“I am in awe of SHA’s ability to provide sexuality knowledge from across the globe and time!”
As I move ahead in SHA’s sexuality counselor certification program, I have been thinking a lot about the growing language and understanding of diverse sexualities. The modules are loaded with research, data, interviews, articles, and personal anecdotes that encapsulate the past, present, and future explanations of sexual health and the importance of growth within the field. I am in awe of SHA’s ability to provide sexuality knowledge from across the globe and time! Here are some of the many incredible topics I dived deeper into Module 1.
INCLUSIVE LANGUAGE as a certified sexuality counselor
We can find gendered words, phrases, and sentences in our everyday use of language. Trust me, it’s easier than finding waldo! We make assumptions about genders in parenting, attraction, family structures, and even when considering certain sexual experiences. For instance, we always assume that a person has two parents–a father and a mother. We ask, “When did your dad come to drop you off?” or “Did your mom cook that for you?” These simple yet stigmatizing questions can be harmful to families who don’t follow the traditional family structures. Therefore, using inclusive words like “parent” or “guardian” can help create a safe sense of community and respect.
Let’s play a quick game to test this out, shall we? Think of words you can use to fill in the blanks, and if you catch yourself thinking of one gender, ding ding ding, we have a problem!
When _____ menstruate.
____ get erections.
When ___ feel pain in their cervixes.
Nevertheless, don’t worry, it’s not just so struggling with using gendered anatomical language! The medical world is far from being inclusive when it comes to using non-binary medical terminology. For instance, referring to “male” and “female” pelvises take away from the fact that pelvises have four different shapes and vary across bodies. The binary labelling of body parts isn’t the best representation of our diverse human bodies.
a certified sexuality counselor’s GUIDE TO the CLITORIS AND PENIS
“The importance of understanding how your body feels pleasure is monumental!”
Echoing from my last blog, the importance of understanding how your body feels pleasure is monumental! Again, study your clitorises and penises like you’re studying for SATs. They deserve the attention.
One of the most reflective pieces of this part of the module was the fact that clitorises and penises exist in all shapes and sizes. There is no hierarchy of what looks better than the other! A lot of us get the constant messaging of what a penis and clitoris should like–especially in mainstream porn. These ideas are damaging and can create unnecessary body image issues. It also results in some people opting for cosmetic surgeries on their genitals including labiaplasty and penis enlargement surgery. Not that anything is inherently wrong with these procedures, but if the reason you’re getting them done is based on the society’s picture of ideal genital presentation, then it’s definitely something to reconsider.
Moreover, another point to remember is that genitals have their own smells! A vulva should smell like a vulva and not like vanilla lavender rose. It’s a body part, not a two for the price of one candle! Capitalism has used the “vulva smells” as a selling point to make profits, and most of us have fallen for their false narrative. From fresh deodorants to flowery sprays, every imaginable product is available today to give your vulva a perfumey aroma. Apart from the odor, the messaging of cleaning the vagina is also erroneous. Vagina is a self-cleaning organ. Don’t let anyone (and when I say anyone, I mean the capitalist profit makers) tell you otherwise!
THE ETHICS AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF CIRCUMCISION OF THE PENIS AND FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION (FGM)
“As a learner, I was impressed by SHA’s addition of all different aspects of the debate in the module.”
This part of the module was a bit heavy to digest as it displayed the histories of circumcision of the penis and FGM across cultures. Circumcision is a controversial practice and is always up for debate among religious and cultural groups. As a learner, I was impressed by SHA’s addition of all different aspects of the debate in the module. It’s crucial to understand the varied cultural, societal and religious reasons why certain communities engage in the practice and others do not. I also like how the module reflected the reality and added another portion of the debate–“circumcised or uncircumcised, which is better?” It’s valuable to understand that even though there are differences in health benefits and risks, it cannot be said that one is better than the other when it comes to experiencing pleasure.
Female Genital Mutilation unlike circumcision of the penis, is an illegal practice in America. Nonetheless, it is still widely practiced in other cultures, including Somalia and Guinea. The most important lesson I learned in this segment was the fact that it is a non-medical procedure and has no health benefits! It is often performed on young girls without giving any numbing agents or anesthesia–reflecting the general patriarchal narrative that women should endure pain. Let’s call it what it is – child abuse and sexual assault. Since it is a cultural practice, it is crucial to create awareness through educational interventions and give the loudest mics to the women who have experienced FGM to facilitate the change in communal laws and policies.
See how much I am learning here! If any of these topics speak to you, consider taking the SHA Certification Quiz. Check out the different options of the certification programs, and contact shacertifications@gmail.com with all your questions.