Talk by Joona Räsänen
Could sexual services count as healthcare?
Abstract
Many healthcare systems increasingly emphasize not only the prevention and treatment of disease but also the promotion of overall well-being and human flourishing. At the same time, research suggests that sexual (in)activity can affect our health. Sex benefits mental and physical health, whereas lack of it can reduce well-being. Despite this, healthcare systems do not normally consider a lack of sexual intimacy a health issue, nor do they provide access to sexual services as a potential remedy. I ask whether sexual services could be classified as a form of healthcare and outline an argument for it. The argument illustrates the possible roles that philosophers can take in bioethical debates, as well as the strangeness of their claims and methods.
Date: March 5, 2026
Time 10.15-12.00
Place: University of Southern Denmark
Room: U92
Registration: It is not necessary to register
If you have any question about the talk please contact Naja Rathje Lennert: nle@sdu.dk
About Joona Räsänen
Joona Räsänen is a Senior Research Fellow at Turku Institute for Advanced Studies. Räsänen is a philosopher working in applied ethics and bioethics. His current project is titled FETISH – Fairness and Equality in Technological Impact on Sexual Health. Räsänen is an editorial board member of the Journal of Medical Ethics, Bioethics and BMC Medical Ethics and a regional editor for the JME Practical Bioethics. He has held research positions in Aarhus University and University of Oslo before.