Positioning sexual justice within social work teaching on human rights: countering contemporary sexuality oppression

Access to sexual health, sexuality information, sexual expression and sexual pleasure is a human right. Yet, the sexual health and wellness landscape has become a battlefield. Recently large-scale sex-negative campaigns preceded the US Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade in 2022. The use of the word ‘gay’ was restricted in public schools along with efforts to ban drag queen story time. Further reports of increased violence against people who identify as transgender have increased. Given social work’s roots as an anti-oppressive, practice-based profession focused on social justice, social workers are ideally positioned to challenge this attack on sexual rights, sexual pleasure, and access to related services. Sexual justice pedagogy is a warranted first step. A review of the literature establishes the rationale behind sexuality being a human right, examining social work’s missed opportunities for sexual justice. Next, the current sexuality assault landscape in the US is reviewed and sexual justice is defined within social justice. Activities are presented providing educators exemplars to introduce sexual justice content in human rights teaching. I conclude with recommendations to create a learning environment that will help facilitate the understanding and integration of sexual justice within the teaching of human rights to social work students.