Journal of Education & Social Policy

Sexuality in Graduate Curricula: Education, Integration, and Implication for Social Work
Jane James, JD, MSW

Abstract
Despite being fundamental to the biopsychosocial construct, human sexuality has been deprived its rightful place in graduate social work education. Particularly glaring in the face of a national shift toward inclusivity, accreditation standards and the NASW Code of Ethics have done little to foster a deeper understanding and appreciation for this basic human concept. Accordingly, this paper seeks to harness a pedagogy of difference - an approach which aims to educate and provide a compass for the competent practice of social work - to provide vigorous advocacy for the argument that sexuality education be included in graduate social work curricula. The history of sexuality will be discussed, followed by a proposal to adopt an intersectionality paradigm to integrate sexuality education into the MSW curricula.

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