Sexual Health Awareness Month, which is recognized every September, is dedicated to embracing one’s body and mind through sexual health education, which must go beyond outdated views of solely avoiding disease or unplanned pregnancy and should include experiencing pleasure and intimacy, along with respecting our sexual rights, according to the American Sexual Health Association.
For the Latino community, this month is important as the topic and education of sexual health are often seen as taboo or inappropriate when they should be accepted and understood. This stigmatization around sexual wellness, causing both fear and shame, is a huge barrier for Latinos, according to 70% of the users on the number one Latino dating app, Chispa.
Sexual Health Awareness Month and Latinos
During the month of September, Chispa is joining forces with Licensed Psychologist and Certified Sex Therapist, Dr. Shannon Chavez, to raise awareness about the importance of sexual health education during Sexual Health Awareness Month and beyond through a series of videos addressing key topics such as communication skills, desire and understanding cultural influences that impact Latina singles and their sexuality.
“Collaborating with different platforms and brands and educators—that’s a big initiative that I have,” Chavez said. “The more we have these conversations, the more access we give people to get information. Making these videos, talking about sexual health is helping people heal generations and generations of shame. It’s helping people to feel empowered and confident around sexuality and that’s so important to me because I do believe that helps people with their overall health and wellness.”
These misconceptions toward the mere topic of sex were ever present during Chavez’s childhood growing up in a conservative Latino family. Taboos, embarrassment and shame were the major emotions toward sex and therapy, which seem to be fluid throughout the entirety of the culture, something the clinical sexologist is proud to work toward changing, for not only the community but her family, too.
“Being able to break through some of those belief systems and encourage my family to even see the healing benefit of being able to work with our community and other communities, especially coming from very conservative backgrounds, has even helped heal generational shame for my family,” Chavez said. “Now, they’re very supportive of the work that I do, especially working with women’s issues.”
Dr. Shannon Chavez
From a young age, Chavez knew she wanted to become a sex therapist. Although the topic made people around her uncomfortable, she realized it was something everyone had in common and shouldn’t be grouped with feelings of shame or guilt. It wasn’t until she began her education that she began deconstructing these cultural and societal stigmas.
In 2002, she received her bachelor’s of science in psychology from the University of Colorado, Denver, which is where she also came to understand the lack of education as well as a therapeutic approach to sexual issues. “I made it my goal to make that a specialty where people could come and have a safe space to ask questions, learn about sex and sexuality, break down shame and also realize that education is an empowering part of our sexuality that we are doing throughout our lifespan,” Chavez said.
As someone who perceived and took notice of the lack of safe spaces were sexual issues could be discussed, Chavez knew this needed to change. “Creating that space, coming from my background and culture, has been so important to allow there to be a space for people to heal that’s not intimidating, overwhelming or medicalized, where they can look at information as something that can help improve and enhance the experiences that they’re having in their sexual and relational lives.”
Following her undergraduate experience, Chavez earned her master’s of arts in clinical psychology with an emphasis in marital and family therapy in 2008 and a doctor of psychology in clinical psychology in 2010, both from the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
As an active member of the International Society for the Scientific Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH), the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT), the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS) and the American Psychological Association (APA), Chavez previously worked as a postdoctorate fellow at the Institute for Sexual Health until 2012 before opening her private practice, the SHAPE Center, in April 2013.
It is at the SHAPE Center, located in Beverly Hills, where Chavez, as a licensed Psychologist and AASECT Certified Sex Therapist, supports individuals in overcoming their sexual concerns and escaping stigmas regarding sex.
“My work is about promoting good education around sexuality, empowering people around sexual wellness and using a mind and body approach to sexual issues, which means breaking down the barriers that we may carry, helping people understand their values around sex and improving their relationship with pleasure,” Chavez said.
Partnering with Chispa
Using her sexual health approach, Chavez is excited to be partnering with Chispa to raise awareness and positively educate Latino singles during Sexual Health Awareness Month. With six videos already shared on the dating app’s Sexual Health Corner, the therapist has shared insight on the orgasm gap, embracing sexuality and painful sex, with more to come as she covers additional sexual health topics until the end of the month.
“The more we understand our sexual health, the more we can take care of our overall health, and knowing what works for each individual is so important,” Chavez said. “I want people to know that this information and these resources are made and developed to support our community and to start conversations, whether you are dealing with the problem or not, it starts the dialogue that’s so needed to start normalizing sexuality as a part of our life.”
