TY - JOUR
T1 - Intersectionality in Sex Therapy
T2 - Opportunities for Promoting Sexual Wellness Among Queer People of Color
AU - Heredia, Dagoberto
AU - Rider, G. Nic
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2020/9
Y1 - 2020/9
N2 - Purpose of Review: Intersectionality theory acknowledges that a significant part of the distress experienced by queer people of color (QPOC) is caused by systems of oppression in society. Given the dearth of literature linking intersectionality to sex therapy, combined with a lack of sex therapy research centering on the experiences of QPOC, sexual wellness advocates often utilize unidimensional approaches that focus exclusively on either LGBTQ people or people of color. This review presents the following: (1) an overview of the gaps eliciting unidimensional approaches to sex therapy practice and research, (2) an illustration of intersectionality’s theoretical underpinnings as a queer and oppression-responsive approach, and (3) applications for sex therapy practice with QPOC. Recent Findings: The intersectionality framework provides an opportunity to explore overlapping forms of oppression (e.g., racism, heterosexism, cisnormativity) and to make social justice and resilience/resistance central topics in the promotion of sexual wellness. The framework can guide sexual wellness advocates in their mission to better understand the harm posed by oppressive systems, how these systems impact sexual problems, and how they can intervene to reduce conditions that undermine sexual wellness and freedom. Summary: It is in the sexual health field’s best interest to comprehensively adopt intersectionality to advance the field toward a culture that critiques and dismantles social structures that limit the possibilities of pleasurable sex among oppressed communities. Individual sex therapists can contribute to the inclusion of the intersectionality framework in therapy by critiquing harmful social structures, attending to both sexual dysfunction and sexual pleasure, attending to both oppression and resilience/resistance, and actively collaborating with the communities they serve.
AB - Purpose of Review: Intersectionality theory acknowledges that a significant part of the distress experienced by queer people of color (QPOC) is caused by systems of oppression in society. Given the dearth of literature linking intersectionality to sex therapy, combined with a lack of sex therapy research centering on the experiences of QPOC, sexual wellness advocates often utilize unidimensional approaches that focus exclusively on either LGBTQ people or people of color. This review presents the following: (1) an overview of the gaps eliciting unidimensional approaches to sex therapy practice and research, (2) an illustration of intersectionality’s theoretical underpinnings as a queer and oppression-responsive approach, and (3) applications for sex therapy practice with QPOC. Recent Findings: The intersectionality framework provides an opportunity to explore overlapping forms of oppression (e.g., racism, heterosexism, cisnormativity) and to make social justice and resilience/resistance central topics in the promotion of sexual wellness. The framework can guide sexual wellness advocates in their mission to better understand the harm posed by oppressive systems, how these systems impact sexual problems, and how they can intervene to reduce conditions that undermine sexual wellness and freedom. Summary: It is in the sexual health field’s best interest to comprehensively adopt intersectionality to advance the field toward a culture that critiques and dismantles social structures that limit the possibilities of pleasurable sex among oppressed communities. Individual sex therapists can contribute to the inclusion of the intersectionality framework in therapy by critiquing harmful social structures, attending to both sexual dysfunction and sexual pleasure, attending to both oppression and resilience/resistance, and actively collaborating with the communities they serve.
KW - Intersectionality
KW - Queer people of color
KW - Sex therapy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85113874166&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85113874166&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s11930-020-00270-8
DO - 10.1007/s11930-020-00270-8
M3 - Review article
AN - SCOPUS:85113874166
SN - 1548-3584
VL - 12
SP - 195
EP - 201
JO - Current Sexual Health Reports
JF - Current Sexual Health Reports
IS - 3
ER -