Historical Perspectives of Sex Positivity: Contributing to a New Paradigm Within Counseling Psychology

Abstract

Sexual health and well-being are integral aspects of human growth and development. Specifically, sex and sexuality involve complex and dynamic interpersonal and intrapersonal behaviors within dynamic sociopolitical environments. Sex positivity acknowledges such complexities as positive forces in human interactions and experiences, rather than as risk factors, deviance, and pathology. Current theories within counseling psychology, however, perpetuate sex-negative perspectives of sex and sexuality, further marginalizing people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex individuals, and people with disabilities. This article presents historical contributions from the professional fields of history, law, psychology, philosophy, and sociology, and from popular contemporary writings, to pose a sex-positive paradigm in counseling psychology. Sex-positive counseling psychology is an integrated, comprehensive approach to understanding sex and sexuality, with contributions from social justice, feminist, multicultural, and queer theories. Implications for future theories, research, and practice within counseling psychology are presented.

Steeped in Shame: An Exploration of Family Sexual Socialization Among Black College Women

“…For adolescents and young adults who are navigating emergent sexual feelings and decision-making, the receipt of sex positive messages may help emphasize that the exploration of sexual desire is normative and creative (Williams et al, 2013). Transmission of sex positive messages also decenters heteronormativity in relation to sexuality, monogamy, and procreation-focused sex (Mosher, 2017). A sex positive approach has seldom been applied to analyses of sexual socialization processes for Black girls (e.g., Hargons et al, 2018).…”

“It’s Happiness and Relief and Release”: Exploring Masturbation Among Bisexual and Queer Women

“…Religious, cultural, and medical values and practices have shaped historical views of masturbation as immoral, wrong, and leading to serious mental and physical health problems as early as the Eighteenth century (Lidster & Horsburgh, 1994). As masturbation, along with other expressions of sexuality, such as anal sex and sex for pleasure, broke the societal norm of sex for reproduction, these sexual expressions were often viewed as deviant (Mosher, 2017). Not until Kinsey's research in the 1950s did masturbation begin to be seen as a common sexual practice among people (Kinsey, Pomeroy, & Martin, 1998).…”

“…Furthermore, counselors and other mental health professionals are likely to have internalized similar beliefs about masturbation and hold biases related to sexuality and identity which can impact their work with clients (Cruz, Greenwald, & Sandil, 2017). Because of the long history of masturbation as a stigmatized behavior, it is important to balance the current research and also understand the positive and enhancing aspects of masturbation (Mosher, 2017).…”

The Sexual Values and Behaviors Discrepancy Model

“…Despite its varied conceptualizations, wellness is defined as an individual's overall experience of physical, mental, and emotional health across the lifespan (Diamond & Huebner, 2012;Mosher, 2017;World Health Organization, 2010). This holistic conceptualization of a client aligns with the counseling profession's promotion of well-being and optimal functioning across a plethora of bio-psycho-social paradigms (Burnes et al, 2017).…”

“…Sexuality is an integrated component of healthy development across the lifespan (Mosher, 2017;Wong, 2015). As such, counselors are charged with promoting healthy development and holistic wellness in their work with clients, including the domain of sexuality (Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs [CACREP], Standard 5.F.2.e, Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs, 2016).…”