If you are interested in learning more about Chavez’s partnership with Chispa, as well as understanding sexual health through this video series, check out Chispa’s website, where you will also find a list of sexual wellness resources, and their Instagram. You can also find Chavez on Instagram or schedule a consultation on her website.
CALÓ NEWS spoke with Chavez about the importance of understanding sexual health in the Latino community and her partnership with Chispa.
SHANNON CHAVEZ QURESHI, LOS ANGELES, LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST, AASECT CERTIFIED SEX THERAPIST AND CLINICAL DIRECTOR OF SHAPE CENTER, SHE/HER, CHICANA
AS A CERTIFIED SEX THERAPIST, WHAT DOES YOUR JOB ENTAIL? WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO SEXUAL HEALTH?
Most people want to know, “What is sex therapy? What do I do?” The majority of the work that I do is looking at the intersection between mental, emotional and physical health. Sexual health is the integration of all of those things, as well as spiritual health. I’m helping individuals learn about their values and beliefs around sex, getting, what I call adult, non-pornographic sex education. That means learning the basics of anatomy and physiology, understanding arousal and desire, learning how to navigate relational issues that come up around sex, such as communicating what we want and desire, being able to set boundaries and making sex a priority in your relationship. Sex therapy is about collaboration. It’s setting goals, it’s solution-focused. It’s developing a great relationship with not only sexuality but pleasure and connection, which we’re all driven towards. I always say that not all sexual issues require sex therapy. A big part of my job and role is [as] an educator. Giving you the resources and tools that you need to make informed decisions, to overcome challenges and to deal with things like shame, stigma or isolation that leads people from helping to take care of themselves as a whole and also reaching out for support from others.
WHY IS SEXUAL HEALTH SO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND AND TAKE CARE OF IN GENERAL AND SPECIFICALLY FOR LATINOS?
Sexual health is a part of overall health and wellness. Sometimes we think of it as just sex, but it’s so much more than that. It’s being able to take care of our bodies, our relationship with our body, our body image and our ability to have intimacy skills to navigate all different types of relationships. I think the struggle for Latino communities is that we come from a very passionate, traditional value system. Being able to integrate sexuality and spirituality or value systems that have been generations and generations influencing everything from our gender roles to the way we take care of ourselves, or our partners and relationships, and how sexuality sort of weaves through those belief systems and understandings. I think that we often separate it, but I believe that for our Latino communities, it’s starting to integrate those beliefs and being able to name it and know that those diversities, the things that we deal with as a community, are normal. That breaking down shame is a big step towards empowering ourselves in our sexuality and acceptance and it helps us not only accept our own sexuality, but also others that may be different from our own.
DURING SEXUAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH, YOU ARE RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF SEXUAL HEALTH EDUCATION, SPECIFICALLY WITHIN THE LATINO COMMUNITY, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DATING APP CHISPA. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THIS CAMPAIGN AND WHAT YOU’RE DOING TO RAISE AWARENESS AND EDUCATE?
Part of this collaboration as a sex and health expert was to provide information that was specific around sexuality, not just dating and relationships, but to see that there’s a big role in dating and relationships, to prioritize sexual health no matter what you’re doing. It’s not just about sex, but also being able to navigate intimacy in a relationship at different stages. This collaboration was about specific concerns that we face as individuals and even those seeking couple shifts around sexual health and wellness. Being able to prioritize that in our relationships and lives, so that we can take care of ourselves, feel more empowered with that information and focus on specific issues that we face. Some of my videos in this series focus on specific sexual concerns that Latinas and Latinos face and even in “coupleship” as relational dynamics start to show up, how to navigate those issues. I was thrilled to offer my expertise and even the work that I’ve been doing in the Latino community by creating resources that people can access anywhere, even outside of therapy.
CAN YOU TALK A BIT ABOUT CHISPA AND HOW THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DATING APP BEGAN? WHY IS THIS PARTNERSHIP IMPORTANT TO YOU?
