David Satcher
Dr. David Satcher is one of the great sexual thinkers of the last 50 years.
He's most well known for serving as the 10th Assistant Secretary for Health and the 16th Surgeon General of the United States under both the Clinton and Bush Administrations.
In 2001, as Surgeon General, Dr. Satcher released The Call to Action to Promote Sexual Health and Responsible Sexual Behavior.
It was the only Call to Action in the history of the Surgeon General's Office that was not approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
The Call to Action contained three major points:
• There is a great need for comprehensive sex education and this sex education should take place in the home, at school, churches and other settings where people live and work together.
Parents should be the primary sexuality educator; however parents are not always prepared with the knowledge and emotional skills needed to provide the sex education needed.
Sex education needs to be comprehensive.
This includes discussions about abstinence and its importance.
It should also include information about how to protect oneself and partners if sexually active.
Evidence of establishment of sexual orientation occurs by adolescence.
There is no scientific evidence that sexual orientation can be changed.
This creates the need for appreciation of diversity in sexual orientation.
The Call to Action also discussed the critical importance of the availability of sexual and reproductive health services for all and throughout the United States.
Health care providers must be trained in the area of sexuality so they can better serve their patients.
When Dr. Satcher published The Call to Action to Promote Sexual Health and Responsible Sexual Behavior he was asked to resign.
He is currently the Director of the National Center for Primary Care at the Morehouse School of Medicine where he has continued his work and advocacy on behalf of comprehensive sexuality education.
At Morehouse he has founded the Satcher Health Leadership Institute and the Center of Excellence for Sexual Health to continue his work.
Dr. Satcher knew he was risking his position as Surgeon General by releasing his Call to Action.
The fact that he stood his ground and felt getting the information to the public about the need for sexuality education was more important that his job makes him a great sexual thinker.
Dr. Satcher started a national dialogue about these issues that still continue today and he has made an incredible contribution to sexuality education as whole in this country.
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