Diversity and Inclusion in Sex Therapy
From Respark
Respark Therapist Shaun Telepak on Diversity and Inclusion in Sex Therapy
Is there enough diversity in the sex therapy field? The importance of diversity and inclusion in sex therapy.
Parts of our human sexuality are influenced by culture. Where you grew up, your family beliefs or religion, and the social norms of your particular culture have all played a part in developing your sexuality.
Culture plays a part in defining your own sexual concepts like the number of partners you sexually engage with, age of consent, and even ideas about sexual dysfunction. There are times when having a sex therapist that understands your cultural background from a lens of lived experience can make a difference in your treatment outcomes.
Religion is one of the most common reasons individuals and couples seek out sex therapy. While our faith is important to many of us, it can instill elements of shame and fear when it comes to sexuality. Seeking out sex therapy can help to chip away at preconceived ideas around sex that our religion has taught us. This can give you a sense of freedom within your sex life and over time allow you to no longer look at sex in a shameful or negative light.
Religion can play a large part in our cultural experience. Discussing religion in sex therapy is so important because it provides clients with the chance to discuss their sexuality in reference to part of their culture. But what if you can’t find a sex therapist from your culture? It leads us to ask the question: Is there enough diversity and inclusion in sex therapy?
Diversity in sex therapy makes a difference.
Why is diversity important to clients in sex therapy? Our human experiences are so vast and differentiated, we can’t singularly be assisted in the same way, especially when it comes to sexuality issues. Imagine you grew up in a Hispanic household that embraced machismo and marianismo roles. If you aren’t part of Hispanic culture, you may have never heard of these terms before.
“The concept of marianismo, rooted in Catholicism, places the Latino woman in a role of sexual
morality, honor, self-sacrifice, passivity, and care-taking while machismo defines a male’s role of masculinity.
The Hispanic male's role of machismo can be temporarily fulfilled by having intercourse but ultimately only pregnancy, either premarital or during marriage, is authentic proof of his machismo or manliness.” (The Impact of Culture and Ethnicity on Sexuality and Sexual Function)
It could be very helpful to have a sex therapist who thoroughly understands this concept through their own lived experience and culture. If a couple with this cultural background is participating in marriage and couples therapy, this culture-affirming knowledge would be beneficial to their sessions. A disservice is done to clients when we lack diversity in sex therapy and this type of cultural competent care is not available.
The sex therapy profession is in need of more diversity. According to Zippia sex therapy demographics, the most common ethnicity of sex therapists is White. Take a look at the statistics below.
- White 62.4%
- Hispanic or Latino 17.3%
- Black or African American 9.2%
- Asian 5.6%
- Unknown 4.8%
- American Indian and Alaska Native 0.7%
There is a lot of work to be done in the sex therapy community when it comes to diversity. We need to keep asking important questions and seeking solutions. Why does the sex therapy field lack diversity? How can we make the sex therapy field more inclusive?
Inclusion in sex therapy makes a difference.
Why is inclusion important to clients in sex therapy? Inclusion is part of the process to grow diversity in sex therapy. Everyone is invited into sex therapy, as both therapists and clients. Inclusion is about reassessing stereotypes and judgements of people based on race, ethnicity, sexuality, and defining other factors. It’s also about seeing parts of yourself in your therapist or client.
We’ve mentioned racial disparities in sex therapy, and there’s also a lack of disability representation. When looking at the mental health field as a whole, there are large gaps in diversity and inclusion. In an article by Psychology.org about Diversity in the Mental Healthcare Profession, they state “Race isn't the only area of disparity within the psychology workforce. Only 5% of psychologists have disabilities, while 25% of the U.S. population has some kind of disability. That 5% figure has remained stagnant over the last decade.”
There are concerns and issues very specific to sexuality and disability. If a sex therapy client with a disability works with a sex therapist with a similar lived experience, they will have an understanding of the client on a different level than someone who has never experienced living with a disability. With the rise of online sex therapy, providing therapy services as well as becoming a sex therapist client is more accessible than ever. In the past, lack of mobility may have limited both sex therapists and sex therapy clients. Now with the variety of online sex therapy options, new opportunities are opening for both therapists and clients. This increases inclusion among people with various abilities and welcomes more people into the sex therapy field.
