Sex Education and Chastity in Taiwan

[Gwyn ap Nudd]

In Taiwan a sex-ed bill was shot down over the issue of teaching abstinence. As here in America, a pressure group tried to force the issue of abstinence. The Taiwanese officials stood firm, claiming that abstience was sexist, putting all the onus on the woman.

"To use the law would be a human rights violation," said lawmaker Lee Hong-chun.

.....

Teens say abstinence is hardly a mysterious.

"This is useless, because we're already taught that (abstinence) -- by teachers and our parents," said first-year Taipei high school student Yuan Chen-hao, 16.


Link to Story (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070111/od_nm/taiwan_sex_dc_1)

[dann]

The initial bill enjoyed support across party lines, but was later amended under pressure from Taiwan headmasters who wanted a clause asking middle and high schools to promote chastity for four hours every academic year.What are they whining about? Chastity for four hours every academic year? Even I have gone longer than that. :)

[Wolfman]

On a similar note, a recent study of sex practices among high school students in China:
Jane Macartney, of The Times, in Beijing

An overwhelming majority of high school girls in Beijing would not refuse a boyfriend’s requests for sex, and more than half of students see nothing wrong with a one-night stand.

These findings in a poll of 2,300 high school students in the Xuanwu district of the capital have stunned teachers and Chinese sex experts.

Chinese society has traditionally venerated virtue, while under Communist Party rule since 1949 puritan abstinence has long been seen as proper behaviour. However, the survey shows a stunning shift in sexual mores.

Six per cent of students surveyed had already had a sexual experience and the average age for students to lose their virginity was 15. In 2005 a survey by Durex, the condom-maker, showed that the global average age was 17.3.

Just six of the 1,300 girls questioned stated that they would say no to sex when asked by a boyfriend. The typical answer was: “As long as he loves me, it’s OK.” About 200 respondents of both sexes said they would have a one-night stand if the opportunity arose.

About 30 per cent of the respondents said teenage sex was fine, as long as it was consensual, and 55 per cent said it depended on how much the two young people loved each other. There was no mention of moral considerations.

Such liberal attitudes have sparked concerns over safe sex, with more than 40 per cent of respondents who had had sex saying they did not use contraceptives during their first sexual encounter. Underage girls account for about a quarter of the 1.5 million abortions in China every year, and teenage pregnancies are on the rise.

Zhang Meimei, a professor at Capital Normal University in Beijing, who was involved in the latest survey, said: “The new generation is open-minded about sex. We can only conclude that it is a result of a fast-changing society.”

One of the most important changes is a result of China’s quarter-century-old “one-couple, one-child” family planning policy that has resulted in a generation of young people indulged by their parents and subject to little discipline and few rules at home.

In addition, the chaos of the Cultural Revolution shattered many traditional ways of thinking, while a widespread cynicism with communist ideology that followed the ultra-leftist movement has created a generation lacking a clear moral compass.

[Darth Rotor]

Just six of the 1,300 girls questioned stated that they would say no to sex when asked by a boyfriend. The typical answer was: “As long as he loves me, it’s OK.” About 200 respondents of both sexes said they would have a one-night stand if the opportunity arose.
Girl, he'll love you all night long. The question,

"Will he still love you, tomorrow?"

DR

[luchog]

On a similar note, a recent study of sex practices among high school students in China:
Hrm... maybe I need to change my plans to spend time in China instead of Japan. 'Cause in Japan, they'll make you pay for it (http://www.iastate.edu/~rhetoric/105H17/nnguyen/cof.html).

[pgwenthold]

What are they whining about? Chastity for four hours every academic year? Even I have gone longer than that. :)

Grammatical issues aside, even the intent of the statement is stupid. How in the world are you going to spend 4 hours promoting chastity?

Aside from, "Don't have sex," what is there to say?

[dann]

I might start with: "Now you all place your hands on the table where I can see them ..." :)

Well, seriously, it does take a lot of time to persuade members of the human species that sex is bad. Sometimes it takes several generations ...