<Begin Segment 9>

CN: But you might be interested in the fact that my parents, including my father, gave me lessons in sex education, verbal, that is. As a family, we bathed together. And when I was ten, I was told that I -- it was noticed that my breasts were forming -- and that I would hereafter bathe by myself. And I said, "Why?" "Well, that's because you're going to be a lady soon." And also, some men or boys will take advantage of girls and women, so it was recommended that I not sit in the middle on a bench seat in a car because of the gearshift. And if a man or a boy would put their hand on your thigh or your knees or your legs, be sure and stand right up and get away. Or if they would hold your hand and go like this [Ed. note: Narrator uses index finger to trace circles in palm of her left hand] I don't know what that means still. And so I remember those lessons extremely well.

AI: Was it a shock to you to get this kind of information or did it just seem a like normal deal?

CN: No. It seemed like normal, especially since I was going to be a lady. And my... see, we were in this furo -- this part came a little later -- but I know in the furo that he said, "Your mother will tell you more about what happens when you get to be a young lady." He, of course, was talking about menstrual periods and all.

AI: And then she did later on tell you?

CN: Yeah, she did. Uh-huh. So, I thought others got the same kind of information, but obviously not, not everyone did.

AI: So you found out later that, in some ways, your parents were very progressive.

CN: Yeah. I kind of thought it was because we were such a small family. And if you don't talk to one another, then you don't talk at all. So, I guess... but I certainly appreciated being given that kind of information.

AI: Right.

<End Segment 9> - Copyright © 1998 Densho. All Rights Reserved.