Should we laugh at the ICMR's latest study about Indian penis' being too small for international condoms to be effective. The article was the most widely read and emailed on the BBC website. I wonder why? Of course, it was brought to my attention and I was made fun of. No doubt, millions of young Indian males across the world are being teased and mocked. I somehow, couldn't see the funny side of it.Well,truthfully I could and couldn't ...
Perhaps its just me getting prudish and prickly at my manliness being punctured. Perhaps its the medic and scientist in me. Whatever the reason, I noticed two things.
1. This is probably the most important project the ICMR has undertaken for a long time. Think about it for a bit and you might realise this study may help prevent a huge number of STD's in India.
2.While being jeered I suddenly realised how difficult it is to get people in India to talk about sex, sexual health and anatomy normally. What my friend found the funniest was that 1200 men volunteered to have their penis' measured. Well, how else did they expect to answer the problem? Also, the first reaction to the story was comedy - not once did people think of the science and research involved. Can you imagine if educated people can only take this to be a source of entertainment and ridicule, how difficult it must be to talk about such items in a rural, conservative traditional environment?
Maybe it is age and maybe my hurt ego that I have got so wound up about it, but here is our apex Medical body trying to make a contribution and if I may hazard, a damn important one. Consider that our only chance to halt the HIV epidemic is sexual education and condoms, what is so funny?
I also blame the BBC for potraying this study and its results so poorly. Here is a similar issue in the UK and the NHS. The BBC writes the article in a very different way and it doesn't come off so bad. The difference is that in the UK people might go to their GP and talk about split and loose condoms - of course, thats never going to happen in India.
Anyway, you get the point- Kudos to ICMR for pushing and finishing this study. It would never get into the NEJM as an original article but if nothing else - perhaps the IgNobel prize??
1 comment:
what is funny is not just the article itsel, oh One With the Wounded Ego, but the fact that Indian men are a public health hazard :) Merely confirms what we women have been saying for years...
Also, it's not the 1200 men that was most amusing (am I your friend?!!!!) but the fact that it says 'length and breadth of the country' right after that. Surely that was deliberate.
Btw, the BBC picked this off an original Reuters news report which I can't seem to find any longer...
P.S. I'm still grinning.
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