30 Days of Pleasure
Celebrating Sexual Pleasure
Sexual pleasure is always worth celebrating. Sex has been shown to promote better sleep habits, less stress, and more happiness. Our bodies thrive on the chemicals released during orgasm, so a healthy sex life is indeed part of a healthy body.
ASHA social content on sexual pleasure can be shared at any time, but may be especially relevant during Sexual Health Month in September or Sexual Pleasure Month in March.
You can download individual images using the links below and copy the messages, or you can download all content with a single click.
A satisfying sex life begins with an understanding of our own sexual needs and responsibilities. Explore pleasure with ASHA! https://www.ashasexualhealth.org/your-sexual-pleasure #letstalkpleasure
“Sexual health is more than the absence of disease. Sexual pleasure and satisfaction are integral components of wellbeing and require universal recognition and promotion.” Agreed! Learn more at bit.ly/3TbJmNJ #letstalkpleasure
Too often sex ex focuses on risk, shame, and fear. In an ideal world, comprehensive sex ed would include discussions on pleasure and intimacy. Check out a program in El Salvador that’s doing just that: bit.ly/3QR7Qu3 #letstalkpleasure
Check out this episode of our Sex+Health podcast where ASHA’s Fred Wyand talks to Walker Thornton, M.Ed, about reigniting the spark your sex life and communicating about sexual pleasure. bit.ly/3Tf9QOv #letstalkpleasure
Since sexual pleasure is important to your wellbeing, shouldn’t your provider be asking about it? What would that conversation look like? Take a look (and maybe share the link with your provider): bit.ly/3TgxdHw #sexualhealthmonth #letstalkpleasure
Who said you need a partner to experience sexual pleasure? Masturbation is a normal, healthy way to experience pleasure and learn what feels good for you. And there are health benefits! It can relieve stress, improve sleep, and even alleviate period pain. #letstalkpleasure
“We are all entitled to a pleasurable sex life.” Absolutely. And if sexual concerns are getting in the way—like pain during sex or premature ejaculation—there are solutions. Check out this guide from the National Coalition for Sexual Health to learn more bit.ly/3PNGSCi
What’s the first step to sexual pleasure? A better understanding of your body. This fantastic article from Scarleteen takes you through sexual anatomy, starting with the most important sexual organ—the brain. bit.ly/3pGhvrp #letstalkpleasure
In this episode of our Sex+Health podcast, Dr. Logan Levkoff dishes on everything from not only having more sex but better sex, and why sexual pleasure doesn’t need to involve a partner! bit.ly/3AlKIwE #letstalkpleasure
We can all have passionate, often sexy long term marriages and relationships. Get some tips from Pamela Madsen about how to keep the spark alive bit.ly/3ALksgP #letstalkpleasure
The Pleasure Project is an international education and advocacy organization working to eroticize safer sex. They promote sexual health by focusing on one of the primary reasons people have sex – the pursuit of pleasure! A great resource to check out! thepleasureproject.org
So what’s on the menu? Kissing, touching, talking, massaging, holding each other, masturbating, oral sex, and vaginal and anal intercourse. Check out Step 2 of the Five Action Steps to Good Sexual Health from the National Coalition for Sexual Health to learn more. www.fiveactionsteps.org
In our survey of cervical cancer patients and survivors, nearly all agreed that cancer had an impact on their intimate relationships. It can be a challenge to find support, but there are providers who will hear your concerns and find solutions. bit.ly/3RbaSZI #letstalkpleasure
Assistive sexual devices can help people with disbilities experience sexual pleasure. Explore the possibilities with the PleasureABLE manual bit.ly/3R828Uk and learn more from Andrew Gurza, co-founder of a sex toy company for and by disabled people andrewgurza.com
