Sexpert Explains India’s Attitude towards Masturbation

If you live in a secular family, masturbation is seen as a natural part of sexual health; albeit with a tendency to be associated with hormonal teenage boys. But what about those who live in a different culture or have religious beliefs; how do they see masturbation’s role in sexual wellbeing?

According to Dr Vijaysarathi Ramanathan, a Sexual Health Physician and Sexuality Therapist and the founding director/CEO of SSS Centre for Sexual Health, ‘Masturbation seems to have many, many myths attached to it. We’ve been told among other things that it can make one infertile, impotent, go blind, grow hair on the back of your palm, cause pimples, make you weak and leads to mental problems! Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that sex and particularly masturbation is such a taboo topic in India and is seen as something that’s sinful or bad.’

Dr Ramanathan comments, ‘As far as I know the ancient Indian society didn’t legislate any sexual matters other than abortion and adultery. It is also suggestive from the texts and sculptures that ancient India had a very liberal sexual attitude. In contrast, modern India has a deeply conservative attitude towards sex, perhaps due to its long British rule which passed on many chauvinist, conservative Victorian values to Indians.’

‘Another key reason might be the belief that semen is a precious and irreplaceable commodity which mustn’t be wasted,’ he adds. ‘The two key traditional beliefs that are relevant to the topic of discussion, are (1) well-preserved semen produces a male child and (2) a male child will release a man from reincarnation (birth-re-birth cycle). Traditional medicine equates semen to fertility (able to give birth) and masculinity (be able to make good love with wife and be a good and strong man in general).’

So, then, is Dr Ramanathan saying that masturbation is wrong or bad for your wellness? Quite the opposite. ‘It really is an individual choice. It is a healthy and safe sexual practice for those have adequate knowledge and know the facts. But, if someone masturbates without understanding the facts and carry guilt and fear, then it is important for them to be educated and manage the anxiety and stress first. Thus, it is not the behaviour but the feelings toward masturbation that could determine whether masturbation is healthy or a problem.’

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