The topic of sex and issues surrounding it have been a taboo for years, especially within our Dominican society. The myths and fallacies surrounding sex have somehow played an interesting part in our lives and looking back on some of these arouses a smile and provokes one to wonder about one’s ability at being so naïve.
The following are folklores that many Dominicans have held unto with their dear lives and have passed on from one generation to another:
Placing a silver spoon over a hickey (love bite) would cause it to fade away quickly.
A man who wanted to increase the length and girth of his penis, as well as a woman who wanted to have bigger breasts, simply needed to rub a tay-tar (pleco or suckermouth fish) on the penis or breasts.
If a man discharges in a woman, she should drink a substantial amount of water to flush it out.
Urinating immediately after having sex would prevent a woman from becoming pregnant.
If a couple has sex in a body of water (river/sea/pool), preferably warm water, the woman would not become pregnant.
Having intercourse on full moon nights was guaranteed to get one pregnant.
A nursing mother (breastfeeding) could not become pregnant.
If a couple had a particular desire, in terms of the sex of the child that they wanted, there were particular sex positions that they needed to try.
Should a man have sex with a woman who was on her menstrual cycle, it would result in him having ‘open waist’ (back pain).
If a woman looked directly into her lover’s eye while having sex and she became pregnant, the child would resemble the father immensely.
As hilarious as these may seem now, these folktales governed the lives of many individuals and were perhaps the reason behind the large family sizes which was predominant in the 50s and 60s. Today’s youth are not so gullible and are privy to a wealth of information as it relates to sex. Classroom education and the openness of parents in speaking with their children have brought about the change in thinking as well as debunking these myths.
