By Miranda Massie, Workplace Wellbeing Practices & Learning Consultant
Sex is about a lot more than sex.
Sure, talking about it is a great place to start, but talking about sex in more holistic health terms will have greater benefits. Perhaps most importantly, talking about sex should be more than a one-off or something you do at certain milestones; it should be a lifelong conversation.
What’s stopping us from having "the talk"?
The reality is that talking about our health, sexual or otherwise, can be difficult. Indeed, only 52% of women and 10% of men report discussing the topic of sexual health with their doctor in the past year. Sex is not a topic that comes easily to many people. That is why we were delighted to see Action Canada (Planned Parenthood Canada) release a SexPlus Manifesto in February 2025 as part of their sexual health week. The manifesto can help us envision what a positive future for sexual health in Canada could look like:
- Let's empower more people to ask more questions — a world where asking questions isn't taboo, it's celebrated.
- Let's uncover more answers that honour truth over stigma.
- Let's create more space for understanding, respect, and openness — in bedrooms, in homes, in schools, in media, and in the halls of power: where rights, freedoms and identities are not just protected, they're championed.
Where to start?
The manifesto is aspirational and requires more than just words on a page to see meaningful change in our communities. What can we do as individuals to change the way we are having “the talk”?
Empower yourself with information
Register for our upcoming two-part workshop on June 3 and 5: Talking to your kids about sex: Tips for parents, guardians and askable adults.
You can also visit Action Canada’s Sexual Health Information Hub, or download the app.
Make the most of your benefits
Supporting your mental health is an important component of sexual and reproductive health. Access $3000 annually for psychological services like counselling.
Conversations about sex will often include fertility. Eligible faculty and staff can access a range of family-building benefits, including surrogacy, adoption and fertility provisions.
Read past newsletter articles on the topic
Our team tries to provide information on this topic annually as part of the Healthy UBC Newsletter.
Talking about sex can be daunting, whether you are talking with a health practitioner, with your partner, with friends or even with your children, but it doesn't have to be. The SexPlus manifesto encourages us to build a future of asking, learning, and knowing more about sex. So, let’s get started.
Miranda Massie
Sources
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- Healthy UBC