Thai model launches picture books to confront sex education taboos

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Thai model launches picture books to confront sex education taboos

Nanchanok Wongsamuth, Thomson Reuters Foundation

 

Image: File Photo

 

BANGKOK, (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A Thai model who has spoken out about sexual harassment said on Tuesday that she will publish a series of children’s books to teach young people about sex in a country where sexual abuse is rarely discussed and teenage pregnancies have rocketed.

 

The illustrated books by Cindy Bishop, famed for hosting popular reality TV show Asia’s Next Top Model, will feature cartoons of her children and address sensitive topics including consent, safe sex, gender equality and sexuality.

 

“In Thailand, we shy away from teaching children (basic facts like) what to call their genitals,” 40-year-old Bishop told the Thomson Reuters Foundation on the sidelines of a conference on sex education.

“We make up names for them and don’t talk about them at all. So if a girl is touched inappropriately, how can she talk about it?”

 

After an official said that women should cover up to avoid being groped at a festival last year, Bishop started the #DontTellMeHowToDress campaign and told her social media followers how she was assaulted as a teen at the celebration.

 

Although Thailand is one of the most liberal countries in Asia, sex education focuses on basic biology and anatomy, leaving many unclear about the risks, said the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which promotes reproductive rights.

 

In Thailand, about 1.5 million babies were born to teenage mothers between 2000 and 2014, with a 54% increase over this period, according to UNFPA, which lobbied for a 2016 law promising better sexual and reproductive health education.

 

In a move applauded by LGBT+ rights groups in April, the government revised school textbooks to include lessons on gender diversity, teaching that some families have same-sex parents.

Bishop uses her social media accounts as an educational tool, with her six-year-old son explaining in one Instagram video that consent is about getting someone’s permission to do something, such as to taste your cookie.

 

"Gender bias is deeply rooted in cultural norms so we really need to address these beliefs, which are passed down from generation to generation without seeing how harmful it can be," Bishop said.

 

(Reporting by Nanchanok Wongsamuth @nanchanokw; Editing by Tom Finn and Katy Migiro. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's and LGBT+ rights, human trafficking, property rights, and climate change. Visit news.trust.org)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-06-26

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[aussie11950]

Good to see someone knowledgeable trying to improve Thai's perception of sex.

 

[stanleycoin]

wonder if they will make them Pop up books.

 

[Justgrazing]

I haven't got my glasses on but are they a load of multi coloured sombreros in that pic' .. 

[DrTuner]

Just give 'em free subscription to pornhub.

[tifino]

so long as the thai model correctly translates the words of the falang author!

 

don't want any embarrassing misconceptions to arise, when the kid reads aloud " daddy he blut my teet for me"

 

[Andrew Dwyer]

I haven't got my glasses on but are they a load of multi coloured sombreros in that pic' .. 

They are headwear yes , but you are a little off the mark !

[Krataiboy]

Bishop uses her social media accounts as an educational tool, with her six-year-old son explaining in one Instagram video that consent is about getting someone’s permission to do something, such as to taste your cookie.

 

Haven't seen the video, but Isn't six a bit young to be giving sex education lessons?

 

 

 

 

 

[monkeycu]

1 hour ago, Justgrazing said:

I haven't got my glasses on but are they a load of multi coloured sombreros in that pic' .. 

Yep and they are waterproof

[stanleycoin]

54 minutes ago, Krataiboy said:

Bishop uses her social media accounts as an educational tool, with her six-year-old son explaining in one Instagram video that consent is about getting someone’s permission to do something, such as to taste your cookie.

 

Haven't seen the video, but Isn't six a bit young to be giving sex education lessons

Not according to Muhammad the pervert .

 

[rkidlad]

Sex bad! 

Corruption Okay. 

[hgma]

My dog just adopted a female kitten, wasn't too pleased in the beginning but the kitten gradually fell under his protection......the moral of the true story is that teaching@the start the fundamentals of sexual behavior, starting@home without promptly discussing how to make  baby's but a normal way of recognizing too respect the other sex ,(at least at home) can eradicate cats and dog fights, or worse .

