On Multicultural Beliefs and Myths of Sexual Anatomy Essay Example for Free

On Multicultural Beliefs and Myths of Sexual Anatomy Essay Based on what I’ve experienced and heard from one of my Asian friends, most beliefs or myths are more common to males rather than females, with practices mostly concerning the penis. Circumcision is a practice very common in certain parts of the world due to the main influence of religion. In Southeast Asia, specifically in the Philippines, there are still existing beliefs being practiced surrounding circumcision. A male by at least age 10 should be circumcised to ensure they reach their height potential. It is discouraged to have the procedure done right after birth, believing that as the child gets bigger, the foreskin will grow back, thus needing to do another procedure as the child won’t reach his maximum height potential due to the fact that the procedure was done soon after birth. This procedure is usually considered a big event in the child’s life and is decided for by the parents. After the circumcision is done, customary beliefs expect the male child to chew on guava leaves and afterwards, wrap the chewed leaves onto the penis to prevent infection. For some, it is established for the circumcised male child to jump into the river to cleanse the wound. This practice is usually done during the summer months when the kids are out of school and still have time to heal. In the rural areas, it is a huge event and done in makeshift hospitals with volunteers assisting the boys in doing the procedure. Kids often get teased prior to being circumcised by the older kids as this procedure is considered a rite of passage. Kids circumcised soon after birth also get teased about not getting any taller because the procedure was not done at the right time. Of course, by the time that these kids get the right to do the procedure, all bets are off and those circumcised as a baby would often have the upper hand at teasing their previous tormentors. My Asian friend also relayed to me their beliefs about women once they reach the puberty stage and get their menses. According to the old customs in their provinces, the girls are expected clean their underwear upon getting their menses and afterwards, cleanse their face with the same underwear to ensure that they don’t get pimples. Others take it a step further by cleaning their face with their â€Å"first† menstrual blood for the same purpose. The girls are often asked to jump three times on the stairs, which also serves as a cleansing ritual. Some believe that the number of times you jump from the stairs will determine the duration of your menstrual period thus, three jumps would mean you will only have three days of your period. Myths about pregnant women are also widely circulated in their culture, especially in certain rural areas of their country as expectant mothers are advised to be careful when sleeping at night. It is said that evil witches in the form of an elderly woman (although the witch is often regarded as a shape shifter) would take the fetus from the woman’s womb by climbing on top of the roof and yanking the fetus using their long tongue. According to my good friend, this belief is still prevalent in their modern society as it is being portrayed in popular culture via the media. Even in the urban areas, pregnant women are advised by their parents not to sleep near the window for fear that they might be seen and victimized by these witches. All these beliefs and myths are still thriving today in the modern world with the older generation ensuring that the young continue to uphold these traditions and practices. There may be a few that veer away from this path but society still finds a way to remind everyone about these practices.