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13.2: Some Definitions on Sexual Health

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    Definitions by governing bodies, while never perfect or all encompassing, give us an idea of the cultural value of any topic. The World Health Organization (WHO) offers this comprehensive definition of sexual health:

    Sexual health is fundamental to the overall health and well-being of individuals, couples and families, and to the social and economic development of communities and countries.

    Sexual health, when viewed affirmatively, 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.

    The ability of men and women to achieve sexual health and well-being depends on their:

    • access to comprehensive, good-quality information about sex and sexuality
    • knowledge about the risks they may face and their vulnerability to adverse consequences of unprotected sexual activity
    • ability to access sexual health care
    • living in an environment that affirms and promotes sexual health (World Health Organization, 2022)

    The World Association for Sexual Health (WAS) took this definition further by elevating the importance of sex positivity and pleasure, and declaring sexual pleasure as integral to sexual health and overall well-being (World Association for Sexual Health, 2019).

    The American Association for Sexuality Educators Counselors and Therapists (AASECT) “affirms the fundamental value of sexuality as an inherent, essential, and beneficial dimension of being human” (AASECT, 2022 para. 1). Additionally, AASECT believes that all individuals are entitled to enjoy:

    • Freedom of their sexual thoughts, feelings and fantasies.
    • Freedom to engage in healthy modes of sexual activity, including both self-pleasuring and consensually shared-pleasuring.
    • Freedom to exercise behavioral, emotional, economic, and social responsibility for their bodily functioning, their sexual liaisons, and their chosen mode of loving, working, and playing.

    AASECT believes that these rights pertain to all peoples whatever their age, family structure, backgrounds, beliefs, and circumstances, including those who are disadvantaged, specially challenged, ill or impaired (AASECT, 2022, para. 5).

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    Sidebar 13.1: What Does Sexual Health Look Like?
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    Just as governing bodies defining what sexual health is, here we are providing what many practitioners in the field regard as a sexually healthy person. No two people are alike, so there may be additions or deletions to this list depending on you.

    Sexually healthy people:

    • Embrace their personal expression of their sexuality
    • Express love and intimacy in appropriate ways
    • Communicate effectively with partners
    • Avoid abusive sexual relationships
    • Can enjoy sexual feelings without acting on them
    • Use birth control and STI prevention methods effectively, as needed
    • Practice health prevention—pap smears, medical checkups, etc.

    Take a minute to ask yourself, do you feel confident doing all of these things? Why or why not?

    What other aspects do you see to sexual health?

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    This page titled 13.2: Some Definitions on Sexual Health is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Susan Rahman with Nathan Bowman, Dahmitra Jackson, Anna Lushtak, Remi Newman, & Prateek Sunder.