Men’s Sexual Health: The Most Ignored Part of Male Wellbeing

November is Male Health Awareness Month

We’ll hear about prostates. Testicular exams. Cholesterol. Blood pressure. All valid. All important. But once again, one crucial part of male wellbeing remains conspicuously absent: sexual health.

Desire, confidence, intimacy. The ability to feel close, to enjoy one’s own body, to share pleasure without fear or pressure. These are not luxuries. They are core components of emotional and relational health. Yet they remain heavily stigmatized and under-addressed — even during a month supposedly dedicated to men’s health.

The Blind Spot in Men’s Health

Sexuality is deeply intertwined with male identity and emotional wellbeing, but it remains the quietest part of the conversation. Far too often, I see men walk into my office who have already tried to bring up these struggles with their general practitioners, urologists, or other medical professionals — only to be quickly dismissed, minimized, or redirected.

They describe being met with comments like: “It’s in your head.” “It happens to everyone.” “You’re too young for this.” Or worse: no real conversation at all. This medical "discharge" leaves many men feeling lost, ashamed, and unsure where to turn next. By the time they arrive in therapy, they’ve often spent months, if not years, silently carrying the weight of anxiety, disappointment, and self-doubt.

And yet, none of these struggles are unusual. Erectile fluctuations. Ejaculation difficulties. Loss of desire. Anxiety around performance. Relationship tensions linked to sexuality. These are common, widespread experiences — not pathologies. The real problem isn’t that men experience these challenges. The problem is that they are so often left alone with them.

The Performance Myth That Fuels Silence

For generations, men have been handed a rigid script: Be strong. Be in control. Always perform. Sex is reduced to a task, a demonstration of virility, where intimacy takes a backseat to results.

When sexual experiences become measured only by performance, the natural ups and downs of desire feel dangerous. If something shifts, if an erection doesn’t appear on demand, if desire feels absent for a while — many men don’t know how to make sense of it. The fear of failing quickly morphs into shame. And shame, by nature, isolates.

This is not about dysfunction. It’s about the emotional toll of carrying expectations that leave no room for nuance, fluctuation, or human complexity.

Sexual Wellbeing Is Emotional Wellbeing

We still talk about sexual health as if it lives purely in the body. But any professional who works in this field will tell you: sexual confidence is built as much in the mind as in the body.

Desire, arousal, satisfaction — these are deeply influenced by self-esteem, stress levels, relationship dynamics, communication skills, past experiences, and unresolved emotions. When sexual wellbeing is ignored, it quietly chips away at confidence, intimacy, and overall life satisfaction.

Ignoring this piece of male health doesn’t just affect sex; it impacts men’s ability to feel connected, present, and fulfilled in every area of their lives. It contributes to loneliness, relationship breakdowns, avoidance behaviors, and even wider mental health struggles. Yet it remains one of the least supported areas in both medical care and public conversation.

Why Most Men Don’t Know Where to Turn

For many men, traditional therapy still feels intimidating. Medical professionals often lack the time or specialized training to engage deeply with sexual concerns. And most social environments still default to humor, deflection, or surface-level conversations that don’t allow space for honest vulnerability.

Where, then, can men turn to express something as simple and as human as: “I don’t feel at ease with my sexuality right now.” Most have no answer to that question. And so, they stay silent.

We Need to Expand the Definition of Male Health

Male Health Awareness Month is an opportunity to do better. Yes, we should continue checking prostates and cholesterol levels. But we also need to finally acknowledge that a man’s health is not complete if his sexual wellbeing remains unspoken, stigmatized, or minimized.

This is not about labeling men as patients or problems to be fixed. It’s about offering them real tools, language, and safe spaces to explore questions they were never encouraged to ask. It’s about creating environments where vulnerability isn’t seen as weakness, but as a necessary part of wellbeing.

A New Approach: Creating Safe Spaces for Male Sexual Health

This is exactly why I created Edge — because far too many men have been left without a safe, judgment-free space to explore their desires, their doubts, and their emotional relationship to sexuality.

EDGE offers structured, private, emotionally intelligent support that meets men where they are. Not with simplistic “fixes” or performance hacks, but with real opportunities to reflect, learn, and reconnect with themselves. Because sexual wellbeing is not a performance to optimize. It’s a relationship to nurture — with oneself and with others.

What You Can Do — Starting This Month

If any of this resonates with you, let Male Health Awareness Month be your invitation to take one small step forward.

Schedule that medical appointment you’ve been postponing.Start a real, honest conversation with your partner about how you’re feeling. Pause the bravado. Choose sincerity.Reflect on how stress, lifestyle, and emotions may be shaping your experience of desire.

Consider working with a sex therapist to explore these questions with support and guidance. Or simply begin exploring Edge — a space designed specifically to support men on this journey, discreetly and without judgment.

Let’s stop leaving sexual health in the shadows. Let’s finally include it in the conversation about what it means to be healthy.

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I’m Rachael—sex therapist, coach, and the person who’s going to help you fully experience your sex life. Whether you’re unlearning old beliefs, facing a sexual dysfunction, struggling with intimacy, or just ready to stop holding back, I’m here to guide you.

​Sessions are available online, via private message, by phone, or in-person in Toulouse.