Healthy Individuals, Communities Theme of Annual Sex Conference
May 30, 2013 - News Release
The Guelph Sexuality Conference, Canada’s largest and longest-running sexual health forum, will take place June 6 and 7 in the University of Guelph’s Rozanski Hall.
The 35th annual conference will bring together more than 200 researchers, health-care workers, therapists, students, social workers and other health professionals from across North America.
This year’s program offers plenary speakers, panel presentations and discussions under the theme “Fostering Sexual Health: Individuals and Communities.”
Topics will include sexuality and seniors, sexuality and disabilities, the influence of social media on sexual development, and creating healthy sexual environments.
“The sexuality conference continues to expand and break new ground, thanks to the University’s commitment to being innovative and forward-thinking,” said Prof. Robin Milhausen, conference program chair and a professor and sexuality researcher at U of G.
A panel presentation on supporting gender-independent children will take place June 6, 9:15 a.m. Moderator Cory Silverberg teaches sex and disability, sex and technology, and pleasure, inclusion, and access. He is writing a children’s book series on sexuality.
At 3 p.m., Tristan Taormino, one of the most sought-after sex educators in North America, will speak on how fringe sexualities are moving into the mainstream.
On June 7, Lucia O’Sullivan, a Canada Research Chair in Adolescents’ Sexual Health Behaviours and a University of New Brunswick psychology professor, will discuss the sexual socialization of youth at 9:15 a.m.
A complete listing of conference sessions is available online.
A clinical update program on sexually transmitted infections (STIs) will run June 6. This daylong workshop series for nurses, doctors and other public health professionals will discuss new STI treatment and management, including contraception.
Beginning May 27, a five-day intensive sex therapy training program will provide training in sex counselling and therapy for practising clinicians and graduate students. More information is available online.
The Guelph Sexuality Conference is open only to registrants and the media. To obtain media passes, email sexconf@OpenEd.uoguelph.ca. A media registration table will be set up during the event.
The event is sponsored by the Department of Family Relations and Applied Nutrition and the Office of Open Learning and Educational Support.
For media questions, contact Communications and Public Affairs: Lori Bona Hunt, 519-824-4120, Ext. 53338, lhunt@uoguelph.ca; or Kevin Gonsalves, Ext. 56982, kgonsalves@uoguelph.ca.
