Labiba Farzana

Sex education in religious culture

March 29, 2023

Sabina Faiz Rashid “Gender and Development”

Vol. 8, No. 2, [Aging] (Jul., 2000), pp. 28-37 (10 pages).

https://www.jstor.org/stable/4030471?seq=1

“Moral disapproval of sexual activities outside marriage means the overall discussion and

knowledge of such issues tend to be limited”

In Bangladesh, there is a social stigma attached to discussing sex openly. Many parents

and teachers believe that sex education should not be taught in schools, as they

consider it to be inappropriate and unnecessary for children. Research shows that the

onset of menstruation was the most traumatic period. And to think this is one of the start

of such traumatic experiences is unthinkable.

The conservative nature of Bangladeshi culture demands girls to be modest. Hence

protecting them from any insight from sexual activities or even knowledge regarding

sex.

The person who wrote the article is Sabina Faiz Rashid. According to her bio on the

BRAC University website, Rashid is the Dean of the James P Grant School of Public

Health at BRAC University in Bangladesh. She has a PhD in Public Health from the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and her research focuses on sexual and

reproductive health, gender-based violence, and HIV/AIDS.

To ensure the credibility of the author and the article, it is important to verify the source

of the publication, the reputation of the publisher, and the peer-review process of the

article.

The article appears to be written for a scholarly audience interested in sexual and

reproductive health issues in Bangladesh. The tone and style of the article are

informative and scholarly, with a focus on presenting the research findings in a clear

and objective manner.

To fact check the article, one can cross-reference the information presented in the

article with other reliable sources on the topic, such as academic journals, reports by

reputable organizations, or news articles from trusted media outlets.

Overall, the article appears to be a well-researched and informative study on the impact

of sex education on adolescents in rural Bangladesh.

Opinion: Sex Ed Is Not the Enemy – It’s Mental Health Care. 7 Oct. 2022,

www.austinchronicle.com/columns/2022-10-07/opinion-sex-ed-is-not-the-enemy-i

ts-mental-health-care.

https://www.austinchronicle.com/columns/2022-10-07/opinion-sex-ed-is-not-the-enemy-its-ment
al-health-care/

“Young women who grew up like many of us did, with an emphasis on morality,

religion, and abstinence instead of safety and education in sexual health

conversations, more often feel helpless and blame themselves after a sexual

assault.”

This article by Isabella Verratti explains what the situation of sexual awareness

is/was in Texas. Texas is known to be very religious and conservative. Reading her

article, although the situation is not dire like Bangladesh, as the poverty rate is not

high, it is still concerning. Teenagers are still uneducated regarding STD, pregnancy

prevention, birth control, Planned Parenthood etc.

Although Sex education is still available, sexual assault exists. And due to emphasis

of morality in those religious cultures, self-shame and guilt causes them not to

pursue them. This impacts communities negatively.

The article was written by Isabella Verratti, but there is no biographical

information provided in the article itself. Isabella Verratti is a senior studying

psychology at Colorado State University. Raised in Austin, Texas, she is passionate

about mental health as well as issues affecting Texas women and youth.

This article was published in “The Austin Chronicle” by Isabella Verratti on Friday

October 7, 2022. The Austin Chronicle is an alternative weekly newspaper

published every Thursday in Austin, Texas, United States. The paper is distributed

through free news-stands, often at local eateries or coffee houses frequented by

its targeted demographic. The newspaper reported a weekly readership of

545,500. Thus makes this article very credible and trustworthy

The article's audience is likely anyone interested in the intersection of sex

education and mental health care as many are unaware how heavily dependent

mental health and sex education are.

The tone of the article is serious and informative. The author presents their

argument in a straightforward manner and supports it with evidence and personal

anecdotes. The style is somewhat informal and accessible, likely to make it more

engaging for a general audience. The author's purpose appears to be to argue

that sex education should be viewed as an important aspect of mental health

care, and that increasing access to reproductive health resources can help

individuals lead happier, healthier lives.

So from the two article, first article represents the situation or societal response

of sex education in Bangladesh, an under-developed third world country. There

exists very less access to sex education. NGOs and community organizations are

working to fill the gap by providing education and counseling services, as well as

promoting safe sex practices and awareness about sexually transmitted

infections (STIs). For the second article, sex education is accessible in High

School. But not pursued, due to not giving as much importance as it should have,

or due to demoralizing ownself. My thoughts are, the main issue for not pursuing

sex education is stigma and negative judgment. If we could remove that, the

issue would be solved.