[HPforGrownups] No Sex, Please, We're British (was ethics in the WW )

[Przemyslaw Plaskowicki]

No: HPFGUIDX 83288

grannybat84112 wrote:

>[...]
>
>To bring this back to canon: I don't believe Hogwarts even has a sex 
>ed class. JKR is so timid about broaching subjects sexual that she 
>had Harry's first kiss take place off-page. She never even places 
>conversations between Ron and Harry in the boy's bathroom in order to 
>give us a glimpse of how they learn how to shave. (Hmm, how do 
>budding wizards shave? With wands? With a beard inhibiting potion? 
>With an old-fashioned straight razor? And who would the boys turn to 
>for help? Dumbledore wears a beard, and Snape would just as soon cut 
>their throats).
>  
>
Wands. Definitely. Morning (and sometimes evening) shave is a major bane 
of human male existence.

>This reticence strikes me as odd when you consider that half of the 
>action in Cos takes place in a girls' restroom, with Myrtle coming 
>out of a toilet and all the bodily functions that implies. I wonder 
>if Myrtle isn't JKR's symbol of uncomfortable sexuality; I found her 
>scene with Harry in The Egg and the Eye hilarious, and the 
>interaction between them rang very true. ("Myrtle! I'm not wearing 
>anything!") 
>
>Come to think of it, the only adolescent we see demonstrating overt 
>sexual urges is Roger Davies, the Ravenclaw who appears to change 
>girlfriends every month. Davies is at least a year ahead of Harry 
>(but I seem to recall he's in the same year as Cho, and she's two 
>years ahead...isn't she?). Students younger than fourth year just 
>don't appear to exhibit any interest in sex beyond puppy love; even 
>Ginny's crush on Harry was expressed in terms of embarrassed silences 
>and awkward get-well cards. Now that she's gained a bit of 
>confidence, suddenly she's dating a string of boyfriends.
>
>My point is that the kids at Hogwarts feel awfully innocent.
>
>  
>
You missed two other examples: the pair caught by Snape in the bushes 
during Yule Ball, and Patil's horror when she realised that Crouch/Moody 
can see through clothes ("Nice socks, Potter!").

But I don't think, that Hogwarts is "awfully innocent". For 15 years 
old, sex in count-legs-and-divide-by-two sense is quite remote. I mean, 
for females much more important is all that romantic nonsense: hugging, 
holding hands, sharing emotions etc. As for boys, most of them at this 
age are still not sure what the heck is happening with them.

Age of sexual initiation is inversely proportional to school grades -- 
better grades equals later initiation. And Hogwarts consist of creme de 
la creme of British magical children. And to top that they have their 
OWLs and lots of homework.

You should also take into account that WW teens are not indoctrinated by 
TV shows, teen magazines and generally speaking pop culture. They are 
not taught that being a virgin is a bad thing, they are not taught about 
various sexual techniques, they are not taught that having sex at 14 is 
normal and they are not taught that love consist mainly of exchange of 
bodily fluids. They are not taught that they need sex for anything.

Regards,
Pshemekan

-- 
Force without wisdom falls of its own weight. (Horace, Odes)