How did men who took a life vow of chastity wield any sort of authority on a subject matter they have little to no experience about? I’m referring to the Roman Catholic Church’s insistence on interfering with a subject it ought not to know much about: SEX. In the Philippines, the Church campaigns heavily against artificial means of birth control. At this moment, the Reproductive Health Bill, which aims to secure sex education and contraceptives for the masses, is still hanging by a thread. The debate, it seems, is between reason and tradition.

I’m not going to write about the reasons why an overpopulated and poverty-stricken populace should have easy access to sex education and birth control. I’m going to examine the tradition that prompts the Roman Catholic Church to maintain its stand against sexual liberty and the exercise of power over our own bodies.

The Old Testament details a widespread massacre of Sumerians, Babylonians, Canaanites, and all who chose to worship the goddess Ishtar/Astarte, a deity practicing sacred sexual customs in their temples. In the matriarchal culture of ancient Sumer, Babylon and Canaan, there was little to no concern over paternity. A child is his/her mother’s alone, and inherited property according to her will.

In order to establish a patrilineal culture in the land of milk and honey (a euphemism for overflowing breasts and sweet pussy, no?), the Hebrews forced each woman to submit to only one man. Absolute control of a woman’s sexuality was the only way a man can guarantee that only his rightful heirs receive their paternal inheritance. Pre-marital virginity and fidelity while married ensured that there weren’t any illegitimate children being born to a woman. Controlling the distribution of property and land meant controlling women’s sexuality.

While a man could have as many wives as he could afford to have, an adulterous woman was stoned to death. A bride who arrived with a broken hymen was returned to her family a disgrace, incapable of marriage and therefore worthless. Illegitimate children were disenfranchised.

Over and over in history – the Spanish Inquisition, the witch burnings, the crusades – patriarchs used violence and force until they owned the land and the world conformed to the Judeo-Christian tradition of monogamy and sexual repression.

When the Spanish conquistadores first came to the lush islands now called Philippines, they found tattooed, pierced, barely clothed and sexually adventurous people. Pre-colonial sexual practices were made criminal so the Spanish government could seize land. Native women who bared their breasts in public were punished with 50 lashes across their backs. After 500 years of Spanish colonization, we evolved into blushing mestizos/mestizas, protectors of the patriarchal status quo and torchbearers of the Roman Catholic tradition of sexual guilt.

Now in 21st century Philippines, women can own property and land. We marry whom we choose, or choose not to marry. Extramarital relationships are common. It’s not the end of the world if a woman isn’t a virgin when she walks down the aisle at her wedding, or if she conceives a child out of wedlock.

The Roman Catholic Church states that promoting artificial birth control and sex education would lead to loose morals, a laughable sign they are out of touch with being human. It’s as if they are aliens from outer space.

Sex cannot be stopped. Poverty, war and disease have not stopped people from wanting to connect in that deepest of ways. If you had sex, you would understand why it is the true religion. If you had your own kids, you would understand what it’s like to be entrusted with the life-consuming task of parenthood. Bishops know nothing about either, and have no authority to speak on the subject.

As a mother who has a lot of varied experience having sex, I can say that having easy access to artificial birth control is not a panacea to poverty and overpopulation. Many children are conceived on the pill, and condoms do break. Furthermore, birth control pills have possible side-effects which include blood clots, stroke, heart attack and cancer. Latex condoms could trigger allergies and spermicidal condoms may cause a host of infections, including ironically, increased susceptibility to HIV. Honestly, I’m not keen on the medicalization of sex. I regard all products with suspicion and would sooner choose natural over artificial.

What I believe is most important about the Reproductive Health Bill is sex education. I am hoping when (not if, because I know this will happen sooner or later) this bill passes, that a balanced set of information is presented to the masses so that people can make informed decisions about their bodies and their families.

Until the Reproductive Health Bill passes, I think Filipinos should learn how to have sex without having intercourse. I would personally volunteer to create audio-visual materials toward this sort of education. I’m pretty sure the Roman Catholic Church is against it. It must be good! Oral and anal sex for the win!!!