Origins and Essential Information about the Issue
The first question about sexual health issues was raised during the two Population Conferences in Rome in 1954 and Belgrade in 1965. However, the participants of the conferences were predominantly concerned with the demographics and control of population growth. They believed that the increase in population causes poverty, slows development, and limits the resources for people. Only in 1993, in Vienna, during The World Conference on Human Rights, was the issue observed from the perspective of human rights and specifically women. Since the female population was the one affected the most by the birth control regulations such as medications, abortions, and taxes on several children in some countries, their interest was becoming a priority.
Population Impacted by the Issue
Eventually, they moved from viewing women’s bodies as a tool for controlling the demographics and started concentrating on eliminating discrimination and addressing the structural inequalities. From now on, the paradigm was: “Reproductive Rights Are Human Rights.” During the post-ICPD stage, the topic of sexual health and identity was identified as the leading path toward equality. Nevertheless, according to the Millennium Development Goals, which included reducing maternal mortality by 75%, the health of birth givers was separated and prioritized from the general women. It led to new debates around access to healthcare and abortions, providing women with fundamental rights and returning to the previous concept. The current and future vision of the issue sticks to the concept of equality and human rights, aiming to keep developing solutions to the problem and decreasing inequalities.
About the Affected Group
A similar situation happens with racial minorities; they cannot access proper healthcare because of systematic racism and lower quality of life. Due to the conservatism of some medical staff, women get judged for doing abortions or having multiple sex partners. Traditional family values do not seem much appealing anymore to minorities. They create their vision of classical social institutions and redo them so that it would be possible to adjust already existing norms to the new, constantly changing reality. Still, some LGBTQ people face the depreciation of their identities, sexuality, and choice of partner.
Society’s Impact on the Issue
Society directly influences sexual health and identity. Considering the fact that it is connected with human rights and inequality, the social attitude towards a different aspect of the issue determines its development. In the constantly changing environment and shifting, tendencies population has become more aware of the diverse lifestyles, self-identities, and different kinds of relationships. Modern medicine produces diverse methods of contraception to prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies (Castellanos-Usigli and Braeken-van Schaik, 2019). More people are becoming open about their sexual identity and paying attention to the struggles of the LGBTQ community so that they can be included in the process as well. Therefore, the area of the issue continues to expand and transform, adapting to the new realities and considering the several segments of the population.
Realizations in Individual Framework of Perception
During the critical analysis of the problem, I gained certain knowledge and underwent some changes in my framework. Firstly, I realized that although sexual healthcare may seem widespread in modern society, it is still not accessible to everyone. There are so much more aspects of sexual health since it relates not only to cisgender people but also to transgender who struggles with attainable quality medicine. This is only one of the many examples that demonstrate that having the possibility to get the proper healthcare and at the same time freely express the identity is a privilege.
Influence on the Study Field
Consequently, that conclusion led me to think that it is hard to find a sphere in the individual’s life that would not have the background of oppression and discrimination. The analysis made from the different sociological lenses: humanities, historical, natural and applied science, and social science demonstrates issues from entirely new perspectives. Diving deeper into the topic and viewing it from several perspectives opens opportunities to learn about the premises and initial causes to understand the current situation better.
Understanding Social and Global Issues
Moreover, it allows me to be more open in interaction with people since some of the topics regarding wellness require a particular approach to the conversation. At the same time, it gives chances to learn directly from the people, especially if they are the representatives of some social minority group, about their experience. In addition, by observing certain global issues, I can critically evaluate the situation, do my research, and not rely only on public opinion. As an example, I can apply it to the situation in Poland, where the government banishes abortions, and women can hardly access those services even in critical conditions.
Strategies for Using the Critical Analysis
Still, it can apply to many more subjects and situations in everyday life. As for my personal goal, I strive to be as accepting and supportive as an individual to the people around me. In the professional field, I aim to create a safe space for minorities so that they would feel comfortable in my presence. There are specific strategies that I can use to achieve that. It includes paying attention to how they identify themselves, avoiding racial stereotypes and prejudice, studying the premises and history of the unfamiliar subject, and communicating with people directly involved in the issue.
Benefits and Challenges
Different lenses, such as history, show how it impacted sexual minorities, their well-being, and their access to healthcare due to discrimination. From the natural sciences perspective, sexual health is portrayed as a necessary part of human biology and is essential at every age, even people who are considered elderly. Therefore, those examples demonstrate how the subject of sexual health and identity interconnects with many aspects of social life from different angles. However, addressing the importance of sexual health and identity may be challenging due to the intersection of moral aspects and the long history of public prejudices and ignorance.
Value in Personal and Professional Interactions
The analysis of wellness and sexual health, and identity explicitly adds a particular value to personal and professional communications. Firstly, it develops critical thinking and stimulates to a more objective approach to the subject without being exposed to biases and prejudices. Secondly, it allows me to consider different perspectives and be more tolerant and understanding regarding any question or topic in my personal and professional interactions.
References
Castellanos-Usigli, A., & Braeken-van Schaik, D. (2019). The Pleasure meter: exploring the links between sexual health, sexual rights, and sexual pleasure in sexual history-taking, SRHR counseling, and education. Sexual and reproductive health matters, 27(1), 313-315.
Capriotti, M. R., & Donaldson, J. M. (2022). “Why don’t behavior analysts do something?” 1 Behavior analysts’ historical, present, and potential future actions on sexual and gender minority issues. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 55(1), 19-39. DOI:10.1002/jaba.884
Thomas, L. (2021). History of sexual health. News Medical.