1. PAF1O/PAF2O Human Growth and Sexuality
Lesson #3: Sexual Identity and Sexual Health
PAF1O/PAF2O

2. What is Sexual Health?
A state of physical, mental, and social well-being, in relation to sexuality.
It requires a positive and respectful approach to
Sexuality
Sexual relationships
The possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences (free of coercion, discrimination, violence)
World Health Organization

3. Some Ideas Related to Sexual Health
Gender identity/expression
Sexual orientation
Sexual relationships

4. Gender Identity/Expression
Gender identity is a person's private sense of their own gender.
Generally described as one's sense of being a man or a woman
In most Western societies, there exists a gender binary (masculine and feminine) in all aspects of gender and sex - gender identity, gender expression and biological sex. Some societies have third gender categories.
Gender expression refers to all of the external characteristics and behaviours that are socially defined as either masculine or feminine:
Dress, grooming, mannerisms, speech patterns, social interactions, etc.
A person’s gender identity and expression may or may not correspond to the person's body or designated sex at birth.
Cisgender: when your gender identity, gender expression, and biological sex all “match”
Transgender: when they do not

5. Sexual Orientation
Refers to a person’s attraction (physical and/or emotional) to other people.
Some examples include:
Heterosexual
Homosexual (lesbian, gay)
Bisexual (attracted to own gender and another gender)
Pansexual (attracted to members of all gender identities/expressions)
Asexual (not attracted to any group of people)

7. Sexual Relationships
Part of sexual health is healthy sexual relationships.
Healthy sexual relationships do NOT involve sexual assault or harassment. Sometimes these are obvious, sometimes not.
Sexual Assault: Unwanted force or threatening to apply force to another person in a circumstance of a sexual nature. For example:
Unwanted touching, grabbing
Harassment: Unwanted sexual attention from another person. For example:
Comments, gestures, sounds, winks, name-calling
Intrusive questions
Telephone calls, texts, stalking

8. Age of Consent
Any non-consensual sexual activity (touching, kissing, intercourse) is a criminal offense
In Canada’s Criminal Code, the age of consent for sexual activity is 16. (It was 14 until 2008.)
If you’re under 14, you can consent to mutual sexual involvement with someone who is with 2 years of you
If you’re 14 or 15, you can consent to mutual sexual involvement with someone who is up to 5 years older than you – as long as they are not in a position of trust or authority over you.
If you’re 16 or 17, you can consent to mutual sexual involvement with someone who is NOT in a position of trust or authority over you.

9. Age of Consent in
North America

10. In the USA

11. Flirting vs. Harassment
What’s the difference?!
Flirting makes you feel good
Harassment makes you feel bad
The same act/comment can be one or the other
If it’s wanted, it’s be flirting
If it’s unwanted, it’s harassment
Saying “You’re looking good today” in one tone can be flirting, in another can be harassment
We’re all responsible for stopping harassment
Speak up if you’re not comfortable with someone’s behaviour
Speak to them if you’re comfortable
Tell an adult if you’re more comfortable with that

12. Why People Have Sex Name some reasons
Amongst your peers, is there a double standard for different people?
Are the reasons the same for everyone?
Is there more pressure on one gender than another?
Does saying “yes” or “no” mean something different coming from one gender or another?

13. 20 Reasons People Have Sex
Boosting mood and relieving depression
Duty
Enhancement of power
Enhancement of self-concept
Experiencing the power of one’s partner
Feeling loved by your partner
Fostering jealousy
Improving reputation or social status
Making money
Making babies
Need for affection
Need for affection
Nurturance
Partner novelty
Peer pressure or pressure from partner
Pleasure
Reducing sex drive
Revenge
Sexual curiosity
Showing love to your partner
Spiritual transcendence
One? Two? Twenty? How about 200? Some college students have cited as many as 237 different reasons for having sex.
Stressed out? Have sex. Stress reduction is one of the leading reasons Americans, particularly men, say they have sex, Richard Caroll says. The review, published online in Sexuality & Culture, shows other most frequently cited reasons for having sex include:

14. Value Statements: Agree or Disagree?
Boys need to be macho
Only people with low self-esteem end up in violent relationships
If someone is dressed in tight/revealing clothing, he/she is asking for sexual attention
If two people are together and one person wants to kiss the other, they have to have their partner’s consent first
Even if you’ve been in a long term relationship in which you’ve been having sex, you can say no whenever and however often you feel like
Sexual assault does not occur in long-term relationships
There is more than one way to say no to sexual activities

15. The Bottom Line With respect to sexual health:
Be comfortable with yourself
Be respectful of and sensitive to others
Be sure that you’re ready for and okay with what you’re doing
Be sure anyone else involved is ready for and okay with what you’re doing
Be sure that you know the possible consequences (good and bad)
Be sure that you’re ready for the possible consequences
Remember that complete health is physical, mental, social, and emotional.

16. Resources: