A Brief History Of Sexual Pleasure: Why It’s So Important, Why Society Fears It And Where To Go From Here?

This piece argues that sexual pleasure—long stigmatized, censored, and dismissed as frivolous—is an essential part of human well-being that deserves serious attention in research, education, and public health. Despite growing visibility and resources supporting pleasure, access to it remains uneven, shaped by gender norms, social inequalities, and historical forces that police sexuality, especially for marginalized groups. Drawing on research interviews, the author outlines four key dimensions of pleasure: it is learned through knowledge and practice; diverse in form and meaning; performed under social pressure, particularly around gendered expectations; and shaped by dynamics of control, especially for women navigating conflicting scripts around desire and responsibility. Together, these insights show that pleasure is complex, relational, and deeply affected by power. Ignoring pleasure, the author contends, leads to incomplete and unrealistic understandings of sexuality, whereas embracing it can strengthen sexual health education, reduce stigma, and better align health systems with people’s lived experiences.