Sexual Health

Mental Health, Masturbation, & the Church

The Southern Baptist Convention has finally released a report detailing the decades-long child sexual abuse by its clergy.

Of course, this hands-on abuse is horrific. But for more children have been damaged by the church’s explicit teaching that masturbation and children’s sexuality is sinful. This form of child abuse goes on every day in every orthodox religious institution–in plain sight.

Why don’t medical & psychological professionals speak out about this? Why don’t the rest of us?

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“Sex is the Peasant’s Opera”

Many of my patients feel powerless around sexuality.

In fact, psychological risk-taking is one of the greatest gifts sex has to offer.

Most of the judgements that we fear from others (“she’ll think I’m a pervert”) we actually fear from ourselves. Most of our fear about “failing” sexually is a response to arbitrary standards that we could actually break with impunity. And limiting sex to what’s “dignified” or “manly” or “feminist” or “anti-racist”…

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Should Schools Be Allowed to Deceive Parents?

I trust most children to accurately know if they’re hungry, cold, or need a bathroom. I don’t trust children to accurately know if they require medicine, should take math class, or need to lose weight.

Do you?

I trust children to know if they feel uncomfortable, unhappy, lonely, isolated, or different. I don’t trust children to know the best ways to resolve those feelings (it’s our job to teach them). And the more extreme their suggestions are, the less we should trust them.

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