This Morning viewers said that they felt sickened after a sex expert appeared on the show, calling for masturbation to be taught in schools in the UK.
Nadia Bokody, a women’s interest journalist, argued that young women need to be specifically taught about masturbation in school to avoid future stigma – and that the lessons need to be for children as young as 11 years old.
She said:
“I think the benefits of masturbation are really around creating a lot more body autonomy, particularly for young girls.
“There’s so much stigma and mystery surrounding women’s body parts, that by acknowledging masturbation it’s essentially taking that bit of taboo away.”
She continued:
“Whether or not we feel comfortable with it, young people are having sex and we know that young girls in particular are entering into puberty at younger ages than ever before.
“By 11, they really need to have an understanding about their bodies.”
She said that the she felt the way sexual education is currently taught is very medicalised and “pro-celibacy” – and she reckons this creates “shame”.
Host Eamonn Holmes questioned her if she was suggesting boys were “more comfortable with the practise”.
She replied:
“Socially we’re more comfortable with boys labelling their genital area. It’s acknowledged in humour messages we see on TV. But we don’t have that same message for girls.
“If we can get girls to recognise what is supposed to be pleasure and what is supposed to be pain, that’s a start.
“But we can have it there as an option for potentially delaying partnered sex.
“Yes, I think boys and girls should both understand what pleasurable sex is supposed to feel like for a girl.
“Am I comfortable with the idea that young boys and girls are going and having sex? Absolutely not, if there was a way to just magically wave a wand over it and stop it, I would.”
Her appearance on the chat show sparked a huge debate among social media users, with some of them saying they felt “sickened” by her views.
Others agreed with her, but felt it was still too heavy of a topic for 11 year olds.
https://twitter.com/Stacey_Tee/status/1038000819470315520
https://twitter.com/SergeantFrisky/status/1038000570391556096
#ThisMorning Sex Ed isn’t taught for ‘pleasure’. Definitely say no to teaching 11 year olds about masturbation 🙃
— Jodie Rogers (@JodieeeRogers) September 7, 2018
11yos don’t need to know what pleasurable sex feels like for heaven’s sake. #thismorning
— Sara 💚🤍💜 (@Mabel_Mouse_) September 7, 2018
NO masturbation should NOT be taught in school sex education I would be horrified if my 11 year old daughter was taught stuff like that #ThisMorning @thismorning
— Roxy (@RoxyK71) September 7, 2018
https://twitter.com/Emily_Anne0108/status/1038002122925780993
Probably in the minority but I agree with this. Kids are better masturbating than having underage sex. Plus, if you don't know what you like, you can't tell anyone else! I do think 11 is too young tho #thismorning
— Janine (@janinesarah) September 7, 2018
https://twitter.com/nurdiisms/status/1037998981886959616
https://twitter.com/genderdragon/status/1037999950901194753
