Understanding oneself in terms of sexuality allows an individual to grasp one’s desires and the body’s calling. This promotes healthy relationships with your own mind and body, nurtures your sexual health, and helps you explore its complexities.
But as you delve deeper into the intricacies of your sexuality, you develop a strong sense of how you want to be accepted in society, leading to sexual empowerment—a constant process of discovering, accepting, and asserting control of your own experiences that align with your values, fulfillment, and desires.
Sexual empowerment goes beyond the concepts of the physical act of sex and femininity, and as one puts this matter on the table, it opens a wide array of discussions where it promotes awareness, combats stigma, emphasizes the importance of consent and boundaries, and promotes social change.
This article will delve into the habits of a sexually empowered person, focusing on its concept, meaning, benefits, and impact on oneself and relationships.
What is sexual empowerment?
According to Nicola Doring and colleagues (2022), sexual empowerment is a process where you allow yourself to grow and gain control of your sexuality, prioritizing your desires and well-being.
Moreover, this process extends its scope to political activism and collective action, where individuals advocate their rights to express their sexuality, stand up against societal norms, and promote inclusivity and equality. It also allows individuals to naturally explore human identity and cultivate this process diving into the complexity of self, boundaries, and even understanding others.
The significance of this empowerment is that it gives individuals space in the narrative, where they nurture and normalize any type of self-expression in a normative society. With the right and supportive community, women empowerment, which shares the same idea of sexual empowerment, embraces gender equality, femininity, autonomy, and consent.
Sexual empowerment also teaches people how to be sexual without getting carried away by heavy consumerism, which big corporates use to exploit sales in their businesses (Lamb, S. & Peterson, Z., 2011).
Benefits of sexual empowerment
Allowing yourself to embrace sexual empowerment opens up many avenues for individuals to celebrate their authentic selves and embrace their freedom. With this autonomy and liberation, individuals use sexual empowerment as an expression of one’s sexuality and also as a process of continuous discovery, growth, and autonomy.
With that being said, there are a lot of advantages one can enjoy when they are aware and know how to be sexually empowered. Here are some of its many benefits:
Improved self-esteem and body image
Being sexually empowered allows you to accept your truest form without judgment or shame, developing a greater sense of self-acceptance and self-worth. This will also encourage individuals to celebrate their bodies as it is and focus on their connection rather than their visual aspect.
Enhanced sexual satisfaction and intimacy
Sexually empowered people often discuss their wants and needs with their sexual partners, making them feel satisfied with their sexual experience. They also prioritize their own and their partner’s sexual pleasure, making their connection stronger and creating a robust intimacy while feeling liberated simultaneously (Hargons, C. et al., 2020).
Strengthened relationships and communication
By being knowledgeable about your sexuality, one can communicate honestly and openly to their partner about their desires, needs, boundaries, and other things that strengthen their relationship. Sexual partners can easily explore and grow together while also developing a deep understanding of one another.
Reduced sexual guilt and shame
When individuals cannot fully express and explore their sexuality and desires, they suffer from sexual repression. This fosters strong guilt and shame associated with sexuality (Tricaso, K., 2021).
Sexually empowered people perceive things differently as they cultivate self-acceptance and pursue a deeper understanding of themselves. They reject societal standards and norms and advocate diversity.
Increased overall well-being and happiness
One can achieve happiness by being sexually empowered, as they celebrate and accept themselves fully, regardless of circumstances. One can achieve profound joy and satisfaction with their life because of their authenticity and fulfillment, confidence, self-acceptance, good intimacy with their relationships, and more.
4 Ways to become a sexually empowered person
Being sexually empowered doesn’t form overnight; it requires massive effort and a strong sense of self to create a great foundation of empowerment integrated into one’s values and life. But as you go along to the depths of sexuality and sexual empowerment, creating habits and routines is imperative to continue with this process.
Here are some of the habits one can try and develop to become sexually empowered:
Educating yourself about sexual health and pleasure
Sexually empowered people approach sexuality and their sexual relationships respectfully and positively.
Furthermore, women who have a strong sense of sexual empowerment are able to guard themselves against any potential harm or risk that may come along, whether they are sexually active or not, either by practicing abstinence or using contraceptives like condoms (Gakumo, C., 2011). They also pass this knowledge on to other people to promote the right and proper sex education.
Prioritizing self-care and exploration
Sexual self-care allows individuals to tend to their psychological and physical needs while also prioritizing and understanding desires and preferences. Sexually empowered people allow themselves to explore their bodies and sexualities while also considering that change is inevitable, exploring and discovering is normal, and prioritizing your comfort is a must (Depumpo, M., 2017).
Cultivating open and honest communication
Communication always works wonders in relationships with your partner. Sexually empowered individuals usually disclose their likes, dislikes, and fantasies to one another to satisfy both of their needs, and they encourage one another to be direct and honest about their thoughts on the sexual aspect of their relationship (Theiss, J., 2016).
Seeking professional guidance when needed
When things get overwhelming and out of control, some people reach out to support groups to seek help or get advice from professional volunteers within the group. When further help is needed, it is best to seek professionals that specialize in sexual health, therapy, and counseling. Schedule a consultation interview, and make sure you are comfortable and can sustain an open and honest conversation with the professional.
In conclusion
As the world evolves, people become more accepting and inclusive of diverse communities and ideologies. People are now slowly breaking free from the societal norms imposed by highly conservative institutions and communities from the past.
Sexual empowerment paved the way for society to embrace liberation, authenticity, and freedom of expression, and celebrate their own sexuality without judgment and prejudice.
Always remember that in this journey, there is no right or wrong way how to be sexually empowered. Allow yourself to grow, evolve, and yearn to know more about yourself and embrace the uniqueness of yourself. As you navigate this path, remember that this journey will be long and unsteady, so be patient and kind to yourself, and let your wisdom guide you along the way.
If you would like to see more resources on sexual empowerment, check out the Wellbeing Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other tools. Visit the Wellbeing Science Labs today.
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