Written by Maria Isela Ventura, Middle School Student
Why would our guardians ever have the need to do it?
Growing up in a Hispanic household, I heard the word ‘sex’ quite often. I was taught the rules of sexual relationships at a very young age. Growing up in such a way that became normal to me.
So when the topic was brought up by a friend over a meal of carrots and peanut butter sandwiches, my friends were surprised to hear that I knew so much about a topic their parents had never shared before.
They didn’t know how to react
or what to say.
I felt embarrassed
like I knew something I shouldn’t.
I couldn’t believe I was taught the names of every body part they were ashamed about.
How could my friends not understand what I was talking about?
I began to question them and they began to question me. And that’s when the winning question hit me.
Haven’t your parents talked to you about this?
They all looked at each other and gave me the same answer.
I told them about my single mom and how they shouldn’t fear the topic. I explained why this is so important and why it should be taken very seriously.
Years later I still have the memory in my head but not the same questions. Now I understand why they couldn’t understand me.
But I noticed it more in my Hispanic friends. They had to learn about sex through the schools’ health system, which is great, but not the same as when a close family member talks to you about it.
Latinos have a culture where
talking about body parts is something funny
and not serious.
Where the women can not talk about periods in front of fathers and
where boys have to learn to be proud of their penises.
That’s why it’s essential for young people to talk to parents and parents to talk to their children. So in the future there are less problems in our families and fewer sexual accidents happening.
Instead of questioning what we’ve been taught, we should get the courage to speak up to our parents and ask them questions so it triggers something in them to find answers for you.
If they see that you show interest in a topic that they know very little about, they will seek information that will only benefit our generation and the many more to come.