The reason I decided to work with Chispa is that they are a Latin dating app providing not only access to meeting and connecting with different individuals through a dating app but also resources and education. I think that’s very unique. When people are in the dating world, it can feel overwhelming, it can feel like a jungle, so having a place where you can go and hear collective experiences, learn good information and even ask questions is so valuable. Especially because a lot of us have learned to not talk about these issues, or feel embarrassed to talk about them. Or, in our Latin community, we may feel, “Where is the place that we ask those questions and talk about it?” outside of working with doctors or therapists. Having a community space was so important, especially in my role as a Latina sex therapist. Being able to talk about the diversities and specific concerns that we deal with as a community, it’s validating and empowering to have that information. It normalizes these issues so that people don’t feel the mental blocks and barriers that may keep them from accessing good information or even treatment if needed.
YOU WILL BE CREATING A SERIES OF VIDEOS ADDRESSING KEY TOPICS THAT IMPACT LATINA SINGLES AND THEIR SEXUALITY. WHAT WILL THESE VIDEOS ENTAIL AND HOW CAN THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED FIND THEM? WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO MAKE THESE VIDEOS?
What was important about creating a video series was that we covered common sexual concerns. I took from my experience working with the Latino population within my practice and the community outreach that I’ve done in different Latin communities and understanding these common issues. By talking about common issues, we realize that we all go through sexual concerns, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. And by talking about these issues, we’re also addressing what to do about these issues so that you know when it’s time to address them individually, or even in partnership, and where to start and where to go. I think that’s so important, especially as a community, that we support each other through information. What I want to provide in this video series is not just good information, but normalizing breaking down taboos. We’ve heard a lot of myths about sexual health and we’re talking about some of the most taboo topics in this video series, like painful sex. We’re talking about intimacy issues, communication problems that come up and dealing with shame and cultural influences that impact our sexual health. I think it’s going to be valuable for people to see some of the common issues and also how to address them, what we do when we relate and connect with some of these common issues and where to start. It’s going to be a great way for our community to learn about sexuality, access good information and continue these conversations around sexual health.
AS LATINOS, HEARING FROM PROFESSIONALS WHO SHARE OUR BACKGROUND CAN FEEL INCREDIBLY VALIDATING, AS THOSE EXPERTS CAN LIKELY BETTER UNDERSTAND AND RELATE TO OUR EXPERIENCES WHEN IT COMES TO SUCH PERSONAL TOPICS AS LOVE AND INTIMACY. IN YOUR OPINION, HOW AS A COMMUNITY CAN WE WORK TOWARD REMOVING STIGMAS AROUND THESE TOPICS?
When it comes to being a community and overcoming stigmas, we’ve got to talk about it. I think communication is key. As a Latina, myself, I often disclose some of the things that are very common for my clients that they’re going through as well. That means some of the messages we may have heard growing up, maybe sex wasn’t talked about as much. Normalizing that these are common experiences that we have creates a level of intimacy and understanding. It’s a vulnerability that we don’t often have in our broader culture to be able to talk about that and realize that we are connected through some of those very common messages that we may hear. I do feel that, not only by talking about it, but continuing that conversation, we’re healing generations and generations of maybe barriers and myths that have been passed down. I find that the more we educate ourselves in this current state, the more we may bring that message into our own family, we may teach our children to feel more positive about sexuality, to not feel shame. We’re breaking some of those barriers and adding new traditions through learning about sexuality as something that we can normalize and celebrate. Again, we’re talking about pleasure, this is not something that needs to feel serious or problematic, if anything, pleasure is something that evolves and changes over time. That’s really what I hope to bring in, through our messaging especially when working with the Latino communities. We’re a passionate, very creative culture, so bringing that into our conversation about how to explore and expand our understanding of pleasure is so important to me.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU TO REPRESENT THE LATINO/A COMMUNITY IN YOUR FIELD?
It is so important to me, as a Latina, to be able to work with the Latin community because it empowers me. I’m so proud, as a Latina, to have these cultural beliefs, practices and values and also be able to celebrate and feel very sex-positive. I also want to share my journey with my community and let them know that it’s possible to overcome shame and celebrate sexuality and to have good information that it takes time and that we’re here to support each other. That’s why I think it’s so important during this month of September, which is sexual health awareness [month], that we are here to learn and to ask questions. Being in your true identity is part of that process. It’s empowering to understand how our culture influences our sexuality and helping people to understand that relationship is my big goal throughout this month, and overall in the process of the work that I do.