NASTAD Endorses Power, Pleasure, and Equity Principles
Substantial scientific and biomedical progress has been made over the last few decades in addressing HIV, STIs, and intersecting epidemics. While clinical approaches and disease prevention and management are important, it is imperative to prioritize whole-person approaches that are holistic and engage communities with humility and long-term commitments. It is essential to address societal, cultural, and economic factors that can contribute to the health outcomes of communities most vulnerable to or impacted by these epidemics.
The Power, Pleasure, and Equity (PPE) Principles, developed by the National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD) and partners, is a set of guiding principles focused on improving the sexual health of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) in the United States. The nine PPE Principles focus on prioritizing the sexual health and wellness of GBM and ensuring that these efforts are well-resourced, pleasure-centered, focused on equity and justice, community-driven, and intersectional. The principles highlight and focus on the following topics:
- Centering pleasure and dismantling stigma and shame around sexual practices
- Embracing equity in program development and delivery
- Advocating for social justice and fighting against discriminatory policies and regulations
- Centering communities
- Providing culturally competent resources and services
- Embracing emerging talent and encouraging leadership development
- Earning and sustaining trust by being transparent and consistent
- Informing and educating stakeholders about these principles in an endearing and effective manner
The PPE Principles were developed in August 2022 in Rochester, MA. The NCSD MAC Committee held a convening with a goal to develop a vision and guiding principles focused on improving the sexual health of GBM in the U.S. Participants at the convening included NASTAD staff and members and national leaders in sexual health. NCSD and partners call on health departments, federal agencies, community-based organizations (CBOs), health care providers, research institutions, and other stakeholders to endorse these principles and implement them in research projects and program design and delivery efforts. NASTAD is honored to endorse these principles and encourages NASTAD partners and members to follow suit. To endorse the principles, click here.
“Every endorsement is a commitment to provide sexual health services by, for, and with GBM, that are directly informed by and reflected within by the tenets laid out in this living document.” – NCSD
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