while about 50 percent said that they answered some queries but generally avoided the subject. An additional 10 percent refused to answer and "shamed" their children for prompting discussion.

By and large, school curricula have not stepped in to fill this glaring gap in knowledge. A study from a Chongqing-based research institute, for instance, found that only 16 percent of students receive sex ed in school. For those that do, lack of accurate or clear information in the classroom exacerbates existing misconceptions.

JC, a Beijing-based young professional, experienced the confusion of current curriculum models firsthand. Her “sex ed” instruction was comprised of a health class video of a boy and girl sitting next to one another, as the boy edges his chair ever closer. The next scene: unexplained pregnancy! While the idea of magical chairs with the power to cause immaculate conception are interesting, it hardly constitutes real education.

While some reforms rolled out in March 2018 aim to address weaknesses in sexual education in major cities, these changes are limited in scope and will face a long implementation process at the national level. Others, meanwhile, crossed perceived lines of decency, such as this second-grade textbook which described how “Daddy put his penis inside mommy’s vagina,” complete with cartoon pornography.

So if not at home or at school, where do Chinese people learn about sex? Mostly from their friends or porn, neither of which generally give an accurate or instructive understanding of sexual pleasure. The dearth of information even among adults has prompted some organizations in Beijing to take the matter into their own hands, offering workshops and apps that provide details on everything from strategies to improve sexual communication to practical tips for how to achieve female orgasm. Unfortunately, what this survey reveals is that there's still a long way to go.

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