Unfortunately its a long way from reality for Thai parents in general to talk about sex, they prefer to overreact on appearance!

[DrTuner]

2 hours ago, Krataiboy said:

Bishop uses her social media accounts as an educational tool, with her six-year-old son explaining in one Instagram video that consent is about getting someone’s permission to do something, such as to taste your cookie.

 

Haven't seen the video, but Isn't six a bit young to be giving sex education lessons?

Never too early to teach boys to ask politely before they start tasting lady cookies.

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

in one Instagram video that consent is about getting someone’s permission to do something, such as to taste your cookie.

That should make things a lot clearer ?

[Orton Rd]

Should be teaching them what to do when uncle Somchai starts abusing them

[justin case]

thai style: don't talk about it, they might just try it...ignorance is king here

[Artisi]

6 hours ago, tifino said:

so long as the thai model correctly translates the words of the falang author!

 

don't want any embarrassing misconceptions to arise, when the kid reads aloud " daddy he blut my teet for me"

 

Think her English is as good as and maybe ever better than yours. So don't get your knickers in a knot. ????

Edited June 26, 2019 by Artisi

[Thongkorn]

 I suppose the  books will have the usual Ups and downs.

[couchpotato]

49 minutes ago, Artisi said:

Think her English is as good as and maybe ever better than yours. So don't get your knickers in a knot. ????

Exactly...english perfect..she was born in Pattaya to an American father and mixed Thai mother. Very respected family in Pattaya.

Her husband is also very well respected in Thai society, and she is very close to one of the younger Princesses.

Also she was Miss Thailand World in 1996.

So lets say she is very well qualified to write this type of book and supporting videos. Well done Khun Sirinya.

[GeorgeCross]

clicked for pics

 

disappointed booooo

[simon43]

7 hours ago, Justgrazing said:

I haven't got my glasses on but are they a load of multi coloured sombreros in that pic' .. 

Heavens sake man!

 

Anyone not blind as a bat can see that they are jelly cone sweets....

 

[SpaceKadet]

8 hours ago, DrTuner said:

Just give 'em free subscription to pornhub.

Eeeeer..... Pornhub is free, didn't you know?

[DrTuner]

6 minutes ago, SpaceKadet said:

Eeeeer..... Pornhub is free, didn't you know?

Why, I wouldn't know, never been there and there were others there, too. Jingjing!

[Oziex1]

Hopefully teaching the teenage girls in the village that an IPhone is not really worth spending a weekend at a local motel with the Pu yai ban.

But then again it is an IPhone, Ooo.

[Bluespunk]

21 hours ago, Jonathan Fairfield said:

In Thailand, we shy away from teaching children (basic facts like) what to call their genitals,” 

I call mine frank. 

[Bluespunk]

16 hours ago, Krataiboy said:

Bishop uses her social media accounts as an educational tool, with her six-year-old son explaining in one Instagram video that consent is about getting someone’s permission to do something, such as to taste your cookie.

 

Haven't seen the video, but Isn't six a bit young to be giving sex education lessons?

 

 

 

 

 

Teaching children about the meaning of words, such as consent, isn’t sex education.

 

Many countries teach young children that it is ok to speak up/tell a trusted adult about things that may happen to them, that make them uncomfortable, without going into the details of sex itself.  

 

Paedophiles prey on young children, and rely on their silence to get away with it. 

 

This woman is right in letting them know that they can ask for help. 

[lamyai3]

16 hours ago, Krataiboy said:

Bishop uses her social media accounts as an educational tool, with her six-year-old son explaining in one Instagram video that consent is about getting someone’s permission to do something, such as to taste your cookie.

 

Haven't seen the video, but Isn't six a bit young to be giving sex education lessons?

Quite right. Six year olds anywhere should be told to keep their cookie in their pants. 

[lamyai3]

59 minutes ago, Bluespunk said:

I call mine frank. 

 

[lamyai3]

10 hours ago, simon43 said:

Anyone not blind as a bat can see that they are jelly cone sweets....



This underscores the importance of education. It'd be disastrous if people just assumed they were buttplugs...

[canuckamuck]

They had a lady giving out cookie samples at Macro yesterday. I knew of course to ask permission first.