This last weekend, the Sexual Health Alliance welcomed not one, not two but nine experts in the field of sex and sexuality. From doing some sex educational sight-seeing in Europe to immersing in the sexuality politicals of Latin America, our journey around the world was unquestionably eye-opening.
Day One: Saturday, April 1st
On the first day, we jumped right to Europe and met with BodySex facilitators from all over the continent. Céline Manon in Germany, Almudena Ferrer in Spain, Jessica Adams in Austria, and Beatrice Bast in Switzerland. Leading the panel with these amazing women was yet another BodySex coach, SHA’s Director of Operations, Jenn Rhaner! Jenn asked our European panelists to define and discuss what sex education and legislation look like in their country, but also how positively the culture views sex and sexuality.
Afterward, we heard from Dr. Justin Lehmiller’s friend, Jeff Mannes, who is located in Berlin, Germany. Jeff wowed us with a presentation on the history of Pup Play and its traceable timeline throughout Germany and Europe. An hour before we got to lunch, Dr. Justin Lehmiller – with his incomparably informative presentation– got everyone to think about the importance of study abroad sexuality courses. It wasn’t the first time that sexual diversity was discussed at an SHA sexceptional weekend, but no doubt that it was never formulated in such an instructional manner. The value of experiential learning was brought up constantly as we explored the cross-cultural differences in sexuality and recognized how immersive cultural experiences can help increase our holistic awareness in the field. With SHA’s Amsterdam and Berlin study abroad trips coming up, hearing these details only got us more excited!
After the lunch break, Dr. Lehiller introduced us to the notable comparisons in sex laws, sex work, sex education, and LGBTQIA+ history between the Netherlands and the U.S. The differences were both shocking and celebratory as we dived deeper into the legalities of how the Dutch laws support sex workers and the scholastic resources– “Long Live Love” –they provide to cater to the need for comprehensive sex education from an early age. Dr. Lehmiller further highlighted the current conditions of the famous “sex extravaganza urban space” or the Red Light District. As the Dutch government is trying to turn the district into a “homely” neighborhood, sex businesses and sex workers are strongly protesting against it as it negatively impacts their personal income and livelihood. During the Q&A, the scope of sex education and the legalization of sex work in the U.S. was further reviewed, and a slow yet promising conclusion to that ended our first day!
Day Two: Sunday, April 2nd
The second day started began with Dr. Jolene Brighten, a hormone expert and thought leader in women’s medication, discussing the endocrine disrupters (think BPA) that you may not have been aware of and, especially, how these disrupters can affect the sexual health of BIPOC individuals. Located in Puerto Rico, Dr. Brighten transitioned from her expertise in endocrinology into the current state of birth control and sex education in her country.
Post-lunch, Dr. Fabiola Trejo had us in a trance with her Pleasure Gap research in Mexico. Her line of research on masturbation, the double standards of patriarchy, and the misconceptions of pleasure scripts started off a multitude of gripping discussions with questions like “Who has the right to receive intimacy and pleasure?” Further, as we engaged with Dr. Trejo’s evidence, we acknowledged that orgasms, especially for female-bodied individuals, have become political. Nevertheless, the talk had a more hopeful finish on intimate justice– Let’s help create a fair, more dignified world for every sexual person around the globe!
After taking a quick stretch, Dr. Raffaella Di Girólamo took us on an empowering tour of pleasure and sexuality in Chile. Being a Bodysex facilitator, she also brought up interesting perspectives on engaging with pleasure in our daily lives with different workshops on body, emotions, and sexual anatomy. The emphasis was on understanding how to navigate and channel the feelings our body feels when it finds pleasure, intimacy and security. In the second half of the tour, topics like sexual abuse and PTSD were addressed as
Dr. Girólamo shared a few inspiring stories of trauma survivors. The political climate of Chile was also referenced throughout her talk as it plays a primary role in the lack of comprehensive sex education and an abundance of education that focuses on prevention than pleasure.
This SHA sexceptional weekend, like all the previous ones, launched the most engaging and inspirational discussions from around the world. The conference wouldn’t be what it was without our amazing presenters, and attendees. Thank for your active participation and your wholesome presence throughout the weekend. As we aim to give you the most authentic and creative dialogues on sexual health and pleasure, we hope you continue to listen and learn! Wondering about the next sexceptional weekend? Check out SHA’s upcoming events to find out more.
Written by Shreya Tomar and Shelby Lueders.