Understanding Sexuality: A Quick Survey of Teenagers in Kupang and Its Environs

This study aims to determine teenagers’ understanding of sexuality in Kupang and its environs. The discussion about sexuality in Eastern culture is considered taboo and impolite, however, with the advancement in technology comes several interesting contents including sexuality. Although there have been studies discussing sex education, little is known about the topic in the context of Kupang and East Nusa Tenggara. A quick survey was conducted to show a considerable deficiency in literacy and understanding of sexuality among teenagers in Kupang to counter the open fast-growing information access world. A sample of 153 students from the junior secondary (SMP) and senior secondary schools provided their feedback through an online questionnaire. The results show that (1) respondents did not fully comprehend the meaning of the term sex; (2) social media was the main source of the knowledge respondents had regarding sex; (3) majority of the respondents did not ask their parents about sexuality and prefer to find it on their own; (4) parents gave negative responses when asked about sex/sexuality because of lack of knowledge; (5) most of the respondents accessed pornography to see body parts and sexual activities; and (6) more than half of the respondents reported rejection emotions toward sex, such as ignorant, disapproval, and sexual desire arousal. To conclude, parents should educate their children on sexuality in a clear and easy-to-understand language without trying to cover up sexuality talks. It is essential to provide a solution to increase teenagers’ understanding of sexuality by encouraging comprehensive sex education based on their development stages, Eastern culture, and religious values conducted by parents, the media, and schools. Keywords: quick survey, sexuality, teenagers, understanding