Overprotective parents tend to be evasive about discussing the birds and the bees with their kids because they feel it's not up to them to have that conversation.
Remember Carrie White's religious mom who refused to talk about intimacy with her 16-year-old?
We all know how that turned out in the classic Stephen King novel.
Anyway, parents turning down an opportunity to have the uncomfortable convo or having their kids miss out on sex education can lead a child to potentially develop damaging misunderstandings about their body and puberty.
The effects of which were explored when Redditor sparklingshanaya asked:
"What’s a sexual misconception you had for way too long?"
It helps to have an earlier understanding about your body when you're younger.
Sex Education
"As a girl, I had no real idea of where/what the vagina was until I was like 11 or 12. My mom didn't give me a real sex talk, just a puberty/body book that said 'the vagina is between the woman's legs' and just had a full frontal diagram (legs closed) of a woman with an arrow pointing to her pelvic region. I also didn't know a period lasted longer than a day until I got mine at 14, and then wondered why it was still going on the next day."
"When my mom realized how abysmal my sex education was, her solution was to rent a video from the library about it and make me watch it on the big family TV in the living room at like 3pm. Granted— it was a very educational video but I won't ever forget one of the educators (a 50 year old woman) talking about how to give a satisfactory blow job."
– ash-on-fire
Hard Epiphany
"Ok so I grew up in a VERY conservative household. Was not allowed to take sex ed in middle school and they helicoptered in high school. Any internet access they had access to view so I never watched porn/looked at pics. Absolutely nothing. So for a long time I thought penises were shaped like a smaller pringles can. I thought it was just like...a straight up cylinder. Moved out at 17 and googled some things and man I had men's anatomy SO wrong."
– WholeLottaIntrovert
Wrong End Of The Stick
"Friend of mine has a similar background and I just about lost my mind when she said the balls are the END of the penis. Like she had seen those doodles and had it upside down so they just dangle off the end of the shaft lmaooo."
– xchakrumx
Let's get verbal about getting oral.
Satisfy A Woman
"Learn to go down on a woman, like become a master at it. Do this."
– ecallawsamoht
Excuse For Supper
"I second this. Been married for 20 years and it's something I'm happy to do."
"Get involved, people."
"Edit: thanks for the medals and upvotes, people! Be assured that I'll be celebrating tonight."
– AhabVanCleef
Semantics
"Friend of a friend thought it meant kissing. And they were like 19. So glad they found out through a conversation and not through a dude asking for it, or her talking about it. That would've been extremely confusing for everyone."
– SilverWaters793
Pucker Up
"My friend back in middle school thought a blowjob meant to literally blow on it. I still tease her about it to this day."
– Ashurii_desu
Failed Expectations
"Man, I thought I was gonna get so many blow jobs. That’s just not true."
– Studying_Politics
As young adolescents, these Redditors got these terminologies mixed up.
Dirty Talk
"When I was around middle school age I thought that oral sex meant talking dirty :’)"
– strawbrykat
"I used to sext with my girlfriend in high school. When we broke up, she just went crazy and told everyone in our grade that I was great at 'oral sex' (she meant sexting💀) School hasn’t been the same since then."
– Particular-Ad4356
Learning By Example
"I was kind of sheltered growing up, and like most sheltered kids, I learned a lot about sex through porn. I kept seeing 'blowjob' videos, and (i had no idea what a blowjob) assumed it was some kind of sex blooper. Like, something got messed up and the director said 'Oh darn, you blew it! Let’s take it from the top.'”
– Danny_my_boy
Pucker Up
"That a blow job is like blowing up a balloon."
– LizzieJeanPeters
A Redditor recalled how one child was majorly misled thanks to religion.
Immaculate Conception
"A kid (very devout Muslim) in sex ed was being taught how sex works. He boldly stood up and claimed the teacher may be right about non Muslim babies, but Muslim babies are not made via sex, god delivers them in a white robe to parents who are married and good Muslim."
"It’s been almost 14 years and I still laugh about that."
"Edit: just in case this is interpreted wrong, I myself am from a Muslim background and this is not about Islam or religion, just a 13 year old who was still fairly innocent."
– Kip_zonder_kop
Eye-Opener
"Muslim here. When I was 10, my Christian friend said something about sex (can’t remember what) when I said 'I wouldn’t know, I’ll never have sex' and that’s when he told me even Muslims have sex. 10 year old me googled some interesting things that night."
– MyMissingNugget
Nuts Into Holes
"I knew a very devout Muslim too, once asked him how sex worked (just out of curiosity for his answer) and he paused for a moment before saying 'You put the nuts in her hole.' He was 16 at the time. I tried to explain how it actually worked but they guy would not have it."
