Flash! Check out the news from Morocco: A Moroccan preacher proclaimed a fatwa, an Islamic edict, in which he authorizes single women to masturbate, and he recommends they do it using carrots, bottles, and the handles of mortars! What could have remained just a simple anecdote turned into a topic of major importance given the controversy it generated in this North African country, eventually reaching the Moroccan Parliament. Here is an op-ed piece I wrote for the newspaper (Siglo 21) in which this news item appeared-
Wow, a fatwa authorizing single women to masturbate and also generously include a guide recommending which items to use for practice. Sellers of carrots, bottles, and mortars (second hand!) were happy with the free promotion. Of course there was a barrage of criticism citing among its many faults that to mention masturbation in public media today is still duly censured, especially within the sacredness of the fatwas. After all, the legacy of masturbation has been to corrupt the imagination and chain its victims to extremely harmful sexual vices.
For those who think that our Western media are much more pleasant and tolerant of masturbation, just revisit the incident with Dr. Joycelyn Elders, Surgeon General for the Clinton administration. In 1994, she was abruptly fired after having declared in favor of teaching about masturbation in human sexuality classes because, she said, it is a fundamental part of human sexual behavior (in addition to a variety of animals). Even the famous Dr. ranked masturbation as an effective way to combat the spread of venereal disease and lower the rate of sexual assault and abusive behaviors. However, it seems that we still keep a deep rejection and ignorance for something that supposedly contains the virtues to improve ourselves physically, mentally, and spiritually. It is this ignorance and disdain that keep us repressed and destined to live in a certain emotional and physical poverty.
How curious to learn that among the ancient Chinese (Taoist) and Indian (Hindu) there is a radically different perspective about masturbation. They researched and documented extensively on the importance of sexual stimulation and its relationship to the endocrine system. They classified sexuality as a fundamental basis for a long and healthy life and to abuse or abandon it ends up weakening and damaging the nervous, muscular, skeletal, and immune systems. For practitioners of martial arts, there were masturbatory techniques that channeled sexual energy to the brain and through the network of meridians (nerves) to achieve indomitable physical and mental strength. Interestingly, this view has now been proven by modern medicine but doctors generally remain silent about it.
It is time to lift the veil of ignorance and open dialogue in the mainstream media and educational forums on the values of masturbation, because otherwise, our mankind will continue digging deeper and deeper into the darkness of mediocrity and insufficiency. Our conditioned ignorance toward masturbation, and toward our sexuality in general, leads us blindly to expect early decrepitude, limit our powers, wither our self-love, enslave us in seeking pharmaceutical remedies with adverse side effects to treat menopause, and, finally, to turn our backs on our Creator who saw fit to equip us with a means (among many) to procure physical, mental, and spiritual well-being, and longevity- through the innate rejuvenating power of our sexuality.
PS no wonder our master ‘carroteer’ Bugs Bunny had so many contented bunny companions!