Menstruation means safe copulation, teaches Class 10 Gujarat textbook

Masterbation (Masturbation) is one type of copulation. In adolescence stage, youngsters experience strong sexual force. In order to satisfy these sexual emotions youngsters, take shelter of menstruation.”

“Menstruation is one non-harmful and safe copulation process, through which youngsters are saved from infection of HIV/AIDS, as well as any sexual diseases. Menstruation neither causes any type of physical weakness nor any disease. Production of semen in the body occurs continuously. If it (semen) is not disposed of, it wastes away any how even during sleep. Thus through semen discharge it gets disposed of.”

The above mentioned paragraphs of chapter 7 titled “HIV and AIDS Awareness” in class X textbook of Yoga, Health and Physical Education is yet another instance of how glaring bloopers have been allowed in the higher secondary textbooks of the state board.

The way masturbation is wrongly described as a type of copulation process underscores that the board may itself be in need of some serious adolescent health education.

‘Errors trivialize adolescent education’

Masturbation is wrongly described as a type of copulation process. Masturbation should be explained as a safe way for adolescent boys and girls to release their sexual urge on their own. The whole purpose of giving correct information through the textbook is defeated,” said senior gynecologist Dr Parul Kotadawala.

Vice president of Ahmedabad Obstetrics and Gynecological Society (AOGS) Dr Rajal Thakar who takes series of sessions of girls in adolescent health education said: “Allowing careless typos where word menstruation to replace masturbation to adolescent class X students tends to trivialize adolescent education which is taboo in most homes. These mistakes should be immediately eliminated from the textbooks.”

Nitin Pethani, executive president of Gujarat State Board of School Textbook, told TOI, “There can be mistakes in the book as we deal with hundreds of textbooks so there always remains possibility of mistakes and we will keep rectifying those mistakes.”