Affirming Sexual Freedom as a Fundamental Human Right
Sexual Freedom
What is sexual freedom?
“If sexual freedom is securely established, other freedoms will invariably follow. A society that values the individual’s freedom of erotic expression will necessarily establish the conditions under which other human rights and civil liberties will be generated, established and protected.”
-Barnaby B. Barratt, excerpted from “Why Sexual Freedom is a Fundamental Human Right, An Introduction to Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance’s State of Sexual Freedom Report”
Sexual freedom is the fundamental human right of all individuals to develop and express their unique sexuality. It lies at the heart of the promise of human dignity, self-determination, and equality embodied in both the U.S. Constitution and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Human Rights are interdependent, intersectional, inalienable rights that are the birthright of all human beings, regardless of geography, nationality or identity. Human rights include economic rights, environmental rights, sexual rights, cultural rights, social rights, political rights, developmental rights and civil rights.
Woodhull envisions a world that recognizes the full human rights of all individuals to develop and express their unique sexuality, with the right to make their own decisions about their bodies, to express themselves freely and to enjoy sexual dignity, privacy and consensual sexual expression. We envision a world where every human being participates with full dignity as an equal member of society.
For more information on our work protecting sexual freedom rights, please review our issue areas:
- Sex Work
- Sexual Speech and Expression
- Sexual Health and Rights
- Integration of Sex and Religion
- Fundamental Human Rights
- LGBT Rights
- Civil Rights
- Reproductive Rights
- Sexuality Education
“There is no way to predict – only to dream; to envision; and to work toward a future where every individual truly enjoys their fundamental human right to sexual freedom, a right granted in our Constitution and an inalienable right of our very humanity.”
-Ricci Levy, “Forward,” Our Fundamental Human Right to Sexual Freedom And the State of Sexual Freedom in the United States, 2010 Report. Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance.
Key Issues
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Sex Work
Sex work refers to a wide range of activity where sexual interaction is explicitly exchanged for something of value.
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Sexual Speech & Expression
WSFA firmly believes that human beings possess a fundamental right to develop and express their sexuality.
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Sexual Health & Rights
Sexual Health is a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well being in relation to sexuality.
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Integration of Sex & Religion
Sexuality and faith are two of the most deeply important and deeply personal aspects of human identity.
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LGBT Rights
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people are entitled to the realization of the full spectrum of their human rights.
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Civil Rights
Civil rights are one sub-set of human rights that exist equal to and interdependent with multiple fundamental human rights.
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Reproductive Justice
Grounded in the human rights framework, reproductive justice refers to all of the conditions necessary for all people to enjoy reproductive freedom.
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Sexuality Education
Every human being deserves access to medically accurate and inclusive information about sex and sexuality.
About the Alliance
- Woodhull envisions a world that recognizes sexual freedom as the fundamental human right of all individuals to develop and express their unique sexuality; to be personally autonomous with regard to bodily integrity and expression; and to enjoy sexual dignity, privacy and consensual sexual expression without societal or governmental interference, coercion or stigmatization.
- Learn More About Us | Victoria Woodhull