Being Sexually Healthy!

Defining sexual health is a difficult task as each culture, sub-culture, and individual has different standards of sexual health. Sexual health includes far more than avoiding disease or unplanned pregnancy. Having a sexually transmitted infection or unwanted pregnancy does not prevent someone from being or becoming sexually healthy.

Sexual health is the ability to embrace and enjoy our sexuality throughout our lives. It is an important part of our physical and emotional health. Being sexually healthy means:
1. Understanding that sexuality is a natural part of life and involves more than sexual behavior.

2. Recognizing and respecting the sexual rights we all share.

3. Having access to sexual health information, education, and care.

4. Making an effort to prevent unintended pregnancies and STDs and seek care and treatment when needed.

5. Being able to experience sexual pleasure, satisfaction, and intimacy when desired.

6. Being able to communicate about sexual health with others including sexual partners and healthcare providers.

It’s a big concept, and maybe it’s natural that the above points seem idealistic and self-righteous. But they are based on the well-known working definition of the World Health Organization(WHO):

“Sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled.”

There is a lot to agree with in this definition, especially in its recognition of the complex physical, emotional, mental and social attributes of sexual health, and the anchoring of sexual health in universal sexual rights.

So, maybe we need to get clearer with ourselves about what sexual health is. And, sexual health should be more than just the negatives: not coerced; not discriminated; not violent. The prevalence of these negatives in many people’s lives tells us how far we are from achieving a just and equitable society. But I think that sexual health ultimately requires much more active involvement from all of us, and it seems quite insufficient to hope that sexual health will arise on its own if coercion, discrimination, and violence are finally conquered.