Understanding Sexual Agency. Implications for Sexual Health Programming
Debates on human agency, especially female and sexual agency, have permeated the social scientific literature and health educational practice for multiple decades now. This article provides a review of recent agency debates illustrating how criticisms of traditional conceptions of (sexual) agency ha...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-09-01
|
| Series: | Sexes |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5118/2/4/30 |
| _version_ | 1797500582127206400 |
|---|---|
| author | Ine Vanwesenbeeck Marianne Cense Miranda van Reeuwijk Judith Westeneng |
| author_facet | Ine Vanwesenbeeck Marianne Cense Miranda van Reeuwijk Judith Westeneng |
| author_sort | Ine Vanwesenbeeck |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Debates on human agency, especially female and sexual agency, have permeated the social scientific literature and health educational practice for multiple decades now. This article provides a review of recent agency debates illustrating how criticisms of traditional conceptions of (sexual) agency have led to a notable diversification of the concept. A comprehensive, inclusive description of sexual agency is proposed, focusing on the navigation of goals and desires in the wider structural context, and acknowledging the many forms sexual agency may take. We argue there is no simple relation between sexual agency and sexual health. Next, we describe the implications of such an understanding of sexual agency for Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and for sexual health and rights (SHR) programming more generally. We put forward validation of agentic variety, gender transformative approaches, meaningful youth participation, and multicomponent strategies as essential in building young peoples’ sexual agency and their role as agents of wider societal change. We also show that these essential conditions, wherever they have been studied, are far from being realized. With this review and connected recommendations, we hope to set the stage for ongoing, well-focused research and development in the area. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:05:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-8736fe695c5f4ebf965f6fd94589bd87 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2411-5118 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:05:53Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Sexes |
| spelling | doaj.art-8736fe695c5f4ebf965f6fd94589bd872023-11-23T10:32:48ZengMDPI AGSexes2411-51182021-09-012437839610.3390/sexes2040030Understanding Sexual Agency. Implications for Sexual Health ProgrammingIne Vanwesenbeeck0Marianne Cense1Miranda van Reeuwijk2Judith Westeneng3Rutgers, Expert Centre for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, P.O. Box 9022, 3506 GA Utrecht, The NetherlandsRutgers, Expert Centre for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, P.O. Box 9022, 3506 GA Utrecht, The NetherlandsRutgers, Expert Centre for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, P.O. Box 9022, 3506 GA Utrecht, The NetherlandsRutgers, Expert Centre for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights, P.O. Box 9022, 3506 GA Utrecht, The NetherlandsDebates on human agency, especially female and sexual agency, have permeated the social scientific literature and health educational practice for multiple decades now. This article provides a review of recent agency debates illustrating how criticisms of traditional conceptions of (sexual) agency have led to a notable diversification of the concept. A comprehensive, inclusive description of sexual agency is proposed, focusing on the navigation of goals and desires in the wider structural context, and acknowledging the many forms sexual agency may take. We argue there is no simple relation between sexual agency and sexual health. Next, we describe the implications of such an understanding of sexual agency for Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) and for sexual health and rights (SHR) programming more generally. We put forward validation of agentic variety, gender transformative approaches, meaningful youth participation, and multicomponent strategies as essential in building young peoples’ sexual agency and their role as agents of wider societal change. We also show that these essential conditions, wherever they have been studied, are far from being realized. With this review and connected recommendations, we hope to set the stage for ongoing, well-focused research and development in the area.https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5118/2/4/30sexual agencysexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR)comprehensive sexuality education (CSE)meaningful youth participation (MYP)multicomponent strategies |
| spellingShingle | Ine Vanwesenbeeck Marianne Cense Miranda van Reeuwijk Judith Westeneng Understanding Sexual Agency. Implications for Sexual Health Programming Sexes sexual agency sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) meaningful youth participation (MYP) multicomponent strategies |
| title | Understanding Sexual Agency. Implications for Sexual Health Programming |
| title_full | Understanding Sexual Agency. Implications for Sexual Health Programming |
| title_fullStr | Understanding Sexual Agency. Implications for Sexual Health Programming |
| title_full_unstemmed | Understanding Sexual Agency. Implications for Sexual Health Programming |
| title_short | Understanding Sexual Agency. Implications for Sexual Health Programming |
| title_sort | understanding sexual agency implications for sexual health programming |
| topic | sexual agency sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) meaningful youth participation (MYP) multicomponent strategies |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2411-5118/2/4/30 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT inevanwesenbeeck understandingsexualagencyimplicationsforsexualhealthprogramming AT mariannecense understandingsexualagencyimplicationsforsexualhealthprogramming AT mirandavanreeuwijk understandingsexualagencyimplicationsforsexualhealthprogramming AT judithwesteneng understandingsexualagencyimplicationsforsexualhealthprogramming |