Historical Perspectives of Sex Positivity: Contributing to a New Paradigm Within Counseling Psychology

Sexual health and well-being are integral aspects of human growth and development. Specifically, sex and sexuality involve complex and dynamic interpersonal and intrapersonal behaviors within dynamic sociopolitical environments. Sex positivity acknowledges such complexities as positive forces in human interactions and experiences, rather than as risk factors, deviance, and pathology. Current theories within counseling psychology, however, perpetuate sex-negative perspectives of sex and sexuality, further marginalizing people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex individuals, and people with disabilities. This article presents historical contributions from the professional fields of history, law, psychology, philosophy, and sociology, and from popular contemporary writings, to pose a sex-positive paradigm in counseling psychology. Sex-positive counseling psychology is an integrated, comprehensive approach to understanding sex and sexuality, with contributions from social justice, feminist, multicultural, and queer theories. Implications for future theories, research, and practice within counseling psychology are presented.