At some point or another almost all of us get to a point where we recognize that some things are just not socially acceptable to talk about. Sex and sexuality is often one of those things written off as being too taboo. I personally think that should change.
We live in a world where hegemonic values have taught us to hide certain things. We were told we become less appealing if we speak out about our experiences, both good and bad. However, this line of thinking has left so many people without proper sexual education, it’s perpetuated an antiquated view on domestic violence, and it’s stifled people from exploring and asking questions. Those examples are just a few of the issues that come from demonizing sexuality.
I’m not advocating for people to be in the middle of a work conference and then for them to start talking about their latest sexual encounters, but I am saying that having people to talk to can be helpful. For a lot of people, in particular young people, sex and sexuality are new and unchartered territory. When it’s properly talked about and people are thoroughly educated it leads to healthier results explorations, relationships, and sexual health.
Ending a stigmatization around sexuality can also help in getting people out of situations of abuse. As a child I was groomed by older men, they asked for things and I complied because I thought they were friends and that there wasn’t anything wrong with what was happening. As I got older I knew that what was happening wasn’t right, but I didn’t really have anyone I felt I could talk to until I was in college. The point of this was to say, that if sex wasn’t such a stigmatized subject for me and my peers, I could have had the courage to talk about what was happening sooner. I wouldn’t have felt ashamed, but rather I would have felt empowered enough to speak up and end what was going on.
When I arrived at college and I began creating close friendships, I noticed that a lot of my friends also had questions, misconceptions, and stories about sex and sexuality. So I’ve taken a lot of time to research and better educate myself so that I can help them when they need help. I myself am still questioning my sexuality, but I feel a lot more comfortable talking about that with people. I know that a lot of my friends also feel glad that they have people in their lives that they can ask questions, tell stories, and just talk things out with. It helps people to become better versions of themselves and in doing so help others to do the same.