Yesterday, I attended a lovely workshop titled "Operationalizing Sexual Health," which generated discussion around what exactly we mean by this term. It was an interesting discussion, prompted first by a group activity where participants were forced to stand on either side of the room to indicate whether or not they thought a given activity or idea was part of sexual health. One side was labelled "THIS IS NOT SEXUAL HEALTH," the other "THIS IS SEXUAL HEALTH."

Then they called out activities like "mutual masturbation" or "douching" and we were forced to pick a side, and then discuss. I was one of the few defenders of douching as part of sexual health, arguing that -- for me -- douching can give me anal confidence, which can promote pleasure in my sexual life. But most folks of course were thinking strictly in terms of the public health / STD transmission / risk model of sexual health.

We then broke up into groups to come up with our own definitions of sexual health. After a lengthy and complicated discussion, our group came up with this definition:

Sexual health is more than just the absence of sexually transmitted diseases. It is first and foremost individually and culturally contextual, but generally includes: 1) The ability for people and their partners to set boundaries and make informed consensual sexual decisions; 2) The ability to feel good about those decisions, without fear or stigma; 3) A claim to pleasure and/or intimacy in whatever way people see fit; and 4) The access to communities and institutions that support and promote healthy sexual lives.

I edited that last bit just a tad to say "healthy sexual lives" instead of "those decisions" -- I think it's a bit stronger that way. What do folks think? A good start? Is something radically missing?