Language of Love?

Premarital sex. Abstinence. Same sex marriage. Partial birth abortion.

Do the words we commonly use as sexual and reproductive health and rights advocates help our cause or hurt it? When it comes to the sexual and reproductive health and rights movement – or any movement – language certainly matters.

A recent report produced by Real Reason looked at the ways in which even sexual health advocates help to create a “culture of abstinence” when they refer to sex and sexuality using words like “threat”, “risk” and “avoid.” How can we reframe the discussion using a language rooted in healthy sexual relationships? Join Ann Whidden, MPH, Joy O’Donnell of the National Sexuality Resource Center, and cognitive linguist Alyssa Wulf of Real Reason for a lively discussion about sex, sexual health and the politics of language.

Replay the entire chat below…