I did not learn about sex from a caring conversation or a trusted adult. I learned by accident.
I was still young, curious about everything and innocent about most things. One evening, adults were watching a film they assumed no child would wander into. I walked in without knocking, without warning. What I saw stopped me in my tracks. I did not fully understand it, but I knew it was not meant for me. No one explained. No one asked questions. I simply walked away, carrying pictures in my head and confusion in my heart.
That moment stayed with me. Like a seed dropped on bare ground, my heart beat faster, not out of excitement alone, but confusion. it grew quietly. I had questions but nowhere to take them. That is how many of us began learning about sex through cracks in doors, half-seen movies, whispered jokes, or the internet’s loud and careless voice. We were taught everything except the truth.
I did not fully understand what I had seen, but my mind refused to let it go. The images lingered, replaying themselves quietly when I least expected them.
Sexual health is one of those subjects wrapped in silence, as if ignoring it will make it disappear. But silence does not protect; it only leaves people defenceless. When adults refuse to talk, children learn elsewhere. When guidance is absent, guesswork takes its place. And guesswork, in matters of the body and emotions, can be costly.
Sexual health is not just about physical acts. It is about understanding your body, respecting boundaries, recognising consent, and knowing that emotions are not light switches you can turn off at will. It is about safety, dignity, and self-worth. Yet these things are rarely discussed with care.
Many of us grew up hearing warnings instead of explanations. “Don’t try it.” “Stay away.” “It is bad.” Those words were thrown at us like stones, but no one handed us a map. Life does not come with brakes just because information is withheld. Curiosity is human. Desire is human. Pretending otherwise is like covering the sun with a sieve.
Another truth we avoid is how deeply sexual experiences affect mental and emotional health. People stay silent about pain because they fear judgement. Others stay in unhealthy relationships because they mistake control for love. Without proper knowledge, red flags look like roses, and danger wears the mask of affection.
Testing, treatment, and medical advice should be ordinary, yet they are treated like confessions of guilt. Many avoid clinics not because they are careless, but because they are afraid of being labelled. Shame becomes a barrier, and illness slips through the cracks.
Talking about sexual health does not spoil innocence; it preserves wellbeing. It does not promote recklessness; it encourages responsibility. Knowledge is not a bad influence. It is a life jacket in deep waters.
I write this not with anger, but with concern. Concern for the child who learns the wrong things too early. Concern for the adult still carrying confusion from years ago. Concern for a society that speaks loudly about morality but softly about care.
If we want healthier people, we must have braver conversations. Honest, gentle, and age-appropriate conversations. The kind that do not scare, but prepare. The kind that replace fear with understanding.
What nobody taught us can still be said. It is not too late to speak. Silence has had its turn, and it has failed us.
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