To say that the sex education I received in high-school was lacking would be overly generous. I don’t think I’m alone when I say that the majority of my sex knowledge I acquired through first-hand experience. There was a lot of trial and error. A lot.
1. It’s totally ok to masturbate if you’re female.
Guys masturbating is considered “ha ha funny” (think the movie American Pie), whereas when it comes to women pleasuring themselves, it’s still looked upon as something slightly shameful. When I finally worked up the nerve to go buy a vibrator in university (after I watched that one episode of Sex and the City that everyone has seen) it was this clandestine, secretive act. Now that I own a whole drawer full of them, I realize it’s not a big deal at all. Toys are actually really empowering. I wish more people knew this. Plus, teachers always told us to have safe sex. Having sex with yourself is one of the safest kinds of sex around!
2. Always, always pee after sex.
Years ago, I woke up one morning feeling like someone was stabbing my bladder with a handful of ice picks. Turns out it was only a bladder infection – something I later learned could have been prevented if I had gone to the bathroom after having sex with my boyfriend the night before. We received basic info about STIs, however, it would have been nice to be aware of different stuff that could happen to my body like bladder infections, yeast infections and the like.
3. There’s nothing wrong with having casual sex, but sometimes it can lead to these uncomfortable things called “feelings.”
Oh man, I was not prepared for this at all. Sex ed teaches you to wait until you’re married or at the very least, in a relationship with someone you love. However, life doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes you just want to hook up with someone because you think they’re totally hot. However, when you decide you like them and they decide not to call or text you after, the emotional sting can throw you for a loop.