Mental health does not impact sexual desire. People with disabilities can’t have sex. It is harder for women to orgasm than men.

These are just some of the myths that CGSHE faculty member Dr. Samantha Dawson (she/her) debunks with her Instagram-based knowledge sharing project MisconSEXions. “Pop culture and the media perpetuate myths about sexuality, for example, that men have higher desire for sex than women. My work has shown it’s not so black and white,” explained Dr. Dawson, Assistant Professor in UBC’s Department of Psychology. Launched in 2021, MisconSEXions is the result of a survey that asked 3500 people to report how much they believed or didn’t believe in 75 myths about sex. “From these results, we created Instagram content using the latest sexuality science to counter this misinformation, paying particular attention to nuances related to sexual and gender diversity and gaps in knowledge.”

The goal of MisconSEXions, like much of Dr. Dawson’s research, is to provide information backed by science to improve people’s knowledge about sex in order to enhance their sexual wellbeing. “Despite its importance, we really know so little about something as basic as sexual pleasure. That’s one reason why I focus on positive aspects of sexuality, and how having a strong sexual connection contributes to stronger relationships and overall well-being throughout the lifespan.” Using Instagram as a way to share academic research is something of a novel approach for her team at the Sexuality and Well-being (SWell) Lab – but one that seems to be working. “There’s a huge gap between what we publish in academic journals and what gets out there and connects with people in a meaningful way, which is why knowledge translation is critical to our work.”

“Despite its importance, we really know so little about something as basic as sexual pleasure. That’s one reason why I focus on positive aspects of sexuality, and how having a strong sexual connection contributes to stronger relationships and overall well-being throughout the lifespan.” 

Dr. Dawson and the SWELL Lab have started to earn awards and attract the attention of media and funders, indicating growth in the field. “Sex is a huge part of people’s lives and wellbeing, and it warrants study. When I first started this work, people thought it was a weird thing to devote your career to studying. But like other aspects of health or mental health, sex can and does have a major impact on people’s quality of life.”

Still, she acknowledges there’s work to be done to ensure diversity and inclusivity within sex research. “There’s good work on how sexuality applies to cisgender people across sexuality spectrums, but less for trans, gender diverse, and non-binary people.” This is reminiscent of the state of sexuality science in the 1960s, when research was being conducted by white cisgender heterosexual men about men of similar categorization. “It was assumed that what worked for men worked for women, and that the knowledge gained could be applied to women,” Dr. Dawson continued. “Research done in the last ten to 15 years has repeatedly demonstrated just how problematic those assumptions are.”

Inspired by pioneers in the field, Dr. Dawson aims to conduct more inclusive research “that better captures the richness of people’s sexuality – especially for people who’ve been historically excluded from study. We know that the sexualities of people from various groups can be both unique and similar, but the science needs to be inclusive to reflect that.”

To celebrate World Sexual Health Day 2022: Let’s Talk Pleasure, join CGSHE’S World Sexual Health Day Lunch & Learn featuring Dr. Samantha Dawson, discussing her research on sexual health and pleasure THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8 at 12:00 p.m. via Zoom. REGISTER HERE.

Check out World Sexual Health Day Canada here.