Sexual Health and Wellness
Sexual health is a big part of life! It can affect and is affected by other aspects of health including physical, mental, emotional, and social well-being.
Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination, and violence (see World Health Organization).
The ability for people to achieve Sexual Health and Wellness depends on their level of:
- protection from stigma, discrimination, and violence;
- social protections and economic security;
- physical and emotional safety;
- exposure to comprehensive, good-quality information about sex and sexuality;
- awareness of one’s vulnerability to adverse sexual health outcomes;*
- knowledge about and comfort with one’s body, senses of pleasure, and desires;
- ability to access culturally competent, critically conscious, sex-positive sexual health services; and
- connection to an environment that affirms and promotes one’s sexual health.
*Note: adverse sexual health outcomes include but are not limited to HIV/STDs, viral hepatitis, unintended pregnancies (i.e., unwanted or mistimed), sexual violence, sexual dysfunction, and cancers of the reproductive system.
On this site, you can find information and resources to empower your sexual health and wellness.
For general inquiries about sexual health and wellness, email us at SexualHealth@acgov.org.
If your organization is based in Alameda County and you would like to request sexual health capacity-building services (e.g., workshops, safer sex supplies, etc.), please complete our Capacity-Building Services Request Form.