"Family Planning and Sex Education: The Chinese Approach"

Abstract

The limitation of population growth in China to about 1.7% annually is in large part the result of changing sexual norms which have been brought about by community-wide sexual education. These changes include elevating the status of women dismissing the traditional striving for male children as old fashioned and emphasizing responsible parenthood. About 6% of Chinas population is made up of minority peoples some 54 distinctive groups including a few such as the Khalkhas and Sibos who have virtually been saved from extinction during the past 25 years. For these groups the growth rate is 6% and the central government in Peking stresses to visitors that for minorities there is no limitation of family size but that health of the mother is stressed. Conversations with Chinese health workers indicate that rural women are much more in favor of family planning than their husbands and are much more willing to be sterilized when the acceptable family size of 2 or 3 children is reached. However men are becoming more willing to use condoms which are available without cost from village health workers. There is little sex education in the schools. Physiology is included as a minor part of general biology. Young people are cautioned not to fall in love at too early an age or else they will not keep their minds on their studies and will get married too early. Emphasis is on late marriage 25 for women and 27 for men. Only a modest glance at population or sexually oriented topics are encouraged until marriage is contemplated. Then sex education is given in great variety and detail. It is the opinion of doctors and health workers that sex education is a matter for the married not the single. Chinese society has little external sexual stimuli nudity or seminudity is not acceptable except at the beach or the swimming pool and the young people are generally taught to be circumspect. There is none of the advertising which permeates Western culture. It is understandable that Chinese educators are surprised when asked about the need for sex education in the schools.