MASTURBATION does not exist in Myanmar—not the practice, which is presumably common enough, but the word itself, which is absent from the government-approved dictionary. When it comes to sex, accepted terms are hard to find. Linguists disagree as to whether “vagina” and “penis” have proper equivalents in Burmese. Most people simply point at their body parts or use euphemisms, says Nandar, a local activist who translates feminist literature. Parents tend to speak coyly of “flowers” and “pumps”—if they talk to their children at all about the birds and the bees.
In theory, sex education is offered in schools, but most teachers skip the topic. They are often too embarrassed to talk about sex in the classroom. Most parents do not want them to anyway (it could arouse children’s curiosity, many argue). Last year an MP from the ruling National League for Democracy proposed giving the subject more prominence. The government did not take up her suggestion.
Laws about sex are a...Continue reading
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