Erotic diversity and sexual health in Chile: invisibility, stigma, and insights from BDSM/kink communities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56116/cms.v66.n1.2026.2517Keywords:
Sexual health, Sexology, Gender diversity, Sexual and gender minorities, Perceived discrimination, Sexual behaviorAbstract
This article examines the tensions between sexual diversity and healthcare in Chile, within the framework of a comparative doctoral study with Spain on the experiences and sexual well-being of BDSM/kink practitioners. Using a quantitative, cross-sectional, and exploratory design, the study analyzed sociodemographic variables, sexual practices, community belonging, experiences of discrimination, and sexual satisfaction. Findings reveal a high diversity of gender identities and sexual orientations within BDSM/kink communities, alongside elevated exposure to discrimination in healthcare settings, particularly among non-binary, queer, and bisexual individuals. Community belonging emerged as a psychosocial protective factor, while the lack of professional training and institutional bias reinforced stigma and barriers to healthcare access. The study concludes that Chilean public health must incorporate critical and intersectional sexological frameworks, strengthening education on sexual diversity and developing inclusive clinical environments that recognize erotic diversity as part of the right to health and of both individual and collective sexual well-being.
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