Sexual wellness: what it is and why it matters as much as other aspects of health

Sexual well-being is recognized by the WHO as a component of overall health: not merely the absence of disease or dysfunction, but a state of physical, emotional, and relational well-being linked to sexuality. In everyday practice, it is ignored far more than other aspects of health.

What it includes

Sexual well-being includes satisfaction with one's sexual life, access to accurate information about sexuality, the ability to make free decisions about one's experiences, and the absence of coercion, discrimination, or violence.

It does not necessarily mean having an active sex life: it also includes the freedom to choose not to have one, or to have a sexuality that does not conform to the cultural norm without this producing a sense of inadequacy.

The most common obstacles

The lack of accurate information about sexuality is one of the most widespread obstacles to sexual well-being. Sex education in Italy and in many other countries remains centered on reproduction and prevention, leaving out almost everything related to pleasure, relationships, consent, and diversity.

Cultural judgment about certain practices or preferences produces shame that hinders exploration and communication. Many sexual difficulties in couples stem from the inability to tell the other person what one wants, because saying it seems impossible.

To explore practices and dynamics with greater awareness, our glossary of sexual practices is a starting point.