China's Secret Sex Ed Classes

China's Secret Sex Ed Classes

By Ekaterina Mironova

Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Blogspot might all be banned in mainland China at present, but internet censorship can’t quash some women’s drive to obtain important yet ‘taboo’ information – in Shanghai, underground adult education classes are teaching women the ins and outs of sex.

Many women have told reporters that they have received little to no sex education over the course of their lives, partially due to heavy censorship enforced by the Chinese government. Because of this, a growing number of women are attending two-day courses which cover everything from basic human anatomy to sexual psychology and techniques for sexual stimulation.

Although the rule of the Communist Party since 1949 has revolved around a core of conservatism, it is said that more and more people are becoming liberal about human sexuality due to increasing exposure to other cultures. At times, couples have made headlines for believing outlandish myths about sex. Infamous stories include one couple’s alleged belief that lying too close in the same bed will lead to pregnancy.

Apparently, a large amount of sexual misinformation stems from the high-pressure environment in mainland China’s schools. Rather than it simply being a matter of information being withheld from the population, it is said that many Chinese youths do not receive much sex education because schools emphasize subjects such as mathematics and science, which entail examinations and lead directly to career prospects.

The teacher of the sex education classes, Ma Li, charges 2 500 Yuan for a two-day seminar. This may seem steep – it amounts to more than half of the average monthly wage – yet many are nevertheless willing to pay this much to receive at least some education in sexual matters. The sex education classes are not only attended by virgins who are yet to experience their first sexual encounters. Ma Li also reportedly has students who are middle-aged and are looking to renew their sexuality. Li told reporters that many people see sex as dangerous and/or shameful, thus there is not much sharing of information about sex that is not shrouded in negative ideas.