New Delhi: The Maharashtra government’s plan to use a rubber penis for sex education in rural areas has invited criticism from opposition leaders, while ASHA workers have also been facing the ire of men who are accusing them of “corrupting their wives”.The issue has brought to light the stigma associated with sex education. The state, for the first time, has included a mould of a phallus and a replica of the uterus in the family planning counselling kit.“Earlier, we used to counsel couples with pictures. But now, as soon as we take out the mould, the family members, especially the men, take offence because of stigmatisation. They claim that we are shameless and corrupting their wives,” a worker told Indian Express.ASHAs, or accredited social health activists, are a key part of community health programmes in India. They go door-to-door to counsel people on important matters like sex, sterilisation and birth control.An ASHA worker from Nashik told the Indian Express that whenever they took out the models in conservative areas, men shamed them of “corrupting their wives”.Dr Archana Patil, head of the Directorate of Health Service, told the newspaper: “This [kit] helps ASHA workers to demonstrate the usage. It is included along with other family planning methods. This is especially important for newly-married couples who need much more awareness.”She further said, “Through the tools, the ASHAs can also demonstrate the process of wearing condoms.”However, the ASHA workers told the daily that they have to face embarrassment and unwanted insults from the men in the villages.Some men from the villages have complained about the replica, which is apparently providing a “false impression of phallus” to the newly-wed women, the IE report said.When BBC Marathi asked around seven ASHA workers from Buldhana – the only district from where the model has received negative feedback – if they felt embarrassed about carrying the replicas of the penis and uterus.Two of them said it would be a little embarrassing to display the models in rural areas, because villagers are hesitant to talk about sexual health. But they added that it was a part of their jobs. Three workers said they had no issues with using the replicas to explain family planning concepts if needed. The remaining two workers declined to comment.An Asha worker from Pune told BBC Marathi that they had used these models earlier as well to educate people on family planning. She also said that they were told about the models during their training.Interestingly, the rubber uterus models have not invited any sharp criticism, the BBC reported.Dr Patil told the BBC that no one was being forced to use the models. She added, “If health workers feel awkward about speaking openly about these issues, how will work get done?”Also read: ‘The Period Society’: How a 19-Year-Old Is Working Towards Eradicating Period PovertyHowever, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader from Buldhana, Akash Phundkar, has criticised the use of replicas of male reproductive organs and has demanded that the government take back these kits and apologise to the health workers.Chitra Kishor Wagh, vice-president of BJP Maharashtra, wrote on Twitter in Marathi: “The government has included Asha Workers in the Buldhana family planning kit to create awareness about the use of rubber linga. As per Indian Penal Code 354 (An act that would embarrass the mind) The Thackeray government should be immediately charged with indecency.”She also tagged the DGP of Maharashtra in her tweet.माननीय @DGPMaharashtra जीबुलढाणा-कुटुंबनियोजन किटमध्ये रबरी लिंगाचा समावेश सरकारने करून त्याची जनजागृती करण्याचे काम आशा वर्करना दिलयं भारतीय दंड विधान ३५४ प्रमाणे(मनाला लज्जा उत्पन्न होईल असे कृत्य)डोक्यावर पडलेल्या या ठाकरे सरकार वर विनयभंगाचा गुन्हा तात्काळ दाखल व्हावा— Chitra Kishor Wagh (@ChitraKWagh) March 20, 2022Supporting the initiative, Dr Sagar Mundada, a sexologist, told the BBC that these models are important in rural areas where illiteracy rates are higher.“It is not right to say that this will spread misconceptions. If we speak openly, people can understand issues better. If there is no discussion about sexual issues, that will actually lead to misconceptions,” he said.Prashant Kelakar, a health volunteer in Nashik, told the Indian Express, “Many young couples lack knowledge about reproductive organs and coitus. In fact, many struggle while putting on condoms and so, they avoid it. The pictorial presentations don’t answer all the queries of the couples.”