“Our understanding of sexual health has moved slowly from a purely disease perspective to a broader perspective of what it means to be sexual healthy.” And that perspective includes pleasure. Read how the understanding of sexual health is evolving bit.ly/3KkiaIE #letstalkpleasure
“A woman’s lack of being turned on physically is not necessarily reflective of a lack of desire for sex but a misunderstanding of how she gets turned on in the first place.” Sexuality counselor Evelyn Resh discusses the continuum of sexual experiences. bit.ly/3AobAMG
Tales of sexual exploration, pleasure, and a sense of freedom, fulfillment and finding oneself. This episode of ASHA’s Sex+Health podcast features a chat with Lynn Brown Rosenberg, author of My Sexual Awakening at 70: And What Led Me Here. bit.ly/3wwkQx4 #letstalkpleasure
When we talk to our kids about sex and sexual health, should we discuss pleasure? Sexuality educator Melissa Carnagey thinks so. Her book Sex Positive Talks to Have With Kids will help you become the trusted adult we all needed growing up. bit.ly/3dMLScY #letstalkpleasure
Sexologist and relationship expert Dr. Pepper Schwartz joins our Sex+Health podcast for a three-part discussion on the range of female sexual difficulties and offers practical advice and resources for women and their partners. bit.ly/3dTBAYG #sexualhealthmonth #letstalkpleasure
Among the free resources from Afrosexology, a space for Black people to openly challenge sexual shame and affirm sexual exploration, is the Pleasure Playlist. Take a listen find other resources to deepen your relationship with pleasure bit.ly/3KnTPll #letstalkpleasure
Certified sexuality counselor Evelyn Resh reflects on how our sex lives and perceptions of pleasure change over time in her essay “Dildos to the Dump” bit.ly/3dREOfb #letstalkpleasure
Communication is key to experiencing pleasure with a partner. You can’t expect a partner to know what you like unless you tell them—no one is a mind reader! No two people have the same fantasies, or want to be touched in the same ways. Read more bit.ly/3PPvc20 #letstalkpleasure
Despite some of the physical and health challenges that come with aging, the vast majority of older people believe sex is important and maintain an active sex life. And it’s possible! See what Dr. Pepper Schwartz has to say bit.ly/3clFGs6 #letstalkpleasure
About 3 out of 4 women say they can’t orgasm through vaginal penetration alone. But there’s a difference between an occasional issue and a persistent problem. If it’s a problem for you, there are steps you can take for a more satisfying sex life bit.ly/3PTDOEO #letstalkpleasure
The Queer Health Podcast discusses queer health topics for sexual & gender minorities. Take a listen to this episode on sexual pleasure for queer women—”the queer sex ed you almost definitely never got in high school and maybe didn’t even know you needed or wanted.” bit.ly/3CxIZqK
In a first person essay, author Jaclyn Friedman offers her take on why the #MeToo movement needs to amplify more stories about survivors reclaiming their sexuality and using it to heal their trauma. bit.ly/3AtxE8q #letstalkpleasure
“Autistic people can and do have sex, even if it’s something most people would rather not talk about.” Autism sexuality advocate Amy Gravino talks about it. Check out her TEDx talk bit.ly/3APwdTf or podcast appearance bit.ly/3TmeGJy to learn why “autism is sexier than you think.”
People who as identify as asexual exist on a spectrum. Some may be interested in experiencing sexual pleasure—but not necessarily with a partner. This essay from Dame delves deeper into asexuality, masturbation, and using toys for sexual pleasure. bit.ly/3RbhcAv #letstalkpleasure
“Advocate for ageless sexuality” Joan Price solicited feedback from older adults on what they’ve learned about sex. Check out their insight on exploring new kinds of relationships, overcoming challenges, and bringing back the spice. bit.ly/3crMVi7 #letstalkpleasure
As with any health issue, if you have issues with sexuality and intimacy, professional help is available. A certified sex therapist can help address psychological, physiological, and cultural issues through talk therapy. Search for an AASECT certified professional bit.ly/3AQuRaW
