On sex stories

I felt compelled to comment on Mrs. Christina Markeli's letter No sex stories, please!

This Odd World is one of my favorite features. It's light, easy to read, and yet informative. From this feature I know pieces of trivia from the world over. I consider articles on sexual organs or people's sexual perversions to be a contribution to knowledge about people in other parts of the world.

I am a woman now, but was once a teenage daughter. On reading your letter I felt lucky that my parents didn't give me a naive upbringing. I was educated to be mature, analytical and open minded. The most important thing to me was that my parents were always there when I showed curiosity.

They didn't shelter me from unpleasant realities, but instead taught us that every now and then, reality bites.

We're not living in a Pollyanna world were everything is nice. You have a choice if you think that the material in this paper is too rough. This is journalism! This "Odd World", merely tries to shed light on the occasionally odd facts of life.

It's not the penis or bare butt-cheeks that intrigue me.

It is the fact that people who live elsewhere have different customs from my own. So whatever the story is -- as long as it's interesting, informative and accurate, it can bring a smile to our faces.

YUKI PRAWIROHARDJO

Jakarta