Vision Statement:
To advance sexual wellbeing through a diverse professional community where clinical and research excellence converge, fostering collaborative innovation that enhances care for clients, patients, and society.
Mission Statement:
We equip sexuality professionals at all career stages through knowledge-sharing, mentorship, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and community-building— bridging research and clinical practice to advance the field with integrity and inclusivity.
Values:
To achieve our mission, we are steadfastly guided by these core values, presented in alphabetical order:
Collaboration: We connect multidisciplinary leaders in sex research, therapy, and medicine to promote collaboration and innovation.
Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity: We individually and collectively work to:
⚬ Foster an equitable, diverse, and inclusive environment in both sex therapy and research free from discrimination of any kind.
⚬ Acknowledge diversity across sexual behavior, sexual preference, sexual expression, gender identity, relationship status, relationship structure, age, ability, socio-economic status, race, ethnicity, religion, political viewpoint, cultural and national background.
⚬ Support meaningful and safe engagement with individuals and groups whose research and clinical practice have historically been underrepresented.
Excellence: We promote excellence in research, scientifically supported treatment approaches, and best practice in sex therapy and research.
Freedom of Expression: We welcome and encourage diverse opinions, thoughts, and topics that are grounded in SSTAR’s values, including those that may generate controversy, and support open, thoughtful, and civil discourse.
Innovation: We encourage curious and thoughtful exploration of novel and diverse ideas, approaches, and research programs.
Professional Conduct: We uphold the highest standards of ethics and professional conduct in research and clinical practice and expect members to follow the codes of conduct specific to their discipline and that of SSTAR.
Respect and Dignity: We assume the right of all individuals to be treated with respect and dignity, including those with whom we disagree.
Teaching and Mentorship: We support teaching and mentoring of students, trainees, and early career professionals by providing opportunities for training and advancement within the field for members at all career levels, while recognizing and addressing particular barriers by historically disadvantaged groups.