Factors that affect sexuality

Factors that affect sexuality

The framework that protects and promotes sexuality is a human rights framework and particularly a sexual rights framework. Sexuality should not be based on religious, political, ethical or moral arguments. Human rights and sexual rights guarantee a positive experience of sexuality.

But… What are human rights? They are the rights that all people have because they are people, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnic origin, language, religion or any other status. In addition, human rights are universal legal guarantees that protect individuals and groups against actions that interfere with their fundamental freedoms and human dignity.

Turning to sexual rights, these are universal guarantees that protect our sexuality, understood in the fullest sense. Sexual rights recognise that our sexuality is a source of pleasure and well-being. This is very important because in the past it was thought that the only function of sexuality was reproduction. Today we know that sexuality also serves to provide us with pleasurable experiences, as well as to express ourselves and communicate with others.

Sexual rights are also closely interconnected with sexual health; full sexual health cannot be achieved if sexual rights are not respected, just as sexual rights require adequate sexual health in order to be fulfilled.

Sexual rights are based on equality and non-discrimination and do not tolerate discrimination or exclusion on the basis of race, ethnicity, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status, including disability, age, nationality, marital and family status, sexual orientation, gender identity, health status, place of residence, social and economic status.

Sexual rights are contained in the «Declaration of Sexual Rights», a document adopted by the World Association on Sexual Health, a leading institution in sexology worldwide. Initially, the original 1997 Declaration had 11 sexual rights, but in 2014 it was revised and now has 16 sexual rights.