Austrian Society for Sexologies

The Österreichische Gesellschaft für Sexualwissenschaften (ÖGS), known in English as the Austrian Society for Sexologies, is an interdisciplinary, non-denominational, politically unaffiliated and non-profit association of Austrian sexologists. It was founded in 1979 by Ernest Borneman under the name Österreichische Gesellschaft für Sexualforschung (Austrian Society for Sex Research) and renamed to its current title by resolution of the general assembly on 2 March 2015. The society describes itself as a platform for Austrian experts in sexual and relationship sciences, offering education and information in the fields of sex education (Sexualpädagogik), sex counselling (Sexualberatung), sex therapy (Sexualtherapie) and Trans*Gender. The ÖGS positions itself within a partly forgotten Austrian sexological tradition and pursues the deepening and dissemination of sexological knowledge and its adjacent fields. Its stated tasks include research in relationship and sexual sciences, research and training in sex counselling and sex therapy, research and training in sex education, promotion of sexological research initiatives, integration of sexology into universities and universities of applied sciences, inclusion of sexological findings in school curricula, education about psychosexual development of children and adolescents, safeguarding the human right to comprehensive sexual self-determination from birth to death, promotion of sexual development and health (salutogenesis), research on sexual behaviour in the context of new media, public relations to reduce sex-negative attitudes, combating sexual prejudice and discrimination (including against sex workers and sexual minorities), opposing sexually motivated censorship, promoting women-specific and emancipatory initiatives, and advocacy for contraception and family planning. It also engages in gender research, sexological expert opinions and expert activity in politics, society and media. Organizationally, the ÖGS is a partner organization of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sexualforschung (DGfS) and is itself a member of the European Federation of Sexology (EFS) and the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS). Its members work in various university and non-university institutions and come from fields including sex counselling and sex therapy, psychotherapy, medicine, psychology, pedagogy, sociology, law, social and cultural sciences, theology, social work and nursing science, alongside interested politicians and engaged individuals. The society's training arm, the ÖGS Sexualakademie, is a continuing-education institute offering modular curricula in the fields of sexualities and relationship worlds: the basic curriculum Sexuologische Basiskompetenzen, followed by advanced curricula in Sexualpädagogik, Sexualberatung, Sexualtherapie and Trans*Gender. All curricula are certified by the ÖGS, with the Sexuologische Basiskompetenzen and Sexualtherapie curricula recognized by the DGfS. Since 2004 the ÖGS has also run the event series "Forum Sexualität", organized as public podium discussions with experts. Current board members include Johannes Wahala (President), Helmut Graupner and Sandra Gathmann (Co-Presidents), Wolfgang Wilhelm (Secretary General), Sabine Ziegelwanger (Deputy Secretary General), Ramanie Ramalingam (co-opted member for ÖGS-West), Clemens Hammer (co-opted member for the continuing-education committee), and auditors Dieter Schmutzer and Thomas Fröhlich. Former board members include founder Ernest Borneman (chair 1979–1985), Gudrun Hauer (1992–1996) and Rotraud A. Perner (1996–2002, now honorary member).

The Österreichische Gesellschaft für Sexualwissenschaften was founded in 1979 by Ernest Borneman as the Österreichische Gesellschaft für Sexualforschung (Austrian Society for Sex Research). Borneman, an Austrian sexologist and author, served as its chair from 1979 to 1985. The society was conceived as an interdisciplinary, non-denominational, politically unaffiliated and non-profit association of Austrian sexologists, with the aim of deepening and disseminating knowledge in the sexological sciences and their adjacent fields. In doing so, it explicitly invoked the Austrian sexological tradition, which had partly fallen into oblivion. Leadership passed to Gudrun Hauer, who chaired the society from 1992 to 1996, and then to Rotraud A. Perner, who chaired it from 1996 to 2002 and remained a third chair until 2004; Perner is now an honorary member. Helga Ratzenböck served as deputy secretary general until 2008, and Peter Poszvek as deputy finance officer until 2008; Thomas Fröhlich was finance officer until 2008. In 2004 the society launched the event series "Forum Sexualität", conceived as public podium discussions with experts, aimed at engaging with various areas concerning sexuality. The society also developed a training arm, the ÖGS Sexualakademie, a continuing-education institute offering modular curricula in the fields of sexualities and relationship worlds. These comprise the basic curriculum Sexuologische Basiskompetenzen and, building on it, curricula in Sexualpädagogik, Sexualberatung, Sexualtherapie and Trans*Gender. All curricula are certified by the ÖGS, and the Sexuologische Basiskompetenzen and Sexualtherapie curricula are recognized by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sexualforschung (DGfS). By resolution of the general assembly on 2 March 2015, the society renamed itself from Österreichische Gesellschaft für Sexualforschung to Österreichische Gesellschaft für Sexualwissenschaften, shifting the emphasis in its name from "sex research" to "sexologies" or "sexual sciences". The English name Austrian Society for Sexologies corresponds to this current title. Institutionally, the ÖGS is a partner organization of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sexualforschung (DGfS) and is itself a member of the European Federation of Sexology (EFS) and the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS). Its membership spans university and non-university institutions and disciplines including sex counselling and sex therapy, psychotherapy, medicine, psychology, pedagogy, sociology, law, social and cultural sciences, theology, social work and nursing science, as well as interested politicians and engaged individuals committed to an emancipatory, anxiety-reducing and autonomy-promoting sexology and sex education. In the 2020s the society continues to run its academy and event programme. Its website lists current activities such as the fixing of dates for the Sexuologische Basiskompetenzen 2027, a curriculum on the diversity of gender variations for 2026/2027, and a fully booked Sexualpädagogik curriculum for 2026, alongside statements and publications. The current board is led by President Johannes Wahala, with Helmut Graupner and Sandra Gathmann as co-presidents and Wolfgang Wilhelm as secretary general.

• 2015

  General assembly resolution of 2 March 2015 renames the society from Sexualforschung to Sexualwissenschaften.

• 2004

  Launch of the event series "Forum Sexualität" as public expert podium discussions.

• 1996

  Rotraud A. Perner begins chairmanship (1996–2002; third chair until 2004).

• 1992

  Gudrun Hauer begins chairmanship (1992–1996).

• 1985

  End of Ernest Borneman's chairmanship (1979–1985).

• 1979

  Founded by Ernest Borneman as Österreichische Gesellschaft für Sexualforschung (Austrian Society for Sex Research).

Interdisciplinary, non-denominational, politically unaffiliated, non-profit association and training platform for Austrian sexologists, rooted in the Austrian sexological tradition.

• Sexuologische Basiskompetenzen

  Basic curriculum imparting sound foundational knowledge in human sexuality; prerequisite for the advanced curricula in Sexualpädagogik, Sexualberatung and Sexualtherapie. Recognized by the DGfS.

• Curriculum Sexualpädagogik

  Advanced curriculum in sex education, building on the basic competencies.

• Curriculum Sexualberatung

  Advanced curriculum in sex counselling, building on the basic competencies.

• Curriculum Sexualtherapie

  Advanced curriculum in sex therapy, building on the basic competencies; recognized by the DGfS.

• Curriculum Trans*Gender

  Advanced curriculum in the field of Trans*Gender.

• Curriculum "Vielfalt von Geschlechtsvariationen"

  Continuing-education curriculum on the diversity of gender variations, offered for 2026/2027.

1. 1ÖGS - Homeoegs.or.at
2. 2Wikidata: Austrian Society For Sexologieswikidata.org
3. 3Wikipedia (de): Österreichische Gesellschaft für Sexualwissenschaftende.wikipedia.org