Sexual Health: Bridging Cultures and Breaking Taboos

Mental HealthWomen's HealthHealing StoriesSexual HealthWellness

Apr 7

An Indian woman smiling big. She's wearing a white top and long earrings.

This isn’t the only taboo thing Kaamna Bhojwani was told in her notably progressive family in Bombay. And from that unique upbringing, she’s transformed into the woman she is today: making it her mission to help people open up about their sexuality, reclaiming it as their own.

During a recent conversation, she and I explored the often under-discussed realm of sexual health, particularly through the lens of South Asian women. My journey as both a physician and an Ayurvedic practitioner has always been about bridging gaps—be it between Eastern and Western medicine, or, as in my discussion with Kaamna, between cultural taboos and the liberation of sexual health education.

Kaamna’s upbringing offers a striking contrast to the conservative silence that shrouds the topic of sexual wellness in many South Asian communities and others across the world. She shares her personal experiences and professional insights, highlighting the significant role of education, open dialogue, and self-exploration in dismantling the barriers to a healthy sexual life.

Our conversation touches upon universal challenges and specific cultural nuances that complicate the dialogue around sexual health. The shifts occurring in India and among South Asian youth worldwide, fueled by unregulated streaming platforms, starkly contrast the traditional narratives pushed by Bollywood and cultural conservatism.

We are enculturated in shame.

In this interview, Kaamna shares that roughly half of the states in the US are required to provide sex education in schools, but only nine are required to talk about consent; when sex education is provided to youth, it is very sex-negative, with no one talking about the benefits of exploring one’s sexuality. That statistic alone reminds me of how far we still have to go in this country.

As for adults, we too face shame around our sexual health, and the healthcare system does not help. I’ve encountered many professional colleagues who feel uncomfortable talking about sexual health with their patients. “We need fact-based, shame-free information And we just aren’t getting it. ” she shares. Sexual health is linked to overall well-being, with benefits ranging from stress relief and improved sleep to emotional and mental uplift.

Find community, engage in conversation, and shed toxicity.

Kaamna stresses the importance of creating safe spaces for these conversations, particularly among women and across generations, to reclaim the narrative of sexual health from one of control and repression to one of empowerment and liberation.

Toward the end of our conversation, Kaamna shares some practical advice on beginning this journey of reclamation. It starts with self-love, recognizing the divine within us, and distinguishing the internalized voices that dictate our perceptions of sexuality.

I believe we are called to engage in open, honest discussions about sexual health, free from the rigidity of cultural taboos and societal expectations. It's a journey of self-discovery, empowerment, and, ultimately, a catalyst for our healing.