Sex & Sexuality
What do you know about sex? What do you know about sexuality? We hear about sex and sexuality almost every day, but much of what we hear is inaccurate and can be confusing. A basic understanding of sex and sexuality can help us sort out myth from fact and help us all enjoy our lives more.
We are all sexual. We are sexual from the day we are born until the day we die. Our sexuality affects who we are and how we express ourselves as sexual beings.
Our sexuality includes
our bodies, including our sexual and reproductive anatomy
our biological sex — male, female, or intersex
our gender — being a girl, boy, woman, man, or transgender
our gender identities — our comfort with and feelings about our gender
our sexual orientations — straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual
our sex drives
our sexual identity — the way we feel about our sex, gender, and sexual orientation
The ways we experience and express our sexuality include
our body image — how we feel about our bodies
our desires, thoughts, fantasies, sexual pleasure, sexual preferences, and sexual dysfunction
our values, attitudes, beliefs, and ideals about life, love, and sexual relationships
our sexual behaviors — the ways we have sex including masturbation
Our sexuality and the ways we experience and express it are influenced by
our biology
our emotional lives
our family lives
our culture and our status in our culture
our ethical, religious, and spiritual upbringing and experience
Even though we spend our lifetimes as sexual beings, it’s normal to have many questions about sex and sexuality. And this is good because the more we know about sex and sexuality, the better we are able to take charge of our sex lives and our sexual health.
We hope these pages give you the information you need to better understand your own sexuality. If you have more questions or concerns about your sexual health, we can help. Staff at your local Planned Parenthood health center can talk with you and help you find the information and resources that you need.
What do you know about sex? What do you know about sexuality? We hear about sex and sexuality almost every day, but much of what we hear is inaccurate and can be confusing. A basic understanding of sex and sexuality can help us sort out myth from fact and help us all enjoy our lives more.
We are all sexual. We are sexual from the day we are born until the day we die. Our sexuality affects who we are and how we express ourselves as sexual beings.
Our sexuality includes
our bodies, including our sexual and reproductive anatomy
our biological sex — male, female, or intersex
our gender — being a girl, boy, woman, man, or transgender
our gender identities — our comfort with and feelings about our gender
our sexual orientations — straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual
our sex drives
our sexual identity — the way we feel about our sex, gender, and sexual orientation
The ways we experience and express our sexuality include
our body image — how we feel about our bodies
our desires, thoughts, fantasies, sexual pleasure, sexual preferences, and sexual dysfunction
our values, attitudes, beliefs, and ideals about life, love, and sexual relationships
our sexual behaviors — the ways we have sex including masturbation
Our sexuality and the ways we experience and express it are influenced by
our biology
our emotional lives
our family lives
our culture and our status in our culture
our ethical, religious, and spiritual upbringing and experience
Even though we spend our lifetimes as sexual beings, it’s normal to have many questions about sex and sexuality. And this is good because the more we know about sex and sexuality, the better we are able to take charge of our sex lives and our sexual health.
We hope these pages give you the information you need to better understand your own sexuality. If you have more questions or concerns about your sexual health, we can help. Staff at your local Planned Parenthood health center can talk with you and help you find the information and resources that you need.
