What is sex positivity?  Many of us have heard of the term at one point or another, whether it was through social media, a class, friends, or a partner. Those who are sex-positive:

• Demonstrate an open and accepting view of sex, as long as all partners are consenting and enthusiastic.
• View sex as a beneficial and enjoyable activity for those who want to participate, but is also inclusive and respectful of those who choose not to.
• Endorse personal choice, freedom, and pleasure while rejecting purity and rape culture.
• Advocate for inclusive sexual education in schools – which is especially important considering the uptick of misinformation regarding STIs, a lack of information about contraception in some schools, and increased requirements and funding for abstinence-only sex education.
• Understand the importance of inclusivity in regard to LGBTQIA+ folks, disabled people, and BIPOC.

The sex-positive movement wants sex and sex education to stop being taboo topics in classrooms. It encourages education about STIs, affirmative consent, the importance of communication, pleasure, masturbation, contraception, and relationships, and advocates for understanding environments in which students can ask questions without judgment.

Many sexual education programs only focus on sex and contraception that only able-bodied, cishet partners would have/use, leaving many young queer and disabled people with inadequate sexual education. Sex-positive educational programs teach about internal condoms, dental dams, the importance of not associated genitalia or clothing/hairstyles with gender, and about various LGBTQ+ identities. It includes disabled people as well, ensuring they learn about bodily autonomy, how to identify safe/unsafe relationships, sexual assault, communication, and all other aspects of a sex-positive curriculum. This is especially important considering disabled people are often considered to be celibate and left out of sexual health conversations.

Sex positivity also fights stigmatization. Things like HIV, STIs, masturbation, sexual autonomy, losing one’s virginity (especially for women and feminine-presenting people), even something as small as speaking about sex, can be seen as taboo. The movement counters these claims, insisting that nothing related to sex should be stigmatized. People should not be afraid to tell their doctor they want an STI test, ask their partner to use protection, ask about birth control, explore their own body, or engage in any consensual sexual activity.