The Western Indian state of Maharashtra is stirred into a controversy over the involvement of rubber penises in family planning kits used to disseminate sex education.
Legislators from the Opposition party stated the rubber items shaped in the form of a penis would embarrass female health workers who usually made use of the kits to spread ideas on reproductive health.
However, some health workers said they were already used to working on similar models in previous times without challenges.
Within the new kit is also a rubber uterus which lawmakers did not have anything against.
According to BBC News, the kits were distributed to Accredited Social Health Activists who are an integral part of organising India’s health programmes.
This group tend to go door to door to spread awareness to people about reproductive health and contraceptives. Taboo placed on sex makes this topic a sensitive one in different parts of India.
About 7 Asha workers in Buldhana were interviewed on if it would embarrass them to carry the rubber models for demonstration.
They admitted it would somewhat be embarrassing as people usually were reluctant to discuss sexual health; however, these workers felt they had no issues with being obligated to do so.
Some other workers said they had no issues with using the model while two would rather not give any comment.
Dr Archana Patil, director of Maharashtra’s public health department, asked:
“If health workers feel awkward about speaking openly about these issues, how will work get done?”
Akash Phundkar, an opposition lawmaker from Buldhana, asked that the Maharashtra government collect the kits and apologise to these workers.
There were allegations that the government was trying to indulge in sexual activities.
One of the workers from Pune who asked that her name should not be disclosed told the news agency that there had been no issues using the models in previous times to explain reproductive health.
Source: BBC News