– tommypseudo
I had sex education in sixth grade after my parents gave the school permission for me to attend the special assembly centering on the topic.
But I remember how vague the instructor was. By the time I eventually had my first nocturnal emission, I remember being terrified, yet simultaneously elated. It was very confusing, and I didn't know what happened.
I remember reflecting back to sixth grade and thinking the school must've skipped that part in sex ed.
But the idea that women are somehow inherently delicate, lovely, kind, and gentle isn't the only misconception out there.
Reddit user BOBO24PLAYZ asked:
"Women of Reddit, what is a 100% myth about women?"
So first we are going to get the obvious stuff out of the way. Not all women menstruate or have vaginas, but genitals is almost always going to be the first thing asked about when a Reddit user poses a question like this.
When it comes to vulvas, vaginas, urethras, and menstruation it's seriously BAFFLING how much misinformation is floating around out there.
So let's just go on ahead and knock some stuff out right now.
A Cave System
cave GIFGiphy"That we pee and bleed from the same hole." - Scared_Gap5717
"I remember I said there were two different holes in 7th grade and I got roasted. 'It's not a cave system!' and was branded an idiot for the rest of middle school. I am in medical school now oddly enough." - toomuchredditmaj
"There are men who think we urinate and menstruate from the same hole. That is why they think we can control our periods the way we control peeing, I assume." - moffsoi
"My fav part of that myth is the implication that women are simply being stupid or intentionally difficult by choosing not to hold their periods in until the most opportune time."
"As if we have the ability but are going 'ehh, I could wait until I get home but f*ck it, imma change a tampon in a public restroom just for the thrill of it. Really feel like ruining a pair of pants today while I'm at it.' " - Much_Difference
"I don't like how the idea we can hold it implies that we're literal infants who just pee ourselves all the time for fun." - BuckyBear1917
Vagina Rings
defeat GIFGiphy"That you can tell how much sex a woman has had by looking at her genitals. No you can't." - [Reddit]
"Correct. You have to cut the vagina in half and count the rings." - ThisIsMyCouchAccount
"That's to check for age. For use you have to check the tiny odometer." - DudesworthMannington
A Freshness Seal
Giphy"That one bleeds the first time they have sex. If they didn't 'bleed' they were not really a virgin."
"FALSE! Raise your hand if you did NOT BLEED!? I raising mine! 🙋♀️" - cathef
"Thisssss. I didn't ever bleed or tear my hymen until I gave birth lol. It's just a stretchy piece of skin at the bottom of the vagina, not a freshness seal" - cbrpxe
What's The Difference?
Season 5 Whats The Difference GIF by Living SingleGiphy"That we get 'loose' when we have multiple partners."
"I think it's ridiculous that majority of the guys I've met that say this don't also think that those same women get 'loose' when they've been with one man for several years." - OK-Witness8418
"I've met girls who thought this to be true and were afraid to have sex because of it!"
"Granted, they were quite young, but that's how strong the myth is. The 'mind blown' moment when these people are asked what exactly is the difference between 50 times with one man and one time with 50 men has always been pretty amusing though." - narwhals-narwhals
Born With(out) It
Happy Adam Scott GIF by SkyGiphy"That every woman is born with a hymen. Or that if she doesn't have a hymen then she isn't a virgin."
"Hymens can break really easily, such as sitting on a bike or horse wrong, exercise, (sometimes but highly unlikely) using a tampon if inserted incorrectly. And many women are just born without a hymen." - TheShining02
It's Natural
"That pregnancy is no big deal because it's 'natural'."
"It's metal that the human body can go through that kind of stress, but it is still totally physically traumatic. It's why women have a higher rate of osteoporosis-- fetuses literally leach the calcium from their mother's bones."
"Women often herniate their uteruses after pregnancy and just have to 'deal' with not being able to pee properly or have sex pain-free because it's seen as totally normal." - facingnortheast
OK that's enough about genitalia for now. Women are way more than just that.
Spoiler alert, women are human!
Solving A Problem
"We're not a Problem to Be Solved."
"If you want to date a woman and she is resistant, you will not solve that. No matter how many rom-com movies you watch where a man spends 90 minutes of your time annoying the woman he is interested in and gets her."
"This does not happen in real life. Move on. Find someone who is more likely to reciprocate your affections."
