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In a nation governed by strict Islamic law, where the topic of sex is rarely broached, many young people are turning to technology to better understand the intricacies of sex, pleasure, and reproduction. Tune in to watch the Dateline episode, Let’s Talk About Sex, Habibi on Tuesday, 15 July at 9.30 pm on SBS or stream it live on SBS On Demand. This episode includes explicit discussions on sexual topics.
In the days before her wedding, Aya was fixated on one particular aspect: her wedding night. The 31-year-old writer from Cairo admitted to feeling a mixture of excitement and apprehension as her wedding day to 36-year-old architect Ahmed approached in May. Following Egyptian law and traditions, the couple decided to refrain from intimacy before tying the knot, though they had discussed the topic. “I think it’s normal to feel both eager and anxious,” Aya, who had only received minimal sex education in school, shared with Dateline. “It’s something I lack experience in, and it feels very private, which makes me slightly nervous and tense.”
Sex before marriage may be religiously prohibited in Egypt, but not all young people abstain.
“No-one teaches us. So we can find out and educate ourselves.”
Egypt has one of the youngest populations in the world, and teenagers are growing up with almost no sex education. Source: Getty / Marco Di Lauro
In the absence of sex ed, Ahmed said myths and misconceptions about intimacy are passed down between generations — each as ashamed to discuss it as the next.
“This is one of the things that we learn, and which is wrong. We end up in deep trouble.”
Filling the information void
And they’re growing up with almost no sex education.
While Aya harbored nerves about their first intimate encounter on her wedding night, Ahmed, having previous sexual experience, felt no similar stress. High divorce rates in Egypt are often attributed, in part, to the inadequate sex education and lack of sexual experience people possess before entering marriage. Sources: SBS, Getty / Noppawat Tom Charoensinphon.
But a team of Egyptian millennials in Cairo is hoping to change all this.
There’s even an AI-driven app that helps answer user questions, such as if a woman is allowed to make noises during sex, or if ejaculation on a woman’s body can lead to pregnancy.
Nour Emam is teaching Egyptians about sex through social media and podcasts. Source: SBS
In video clips, Nour talks about the intricacies of sex, pleasure and reproduction.
“No-one teaches you about marital sex … because there’s a fear that if we talk to you about sex, we’re automatically encouraging you to have premarital sex, which is not the case.”
Disconnection leading to divorce
This is a problem for those with conservative religious beliefs, including President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who said the divorce rate may even dissuade young people in Egypt from wanting to get married and start a family.
In Egypt’s Christian church, divorce isn’t tolerated, so these lessons aim to improve knowledge and expectations to help marital relations.
“In Christian marriage, there is no divorce. So, they need to be sure they are making the right decision.”
Egypt’s Coptic Christians must take premarital sex ed classes before their wedding. Source: SBS
In the two-hour course, the men and women were separated, each group taught about the male and female anatomies and reproductive systems.
“Women desire care, attention, and romance,” he added.
Sadly for Aya, her mother died just before she got engaged.
Shaking off generational shame
Aya said their first night together went “even better and smoother than I had expected”.
