CUT OUT THE GORY DETAILS, PLEASE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Its good to see that over the last decade or so,the media has taken the lead not only to utter the forbidden three letter word –SEX,but that too at length,but most of the gory details in the Cover story-Sex on the Run(OUTLOOK-Jan 26,2009) could definitely be dropped!
OUTLOOK is a family magazine,and if a person like me,who is quite uninhibited,can feel a little uncomfortable going through the article,I can very much understand the reaction of the other readers.And besides this,those details are actually not required to put the message across.If we are discussing the changing sexual trends in the country,then the issue can be well addressed without the much unwanted data,on who does what,when and how ! The inclusion of data on oral sex,woman -on -top,arousal points ,multiple partners and other such rif-raff,not only fail to add to the message,but actually make a story,on such an important issue,sound cheap and vulgar and even pornographic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think it doesn’t suit OUTLOOK and should be left to the Feminas,Savvys and Cosmopolitans!
Not much has changed in sex,sexuality and sexual indulgence since time immoriable,and I doubt if anyone can add even a page to the gold standard Kamasutra,leave alone add a chapter on Recent Advances in Sexology! The significant impact that has affected the society over the last decade,however has been one-that sex,per se ,has attained casualness that it lacked earlier,be it in discussion,indulgence or acceptance! Fall in the frequency of couples having sex from 14 to 12 ,over a period of over a decade can hardly be a social change of significance. This may simply reflect change of life styles,being busier and having more modes of entertainment and above all the realization that quality is more important than quantity(frequency)!
Two changes in the sexual trends that have become evident are,extramarital sex including casual one night stands and teenage sex , though the visible increase in these is not the actual increase,since they existed ,though less,always,but have come in open ,now.The first is again attributable to changing lifestyles,with long separations,frequent visits away from home,late working hours and long and intimate exposure to peers of opposite gender,and I do not plan to play the moral guardian to comment on it,since most indulging in it are mature adults,well aware to its impact.But I am sincerely concerned about the latter,and would re-stress the need of timely sex-education!
I would lastly like to suggest,that such studies may also be carried out,amongst the rural population,where I am sure,that the findings would give any of the so called sexually liberated urban dwellers, a run for their money!
Sanjay Kapoor, Lucknow
Articles like this used to appear in the Debonair. That’s where they belong!