University youth and sexual health
I. Davas
Among all the memoirs of the 20th century youth, taboos about
sex comes first.The purpose of these memoirs is to pass on the experience about
sexual needs. Not only the poor or the people of lower standards but almost the
whole populace choose to remain silent about sex.
Not discussing the human body and its functions only serves to
strengthen the feeling of shame about sexuality. Fear and shame comes first in
the family autobiographies of the 20th century.Many families have secrets to
hide and conceal:family secrets ,especially the private ones are never spoken.
If a research is to be conducted to create a verbal history it
would reveal many illegitimate and illegal family stories,and when the recorder
stops ensest relations would be whispered in silence.
In the beginning of the 21st century an undeniable portion of
the university youth have discovered sex and have acquired seemingly advanced
knowledge about the functions of the woman body, pregnancy and likely subjects.
In the past it was not possible to define sexual needs of a
woman’s body in a legitimate way without passion nor pleasure.Denial of female
sexuality among Islamic cultures, spread across many regions, by means of sexual
knowledge and experience has proven to be an obstacle even for new generation
youth as well as old age women.
It is hard to discriminate if the notion of a woman’s nakedness,
fertility,her sexual,biological desires and such functions was avoided in the
public to talk about in the past.Yet, be it a failure in sensations or lack of
knowledge in sex along with certain prohibitions this can be relied to the
reluctance and hesitation to talk about a woman’s body and her sexualitiy.
On the other hand many steps were taken in regard of family
planning. In the last quadrant of the 20th century families of all the working
class were sized down relatively.Restraining female fertility might have been
the sole important change in the life of a 20th century woman.
In regard with international human rights, couples and
individuals have the right to possess necessary information to decide freely on
the number of children they can have,the interval between births,to receive
highest quality of service in fertility and sexual health.In the 21st century
the changed position and manners of women about the sensual desires and affairs
will bring out serious consequences.
In summary new generations and especially university youth seem
to obtain more information about sexual functions,woman body and sexually
transmitted diseases;and in relation to this improving view, sexuality as a
term, is not accapted as a taboo.However,while experiencing this change, cases
of situations in which individuals have harmful risk factors,is a significant
reality.
As the general traditional cultural contribution about the woman
body and its functions and needs gain a flexible pattern,society’s conception of
sexuality may change. This situation is directly proportional with the idea of
rational interpretation of religious dogmas and revitalization of traditional
values.
In Turkey 2.8% of female and 5.5% of male population have
university education.The ratio of having academic education is low. When
compared with the traditional groups, college students have different ideas and
attitudes towards sexuality. The relatively free social environment of a
university, maintaining a life apart from the parents and changing social values
with advancing age and educational improvements may be the result of this
situation.The university environment,by gathering individuals of different
experiences together,causes them to influence each other and affects the manners
and behaviours of this young population.Consequently,with the improving
educational status,individuals’ attitudes towards sexuality,conform into a more
flexible pattern and in the relatively free university environment,the ratio of
sexual intercourse before marriage is likely to be higher.
In conclusion, our desire is the relief of university youth from
the social pressures and taboos and their success in having a healthy sexual
life and reproductive health.