As I discussed in my previous post about an upcoming TV show, social justice is an important part of my mission and my work as a sex therapist. So what does social justice mean, and how exactly do I apply it in my sex therapy practice? First, let’s take a look at a definition of what social justice is. I found a good quote from Matthew Robinson, a Poli Sci professor, that pretty much sums up my own views on this issue:
Social justice is defined as “… promoting a just society by challenging injustice and valuing diversity.” It exists when “all people share a common humanity and therefore have a right to equitable treatment, support for their human rights, and a fair allocation of community resources.” In conditions of social justice, people are “not be discriminated against, nor their welfare and well-being constrained or prejudiced on the basis of gender, sexuality, religion, political affiliations, age, race, belief, disability, location, social class, socioeconomic circumstances, or other characteristic of background or group membership” 
The key elements of this that resonate for me in my practice are: a) challenging injustice, b) valuing diversity, c) welfare nor well-being constrained or prejudiced based on gender, sexuality, etc…. As a practicing psychotherapist, I am sometimes concerned that social justice is not always appropriately observed in consulting rooms and I often speak out about this in my writings and lectures. Often, social injustice is perpetrated unwittingly through unnecessary pathologizing of non-normative, yet non-pathological manners of sexual expression and behaviors.  I believe the good folks who do this mean well, they just don’t have enough […]