As I write this first column as AASECT President, I am emerging from four intense, rewarding days at AASECT’s 2018 Summer Institute, Decentering the Norm: Social Justice Transformations in Sex Therapy, Counseling and Education. Participants, presenters and organizers left the Institute with this consensus: We need to expand our work beyond trying to help heal only individuals, couples, and families.  We need to embrace work as change agents in our communities. Would it be too much to claim that until we all can expect social justice, none of us will experience the freedom and affirmation needed to optimize sexual health?

As Spring begins, I am more and more looking forward to our 50th annual AASECT conference. Co-chairs Jayleen Galarza and Juan Camarena have put together a stellar program. Following the footsteps of recent co-chairs, they and their conference committee have looked for engaging thought leaders and have also valued diversity and inclusion throughout the plenary and workshops. I’ve checked the program multiple times already to start making my own selections about the workshops I most wish to attend.

Dear AASECT Family,  

Dear AASECT family,   

Though I am sad this is my last entry as President of AASECT, I’m excited to look at all we have accomplished. The changes may not immediately be obvious to the membership, but the internal working of the Board, with our very active committees and management company, has had a wonderfully productive two years.  EVERY committee has instituted change based on feedback from the membership and committee members.

Welcome to our inaugural revised edition of Contemporary Sexuality!  We made the change from the previous version once we began tracking the number of readers and realized that only a small portion of our members were reading it. Since there is no reason to publish something that our members are not using, we decided to try a more interactive newsletter with various types of content. We asked for your feedback and have tried to include what you asked for. Please feel free to give us more suggestions and feedback on what you would like to see in CS. We aim to please!!