Yeah, it’s a good picture, isn’t it? The series link disappeared, but it’s worth a look.

The can’t/don’t distinction is exactly what I wanted to get at, but couldn’t quite articulate. I had a roommate who always framed people’s disinclination to discuss masturbation with him as can’t until I pointedly said, “I can talk about anything, but I don’t want to discuss that with you.” (Which I had to tell him on my birthday, no less.)

As for “ajummas” discussing sexual and physical details with one another freely, again, very interesting. Then again, I suspect they wouldn’t do it in a co-ed setting. (ie. with a bunch of ajeoshis around.)

So I cannot say my students are unable to talk about this stuff period; just that a number of them seemed shy to discuss puberty in front of the other sex.

But I would be curious to see a study on this topic — voluntary verbal disclosure of sexual topics among peers in different age groups, educational and economic backgrounds, etc. It’d be interesting and probably useful for anyone setting up a sex education proram.

Last thing: willing to discuss nitty-gritty or not, unfortunately a large number of ajummas know so little about their own bodies that they are reluctant to perform breast self-exams. Lime has sometimes said she’d like to spend time in the countryside teaching them how to save themselves from breast cancer, as misplaced modesty kills all too many women here every year.

Meanwhile, yeah. Not so much that it’s too bad people DON’T talk about bodies, but it’s too bad people feel like they CAN’T talk about it.

On the other hand. . . here’s an interesting paradox for you: I’ve been told by some of my younger females that old ajummas seem to relish talking about every nitty and gritty detail of their bodies and love lives to eachother, maybe just because they CAN, despite the fact they’re often portrayed or described as sexless (sorry; no reference for that).