Sexual Health Across the Life Course

3 units

Using a biopsychosocial perspective, this course will trace sexual development across the life course, examining sexual issues typical in childhood through the ninth decade. Looking at the ways sexuality is used oppressively will be balanced with views of sexuality as a source of empowerment. While rape, sexual assault and coercion, gender stereotyping, homophobia, and transphobia will be addressed, so will sexual sources of pleasure and agency. Students will familiarize themselves with tailoring sexual history taking and interventions to fit clients' identities, strengths, and vulnerabilities. A spectrum of sexualities will be studied, including straight, bi, intersexed, asexual, queer, gay, lesbian, transgendered, and fluid. The course also considers how disability, race, class, ethnicity, and other statuses intersect with sexualities. Theoretical articles, films, short stories, newspaper articles, and explicit material serve as catalysts for learning and classroom discussion. Tools and techniques studied include narrative therapies, motivational interviewing, asset and needs mapping, the sexual genogram, the sexual ecosystem questionnaire, solution focused therapy, coaching, photovoice, intravention work, and critical incident analysis. Students examine how developing skills, knowledge and attitudes needed to discuss and work with sexuality are critical to personal freedom, human rights, social work ethics, and social work practice. This course is designed for the social work professional either preparing for a specialization in sexuality education and/or therapy or wanting to address sexual health issues in other social work specialties.