Sexuality.
When you read the word just now, what happened? What did you think, feel, and do? How did it feel in your body?
Although sexuality is an inherently natural, beautiful, and positive aspect of our humanity, it’s not commonly regarded or presented in this way. For some, sex is that thing we don’t talk about. For others, thoughts of sexuality may evoke responses of secrecy, indecency, embarrassment, uncertainty, or shame.
For those of us who learned about rather than stumbled upon our sexuality and our bodies, we likely heard words like prevention and consent. But most of us never heard about equally important aspects of our sexuality, including intimacy, connection, and story.
This issue of MAPP Magazine explores thriving sexuality, shifting narratives around reproductive health, and work in developing a comprehensive model of sexual well-being. It introduces the emerging field of positive sexuality.
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Changing the Story of Sexuality
The MAPP Magazine editors had a conversation with MAPP alum and positive sexuality expert, Brianna Booth, PhD (MAPP ’18).
In this article, Booth discusses the importance of positive sexuality, her role as Director of Positive Sexuality at Stanford, and how she guides students to use storytelling to better relate to and integrate their sexuality.
Let’s Throw A Period Party!
Positive interventions around reproductive health can shift narratives and experiences.
Although nearly 2 billion people worldwide experience monthly menstruation, many girls and young women perceive periods as distressing and even taboo. Erin Dullea (MAPP’ 21) contends that early and positive interventions can not only reverse this but also promote positive reproductive health and psychosocial well-being.
In this article, Dullea unpacks the research, philosophy, strategy, and outcomes behind the work of her grassroots organization, MPower.
The Good (Sex) Life: Toward a Fullfilling Sexual Well-Being Model
How do we know what a thriving sex life looks like? In terms of sexual wellness, very few authors have developed comprehensive models.
In this article, Ari Lewis (MAPP’ 18) discusses the existing models of sexual well-being and proposes ways that changes to each of these might advance our understanding of positive sexuality. Read on to find out what components are often considered central to sexual wellness and how Lewis believes the field will be coming to more exciting discoveries soon.
A New Frontier in Positive Sexuality
In the final article, the editors had a conversation with a trailblazer, Vera Ludwig, PhD.
Building on concepts from Ari Lewis’s novel MAPP capstone, Vera Ludwig, PhD, is leading a team that is exploring new frontiers in positive-sexuality research. Recently, she and her team received a multi-million dollar grant to develop a comprehensive model of sexual well-being.
For more on finding well-being,
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References
Vera Ludwig Website with link to her newsletter
MPower website
Photo Credits
Brianna Booth photo by Micah Schulman;
Period Party photo by Emily Sterne;
Green Cloth photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash;
Vera Ludwig photo by Kevin Monko