This month, the “Take Charge of Your Health Today” page focuses on sexuality and the stigmas associated with sexual behavior that sometimes prevent people from making healthy choices. Vianca Masucci, health advocate at the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, and Esther L. Bush, President and CEO of the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh, shared their thoughts on this topic:
EB: Hello, Vianca. I hope that you’re ready to chat a bit about stigma and sexuality.
VM: You bet I am, Ms. Bush. This is an interesting topic because it plays out in so many different ways and affects each person differently depending on their place in society and the identities with which they are associated.
EB: You’re right! It is such a contemporary, yet sensitive topic. When we talk about sexuality and stigma we’re exploring everything from prejudice against Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender persons to double standards that make it socially acceptable for men but not women to act on sexual urges.
VM: Let’s unpack this a bit. Stigma, which is an association of shame, is directed by many things: culture, religion, law, history, the list goes on. Stigma becomes a health issue when it begins to influence behaviors that cause bad health outcomes. Both men and women are very concerned with stigma attached to their sexual behavior. This concern can cause individuals to partake in risky sex behaviors and it can feed anxiety that may actually develop into mental illness.
About Post Author