"Source: was stalked by someone, which stopped when I told him that if he showed up, I'd push him down the front steps so grow up already." - VapoursAndSpleen
People Explain Which Conspiracy Theories They Believe Are 100% True | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
What I Really, Really Want
wannabe GIF by Spice GirlsGiphy"That we are a mystery. I am sick of telling people exactly what I want and hearing, 'well, yeah but what do you really want?' "
"I am not lying or playing games. You know what women want? To be treated like human being with respect like anyone else!" - ViperBunny
"Wow, so deep. I wish I could know what you really want, though." - Imomaway
Emotions
GIF by reactionseditorGiphy"Women are "more emotional"....ever see a man watch sports or get told he's wrong about something?" - Rizarice
"Men are emotional too but the sh*tty part is that the only emotion they have been taught to process or have been encouraged to process are anger and lust." - bubbly-region
"Men are so much worse at handling their emotions. I assume this is because they are taught they don't have any, and thus don't recognize their many (many!) emotional outbursts." - thediplocrap
Lesbians
monsters inc GIFGiphy"That Lesbians 'just haven't had the right penis yet.' "
"Sirs, I regret to inform you: there is no magic penis out there that will change our sexuality. I know you love the little fellas and think they're magical, but for us Lesbians? I swear to you, they are not, nor will they ever be magic."
"In the wise words of Mike Wizowski: 'Put that thing back where it came from or so help me.' " - RelentlesslyCrooked
Not Me
Oh No Lol GIF by Late Night with Seth MeyersGiphy"That we are more emotionally intelligent and intuitive than men."
"I am definitely not empathetic and don't like dealing with emotional people, I'm mostly just socially awkward and not particularly mothering or kind."
"Seems like the assumption is that women want to baby men. Not me lol" - counterboud
A Recipe For Broken Adults
Lunch Box Cooking GIF by KiddyPlanetGiphy"girls are more mature"
"No, girls are just punished much more severely than boys are for behavior that all children exhibit. Boys only seem less mature because we do not demand maturity from them at a young age like we do from girls."
"Girls are forced to suppress being human and boys are forced to suppress emotions other than anger. It's a recipe for broken adults." - BanditaIncognita
Indirect
Game Of Thrones Ugh GIFGiphy"That all women are 'indirect communicators.' "
"I'm not saying they can't be, I'm not even saying the majority don't fall under this category, but personally, indirect communication goes right over my head. It's frustrating because I don't assume people can read my mind, why should I be able to read theirs?"
"I feel like when people assume I communicate indirectly just because I'm a girl, it leads to them not listening to what I'm saying, instead they try to dissect and analyze what I'm 'really' trying to say."
"Also men are just as capable of being passive aggressive."
"I live with a man and he constantly thinks I'm trying to send subtle messages and I've had to sit him down and explain that if I'm upset about something I will tell him. He on the other hand will slam doors, stomp around the house, give me the silent treatment, say nothing is wrong only to snap at me over something small (I'm making him sound awful but he's actually a pretty great person lol.)" - Reddit
Stereotypes
Art Fun GIF by KAKTUZBOYGiphy"That we are sh*t at directions. I never get lost and my husband couldn't find his way out of a shed."
"Also that we are sh*t at math. I live in Asia and the idea that women aren't good at math doesn't really exist here, so surprise surprise the girls perform on a equal level to the boys in high school in most Asian nations."
"Stereotypes are self-reinforcing, and dangerous. Even the people who are harmed by them can come to believe them and lose confidence in themselves." - practical_ghost
Perfection
perfect natalie portman GIFGiphy"Women are perfect all the time."
"I don't like it when people hold women to a higher standard than men. We're all just people trying to do our best and I'm sick of people expecting perfection from me just because I'm a woman."
"Everyone expects me to be smiling all the time; and when I'm direct at work, I'm called a b*tch."
"Women politicians are criticized for the smallest mistakes, women in all professions are. People expect so much and sometimes I have nothing to give. I'm burnt out." - Adorable_Island_1798
Dude ... and Lady
fedora GIFGiphy"That we all think and feel the same!"
"I had a manager who refused to call me dude, because his girlfriend didn't like to be called dude. I'm not your girlfriend, bro!"
"He would not listen to me when I said it was okay. I even told him I prefer it."
"Instead, he legit called me 'lady.' It would be like 'Hey dudes. Oh! And lady.' "
"Made me feel like I was different, and not a part of the team. Just call me dude!" - QueenOfAYogaBall
Normally, I would end this on a witty note - but I don't have much more to add on top of "women are human!"
So yeah, whatever "all women..." thing you have in your head, go on ahead and forget it. All women nothing. Treat us as individuals please and thanks!