Diversity, Inclusion, and Cultural Sensitivity in Sex Therapy
As we have discussed above, there is a lack of diversity in the sex therapy field and the majority of sex therapy professionals are white. If these professionals aren’t taking the necessary actions to become more culturally sensitive and culturally competent, they are doing a critical disservice to their clients. So what is cultural competency?
“Cultural competency means that, as a provider, you are able to interact effectively with people of different cultures, by incorporating their unique beliefs, behaviors, and needs into their diagnosis and treatment plan”. (Why is Cultural Competence Important in Mental Health Care?)
Why is cultural sensitivity and cultural competency important in sex therapy? Every culture has their own societal norms and expectations. It’s imperative that the sex therapy professional has an understanding of these cultural differences. Clients are discussing the most intimate details of their lives and sexuality in a sex therapy session. The feeling of safety and comfort are imperative in a sex therapy session. To further illustrate this concept, let’s take a look at an example of an Amerife. can Indian cultural norm.
“The differing way of eye contact may, where it exists, require an adjustment that a mental health worker must accommodate. Sessions may need to be structured differently; for instance, the traditional sitting face-to-face with a client may be adjusted to sitting side-by-side, or with adolescents, it may mean being involved in a craft or activity with talking as a byproduct during the activity.” (Psychological Treatment of Ethnic Minority Populations)
A culturally competent sex therapist would be aware of this and prepare the session accordingly. In this situation, if the sex therapist is of American Indian culture, they would already be aware of this cultural norm, and be able to create a safe and comfortable space for their client.
People of all ages, all cultures, and all demographics are seen in therapy. Cultural taboos, stigmas, shyness, embarrassment, or shame can affect the way people view and judge their life. There is no shame in getting help. Seeking individual therapy from a culturally competent professional can make a positive impact on your life.
Your identity, your sexuality, and your sex therapist
The most important piece of any therapeutic relationship is the feeling of safety. Sex therapy clients should always feel that communications with their sex therapist are taking place in a safe space. Part of developing that safe space is giving affirming care. Finding a gender affirming, LGBTQ+ affirming sex therapy provider can create a more welcoming and inclusive space for clients who identify as LGBTQ+.
“According to Madison McCullough, a licensed clinical social worker also based in New York City, talking to another queer-identified person in a therapeutic setting can be a great way to establish a sense of safety. She tells me that in the past, she’s felt the need to constantly justify her identity to a therapist who wasn’t LGBTQ+, making the experience more difficult. (She ultimately left that particular provider.)” (Why I Needed to See a Queer Therapist (And How You Can Find One, Too)
When we lack diversity and inclusion in the sex therapy profession, clients are not able to access care that provides representation of their own sexuality, gender, ethnicity, or culture. For the LGBTQ+ community, this adds to the stressors they already experience.
“People who identify as LGBTQ+ experience stressors that are unique and widespread. Those in the LGBTQ+ community are more likely to be the victim of discrimination, sexism and violence. On top of that, people who identify as LGBTQ+ don’t always have access to the support and resources to improve their mental health.” (Minority stress and mental health challenges in the LGBTQ+ community)
Does culture define sexuality? While culture does not completely define your sexuality, it does have a significant impact on your sexual beliefs. Your cultural experience leads you to experience unique challenges that those from other cultures don’t experience. This is why increasing diversity and inclusion in the sex therapy profession will continue to benefit an always growing, multicultural client base.
At Respark, we offer sex-positive, affirming LGBTQ+ Therapy. We welcome people from all walks of life. We are experienced and knowledgeable of all expressions and orientations. We are trained in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer, Questioning, Intersex, and asexual issues. We see clients that struggling with same-sex attraction, gender identity/gender care, and gender nonconformity. Several therapists on our staff also specialize in transgender issues.
The sex therapy profession has a long way to go to become more diverse and inclusive. Sex therapy professionals everywhere should continue to become more culturally competent, more gender and sexuality affirming, more inclusive of different abilities, and continue to welcome more diverse professionals into this space.