By: Waqar Jappa
What did you just say? An article on condoms? To be published in a newspaper? Pause. Have you gone nuts? I mean, who do you think you are? A low thinking scoundrel or a big mouth Frankenstein who happens to have no respect for commonly established social norms of decency. This is not west for God’s sake. What’s going on in your mind these days if that grey thing in your head can be called mind at all!
There are thousands of other important issues in this country to be written about. And, here you are telling me to write about a thing one can’t even name it loudly. Baaz aa jao bhai.” Sohail, my friend and sociologist politely questioned my mental health while requesting me to share my Wi-fi password with him so that he could watch game show on YouTube.
So, friends, yours truly didn’t take Sohail’s advice and here we are! Let’s begin with a simple question. When was the last time, you saw a condom ad on a newspaper or a magazine or anything that can be called print media? Recall. Refresh your memory. I know it seems to be a stupid question but one should get a little stupid sometimes or at least pretend to be one.
The last joinder about the stupid thing was just an over statement to make you feel better. That you are a sensible fellow. Happy? Good. Now, may I get my answer? Hmmmm. Let me guess. Your brain can’t recall such an advertisement. It’s alright. quite understandable. Because, it’s been ages since we saw any print ad motivating people to buy condoms.
If my memory is serving me right, it was the Sathi ad with two birds flying by the rising sun that I saw last time many years ago. Let me ask you another similar question. When was the last time you saw a prime time talk show on national T.V questioning the role of condoms in birth control? None. It is partly, there is little acceptance by the society and partly such issues are considered non-issues. A talk show on such an issue means no scandalous revelations, no accusations and counter accusations and resultantly, there won’t be TRPs. As simple as it is.
Why starting a discussion on birth control measures on media or in sitting room or educational institutions is such a taboo? Why don’t we see Bachay Do he Achay so frequently on national T.V? Why dangerously increasing population is not an issue on our national radar? Why is there no campaign on Birth Control as vigorous as the one for Dam Fund? How do we intend to go about increasing mouths while rapidly diminishing resources in the land of the Pure?
If we can have dramas on child molestation and extra marital affairs , movies on rape, talk shows on corruption, public service messages on dams, books on sexual positions ,articles on getting pregnant early, why can’t we have open discussions on contraceptives?
Are selling politics, religion, modesty and corruption easier than selling condoms in Naya Pakistan?
The writer is a part-time actor, occasional blogger and a regular dreamer. He has an M.Phil in media studies from University of the Punjab. He can be reached at waqarfcc@gmail.com.
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