Don’t you know the difference? Here we explain the differences between these two large categories, so that you can demand their guarantee.
Having a free and full sexuality, deciding about your body, procreation and forming a family are part of sexual rights and reproductive rights. Here we explain the differences between these two large categories, so that you can demand their guarantee.
What are sexual rights?
We share 5 sexual rights with you, but remember that there are many more:
● Right to enjoyment: you can have sexual pleasure, without it being related to procreation.
● Right to know your body: each body is different and, therefore, all are equally valuable. Forget about imposed beauty standards!
● Right to decide: sexual relations must be free and consensual between those who practice them.
● Right to express your identity: you have the freedom to live your sexuality regardless of your sexual orientation or gender identity.
● Right to a life without violence: you can live your sexuality without being coerced or violated by how you decide to express it.
And what are reproductive rights?
Among reproductive rights are:
● Right to decide to be parents: you can autonomously choose the moment in which you want to procreate.
● Right to decide the number of children: you can have 1, 2, 4 or as many children as you want.
● Right to start a family: you can have a family whenever you want, without discrimination or stigma.
● Right to start or stop a reproductive process: you can start or postpone this process whenever you want; This implies that you have the right to access information, education, treatments and conceptive methods freely.
● Right to non-discrimination in pregnancy: you can have access to health services that guarantee a process free of violence or unequal treatment.
● Right to safe motherhood: you must be guaranteed access to health services and medical care at all stages of the process, from the intention of reproduction, through conception, pregnancy, to the postpartum period.
● Right to interrupt a pregnancy: in Colombia, Sentence C-355 of 2006 guarantees safe abortion as a fundamental right, which must be guaranteed by the health system when: the continuation of the pregnancy constitutes a danger to the life or health of the woman, there is an incompatibility of the fetus with life, or the pregnancy is the result of sexual violence, duly reported.