It's S*xual Health Awareness month so it's a good opportunity to stop and reflect on what s*xual health actually means.
So often we think about this part of our health as the absence of disease, i.e. getting tested to check for STIs, but it's so much more than that.
The World Health Organisation #WHO defines s*xual health as:
"... a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to s*xuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. S*xual health requires a positive and respectful approach to s*xuality and s*xual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe s*xual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For s*xual health to be attained and maintained, the s*xual rights of all persons must be respected, protected and fulfilled."