Worried? Scared? Confused? Nervous? Curious? Ask a Punewali!
Dear Punewali,
I think I’m what you’d call the average young adult in Pune: I work hard during the day and like partying hard at night. I love people, and I have lots of friends, both new and old. My friends are great – we can talk about anything…well, almost anything. Sometimes I have doubts or problems which I don’t feel like I can talk to anyone about: not my parents, not my doctor, not even my friends. The few times I have talked to friends, they didn’t know the answers – and some of them even said they were wondering the same thing themselves but didn’t know where to look.
So I guess that’s what I’m asking for: do you know anywhere that I or my friends can turn to when we have doubts that we can’t ask anyone else? I think you might already know what I mean: doubts about relationships, about sex and sexuality, about how I feel about my body, about using substances, that kind of stuff.
Thanks,
Curious in Kondhwa
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Dear Curious,
It’s very true that there are not enough places for people (young people, especially!) to get information on how to take care of themselves and others. Information is even scarcer when it comes to topics related to sex. But that’s about to change!
From now on, Wake Up Pune is starting a column where anyone can write in with questions or concerns related to relationships, sex, sexuality, body image, substance use: the kinds of things that someone might not feel comfortable bringing up anywhere else. The setting is confidential: the names of those who ask questions will not be revealed, and two to three questions will be answered in each issue of the newsletter and on the website each month.
In order to ask, you just have to send an email to punewali@wakeuppune.org with your question, or use the online form on this page. If you would like us to write you back with a personal reply, please mention this and let us know what email address you would like us to reply to. If you don’t want a personal reply, just look for your question in the monthly issue of the newsletter and/or on the website. Depending on the volume of mail received, it may not be possible to publish all questions, but we will try to publish those that we feel would help others the most.
So start writing us with your doubts – we’re looking forward to replying!
Stay safe,
Punewali