The Naked Truth | Masturbation: the last great Asian sexual taboo, why it’s natural and why couples should talk about their needs in bed
Reaction to a scene involving an actress in a recent Bollywood film shows how far Asian societies still have to go in accepting sexual self-pleasure
It was one of the most sexually liberating screen moments in Hollywood history. Woody Allen declares in the 1977 romantic comedy Annie Hall, “Don’t knock masturbation. It’s sex with someone you love.”
For people fighting for sexual rights and sexual equality in those days, it was a triumphant moment.
Fast forward to 2018, and a Bollywood movie covered the same topic, this time in a scene depicting an Indian woman caught masturbating by her husband. The ripple effect of the provocative scene has spread far and wide.
This is a bit of a Catch-22. We continuously read about how Hong Kong fares poorly in international sex rating polls – this could definitely have to do with sexual awareness
The film, which centres on four women and their attitudes towards sex, love and marriage, has raked in millions of dollars at box offices across the Western world and received rave reviews for making a powerful statement about female empowerment. But in India’s predominantly patriarchal Indian society, it has faced harsh criticism.
Actress Swara Bhasker has defended the behaviour of her character in the film and hit back vehemently at online abusers by emphasising the significance of respecting sexual rights and sexual privacy.
Such an instinctive human act shouldn’t need the recognition of establishments anywhere. It’s a private matter that concerns no one, as long as it’s done in one’s private space and, more importantly, it shouldn’t be degraded or judged, says Sara Tang, a pleasure coach and founder of Sarasense, a service offering sex and relationship advice.
