Circles of Sexuality

  • Objective: To understand sexuality, its relationship to gender and how it relates to our work.
  • Materials/Preparation: Flipchart paper, pens or markers, circles of sexuality and definitions of each, WHO’s definition of sexual rights, WHO’s definition of sexuality.
  • Participants: This exercise has been done with CARE staff and partners. According to the ISOFI Toolkit, there should ideally be 10-25 participants and equal numbers of men and women.

Steps

Through word association, participants brainstorm words that they associate with the term sexuality. As a team they then explore positive and negative associations to the term, and parts of sexuality that society does not talk about openly.

From the list, the facilitator introduces the circles of sexuality (one definition of sexuality, which is comprised of: sensuality, intimacy, sexual identity, sexual health and reproduction, sexual power over others), and how the terms listed relate to the six circles.

Circles of Sexuality. The circles are labeled: Sensuality, Intimacy, Sexual Identity, Sexual Health and Reproduction, and Sexual Power Over Others
Participants then discuss:
  • Did any other associated words need to be added? Did more occur to you?
  • Which circles had the most words associated with them? Why?
  • Do we tend to focus our work around some circles but ignore others? Why?
  • Which of the five sexuality circles feels most familiar? Least familiar? Why do you think that is so?
  • Is there any part of these five circles that you never before thought of as sexual? Please explain.
  • Are there certain circles that make you feel more or less comfortable talking about? Which ones do you think carry the heaviest silence and are hardest to talk about? Why is that? Can you imagine talking about these with your children? With your parents? With your peers?

Moving from the circles of sexuality, the facilitator then leads a discussion on the WHO definition of sexuality and how it relates to the definition of sexuality that the participants defined in this session. Further, participants talk about:

  • When did you (or do young people generally) first become aware of your own sexuality? How did you (or young people generally) express your sexuality when you were younger? How does is change as people mature? How has it changed as you’ve matured?
  • How is sexuality associated with power?
  • In what ways are gender and sexuality similar? In what ways are they different?
  • Whose responsibility is it to define and uphold sexual rights?
  • If people are not aware of their rights, do the rights still apply? How?
  • Why is there a gap between stated rights and real life? What can we do as individuals to close this gap? What can we do as professionals?
  • Who defines responsible sexual behavior?
  • What do sexual rights mean in the context of our work?
  • A common argument is that our culture, religion, or society won’t tolerate open talk about sexuality. This is a powerful argument. Is it valid? What can we do to change it?

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