Private space or place
Hear this word Private space or place
Image description: Behind the closed door is a private space
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What Is It?
Private spaces and places are for a person or for people to use alone without anyone else in the space. In a private space or place, anyone who is not involved in the activity is not invited or allowed to be in the space.
Sexual activities are only for specific private spaces or places like your bedroom. Make sure it’s just you in the bedroom or only you and your partner(s).
Sometimes, a personal care attendant might be in and out of a private space or place to provide support or for safety reasons. People who provide support in private spaces or places must respect the boundaries, consent, and bodily autonomy of the people they are supporting and their partners.
An Example
If Phoenix wants to masturbate, she must go to a private place like her bedroom or her bathroom where no one else is. If Phoenix wants to have sex with her partner, they must go to a private place such as her bedroom where no one else is and close the door.
What to Know
Every glossary word connects to different parts of the Sexuality Wheel. Explore the information below to learn more.
- A private place might be a bedroom or a bathroom in someone’s home or residential site where no one else is.
- A recreation room with windows where people can see you is not a private place.
- School buildings are not private places. Parks, shopping stores, public transportation, or anywhere in a town or a city is not a private place. The bathroom in parks or public buildings is not a private place.
- Sometimes people think being alone in a room with a camera phone or a laptop is still a “private place.” The internet is not a private place. If someone can see you doing sexual activities through a camera or if you send or receive sexy or naked pictures on a phone, these are not private places.
- Phones, computers, and cameras are not private places. People might be able to see you or what you are doing.
- If people share spaces like a bedroom with another person who is not a romantic partner, then it is important to communicate about boundaries and privacy. Everyone deserves privacy sometimes, including for sexual activities, so it is important to be fair and kind during these conversations. Sometimes staff and other support people can help with these conversations.
Think about
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What did you learn about private places?
To learn more, explore websites, books, and other resources in the Resource Hub or visit other parts of Your Sexual Health Toolkit like our online game, Our Stories, Our Journeys: A Sexual Health Game!
What questions do you have?
Write down or record an audio note with any questions you have to ask someone you trust. You may also find answers to your questions by using websites, books, and other resources in the Resource Hub.