Many responses I have heard in the past, and just recently in the HEAL program, are: physical, emotional, social, spiritual and psychological. The list is much more extensive than this, but these are the common responses. What I'm confused about, and a little concerned with is, why don't most people include, 'sexual health'?
I recently asked a colleague of mine the same question, "When I say health, what do you think about?" She said, "Physical, mental and social." I replied, "What about sexual health?" She said, "Oh, that's part of physical health." So, using Google and Google scholar, I typed in, "What is physical health?" Topics such as strength, flexibility and endurance, nutritional diet, medical self care, rest and sleep, drugs and alcohol, and even, religion came up; but I have not yet seen sexual health considered as one of the main components of physical health. So, if people are quick to respond by saying that sexual health is obviously part of physical health, then why isn't it clearly discussed in the information on physical health? Is the topic of sexual health still considered taboo in the twenty first century?
I have recently completed the Sexual Health Educator Program, which is the only comprehensive sexual health education program offered in North America. In this program, I learned an amazing amount of valuable information about the human biological reproductive system, relationships, orgasm, puberty, how our bodies are very different and that the differences are both normal and natural as well as learning to appreciate and accept the LGBT2Q community.
I am currently reading the book, Come As You Are, by Emily Nagoski. "She is a Wellness Education Director and Lecturer at Smith College, and has a PhD in Health Behavior with a doctoral concentration in human sexuality and a master’s degree in counseling. She has taught graduate and undergraduate classes in human sexuality, relationships and communication, stress management, and sex education."( Simon and Schuster, 2016) I cannot better promote this book than by saying that everyone NEEDS to read this book. It focuses and informs the reader on why and how women's sexuality works. The author explains how our sexuality is like a finger print, no two people are the same, and that women vary more than men in our anatomy, our sexual response mechanisms, and the way our bodies respond to the sexual world. So, we never need to judge ourselves based on others’ experiences.
As a public secondary school teacher, I have had the pleasure of educating students about sexual health in my Planning 10 classes. I hope that by educating the next generation, and empowering them on their own sexuality and what that means to them, they will be more successful in their future relationships and as an individual. I feel we truly need to educate ourselves on sexual health and well being.
So now I ask you, "What do you think?"
(Images taken from Google images)
