Sexual stigma – News, Research and Analysis – The Conversation

A pregnant mother with untreated syphilis can pass it to the unborn fetus. Halfpoint Images/Moment via Getty Images

May 1, 2026

Syphilis cases in expectant mothers have dramatically risen since the pandemic – here’s what’s driving the trend

First-trimester screening and intervention has the greatest potential to prevent maternal syphilis. But 1 in 4 pregnant people do not have access to prenatal care during the first trimester.

Shaming women who enjoy anal sex can harm their health, well-being, and sexual autonomy. Archive Photos / Stringer

February 7, 2024

Some women enjoy anal sex – it shouldn’t be a guilty pleasure

James Pickles, University of Brighton; Chloe Froggatt, Sheffield Hallam University, and Julia Hirst, Sheffield Hallam University

The stigma around anal sex is damaging for women – and diminishes their sexual autonomy

Endometriosis pain can be so severe that it impairs a person’s ability to keep up with school, succeed at work or have a satisfying sex life. Kinga Krzeminska/Moment via Getty Images

November 1, 2023

Endometriosis afflicts millions of women, but few people feel comfortable talking about it

Kristina S. Brown, Adler University

Health care providers often dismiss endometriosis pain as ‘all in your head’ − which can delay a correct diagnosis and treatment for years.

The monkeypox pandemic has seen an increase in the use of the term “men who have sex with men.” Westend61/Getty Images

September 22, 2022

‘Men who have sex with men’ originated during the HIV pandemic to focus on behavior rather than identity – but not everyone thinks the term helps

JaNelle Ricks, The Ohio State University

The term ‘MSM’ allows public health interventions to gloss over the social, political and cultural complexities of identity. But it’s not without its limitations.

The red umbrella is a symbol used by sex worker activists to draw attention to the work conditions and human rights of people in the sexual service industry. (Shutterstock)

July 20, 2020

Sex workers are criminalized and left without government support during the coronavirus pandemic

Jacqueline Lewis, University of Windsor

Work in the sexual services industry has been disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic and workers have been left without access to government support.

Jules Kim, Zahra Stardust and Cameron Cox at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas. Zahra Stardust

August 10, 2017

The stigma of sex work comes with a high cost

Zahra Stardust, UNSW

Stigma continues to inform legal, social and cultural attitudes towards sex work and remains a barrier to health, human rights and justice. Developing stigma indicators is one step towards change.

A photo entitled “Apprehension” is part of the Still Here project at the University of British Columbia’s Men’s Health Research Program. The project uses photos to engage gay and bisexual men who have previously struggled with suicide.

June 30, 2017

Why do so many gay and bisexual men die from suicide?

Olivier Ferlatte, University of British Columbia

Pride Month: It’s time to talk about the shockingly high rate of suicide among gay and bisexual men. Photos and stories in the Still Here project document the complex reasons.

Students walk in the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) campus in Los Angeles, September 18, 2009. Lucy Nicholson/Reuters

July 25, 2016

Hooking up on campus: Sexual double standards may leave students feeling disempowered

Heather Hensman Kettrey, Vanderbilt University

College students often believe that double standards exist in society, but not in their own minds.

The Orlando massacre is an extreme example of the public health crisis of anti-LGBT violence in America. Jim Young/Reuters

June 16, 2016

Where does anti‑LGBT bias come from – and how does it translate into violence?

Dominic Parrott, Georgia State University

Aggression against sexual minorities is rooted in society-level stigmas that devalue LGBT individuals.

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