The Stigma Surrounding Sex and Sexuality in American Culture

An important question to examine is the origin and implications of the taboo against sex and sexuality. The stigma against these topics encourages negative public health implications like poor sex education, high rates of sexually transmitted infections, and teen pregnancy. History of sexual stigma was examined through physical media and digital articles from the Thomas Cooper Library databases. The background and global perspective of these stigmas are covered, examining how past and distant cultures deal with sex. How sex is portrayed in the media, why a healthy sex life is important, and the subject of sex education are also addressed. Finally, public health implications of sexual stigma and how this affects Americans were explored. It is found that sex education, public health, and mental health of Americans are affected by this stigma. Constant exposure to sex in the media combined with lack of formal comprehensive sex education creates misconceptions and gaps in knowledge, especially regarding consent, pleasure, and sexual decision making.