THE conservatism of Chinese society in sexual matters is well known. Communist Party puritanism has, over the decades, reinforced traditional prudishness, stifling debate on sexual issues even as Beijing introduced and enforced the one-child policy.
The sexual revolution is one historical convulsion on which China missed out, and as the supposed ecstasy of promiscuity gave way to the agony of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), and the Western nuclear family detonated, Beijing might have been forgiven for congratulating itself that the open-door policy referred to the economy, and not the bedroom.
However, the idea that to get rich is glorious has struck a chord with many Chinese women, and prostitution has flourished in tandem with rapid economic development. Adding to Beijing's headaches is the growth of the narcotics trade in southwest China, which has been accompanied by the spread of intravenous drug use. HIV, the AIDS virus, is even less constricted by political barriers than satellite television, and Beijing is facing a health crisis that has the potential to impair economic development and to detract from the country's achievements.
Against this background, Beijing has founded the country's first sexology association, and the official China Daily yesterday quoted a doctor from the National Research Institute for Family Planning as proposing that sex education be introduced in junior and middle schools. The idea of talking about sex to children, particularly girls, will be anathema to many parents in China, as in Hong Kong, but this is one area where it is essential that teachers compensate for the inhibitions of parents.
In sexual matters, ignorance may be bliss for a night or two, but it is wise to avoid folly. Myths thrive in a largely rural society such as China, with limited educational opportunities and restricted communications. In the absence of public debate or parental guidance on sexual matters, ignorance is likely to be profound, and it is encouraging that Beijing is taking tentative steps to begin informed debate on a subject so sensitive that many husbands and wives do not even discuss it with each other.
Beijing's caution is understandable, but the steps may prove too tentative as AIDS, unwanted pregnancies, infanticide and a resurgence in venereal disease combine to strain health facilities and undermine confidence in population policies that are exactly the opposite of those of Mao Zedong, who favoured population growth to strengthen China.
