September is Sexual Health Awareness month, a month dedicated to promoting knowledge about topics like sexually transmitted diseases, safe sex and sexual assault. It aims to inform the public about sex while diminishing the stigma that often surrounds sexual issues.
Sexual Health Awareness month is recognized by the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS). Since 1978 the WAS and its sexologists have been promoting sexual health awareness and education for everyone.
To support Sexual Health Awareness month, WAS held its seventh annual World Sexual Health Day earlier this month, on Sept 4. According to the WAS official website, World Sexual Health Day is meant to encourage experts in the sexual health field to voluntarily produce literature and fact sheets about sexual health issues.
This year’s World Sexual Health Day theme was “Eliminating Sexual Health Myths.” The WAS hopes to correct the misconceptions surrounding several sexual health topics.
In support of World Sexual Health Day and Sexual Health Awareness Month, the American Sexual Health Association (ASHA) produced facts about sexual health myths. The organization produced information discussing the myths surrounding erectile dysfunction, oral sex and having sex after turning 50.
On the ASHA’s podcast for sex and health, Lynn Brown Rosenberg, author of ‘My Sexual Awakening at 70: And What Led Me Here,’ discussed her liberation after turning 70. She talked about her ability to destigmatize sex.
“It wasn’t only fun, it was rather exhilarating,” Rosenberg said. “To think that I could have been so repressed and [now] to be so free, so out there.”
The WAS does not hold any other events for promoting Sexual Health Awareness month because they promote awareness throughout the year.
While it is not officially recognized by the United Nations or any other government, Sexual Health Awareness month manages to educate people worldwide on sexual health issues. Like many commemorative months, it was introduced by an independent organization and adopted by the general public. The popularity of Sexual Health Awareness month grew through the WAS and ASHA recognizing it with its own commemorative day.
