“To me, sex positivity is not a blind enthusiasm for sex. It’s a recognition that people have the right to discover their own sexuality without the fear of being judged. It’s an understanding that there is a wide range of opinions on how much and what kind of sex is good, and that there are very few objective truths when it comes to sex. It means wrestling with society’s strict standards and harmful social policing. It calls us to provide spaces where people can feel comfortable learning about sex, anatomy, and reproductive health without feeling embarrassed. Most importantly, it means that if everyone involved is safe and enthusiastically consenting, you can do whatever the fuck you want. And nobody should judge you for that.”

Grace, CSPH Social Media Intern, Spring 2013

[Part of our weekly Sex Positive Saturday series! Visit http://thecsph.tumblr.com for more, or to submit your own definitions.]

“Sex positivity means feeling that what you enjoy doing sexually is not wrong. This means that you do not have to be ashamed and guilty about something that you and a partner may enjoy doing. It allows sexual exploration and can allow for great pleasure.”

Hannah, CSPH Programming and Outreach Intern, Spring 2013

[Part of our weekly Sex Positive Saturday series! Visit http://thecsph.tumblr.com for more, or to submit your own definitions.]

“Sex positivity is an ideology which celebrates the healthy and pleasurable aspects of our sexuality. Sex positivity encourages acceptance, tolerance, openness, and honesty regarding various views, behaviors, and issues of sexuality. However, sex positivity to me is more than just an abstract feminist philosophical theory. Sex positivity to me is a way of life. For far too long, I’ve lived under the strictest misogynistic laws in arguably the world’s most patriarchal country, Saudi Arabia. Sexual repression is the culture there. Gender segregation laws are enforced, with the goal of discouraging any interaction between unrelated persons of the opposite sex. Because of this ban on dating, marriages are all pre-arranged. Pre-marital sex and adultery are crimes subject to severe punishment, including lashes and a lengthy prison sentence. Homosexuality is punishable by death by decapitation, and even rape victims are treated as criminals. Growing up in such a sexually repressive society, I was forced to adhere to the strict dress code by covering my hair and body, thus feeling like I was being censored for simply being who I am…a woman. I yearned to be a free woman. Being a free woman to me means being able to express myself, without fear of harmful repercussions. Sex positivity stands for everything I believe in, and being sex positive is my way of rebelling against the idea that society sets arbitrarystandards for what’s considered acceptable regarding our sexual views, attitudes, and behaviors. Being sex positive allows me to understand why I am the way I am. Being sex positive not only helped me rebel against patriarchy, it also helped me find meaning in my life by understanding where I come from, why I am here now, and what I can offer the world tomorrow.”

Leila, CSPH Education Intern, Spring 2013

[Part of our weekly Sex Positive Saturday series! Visit http://thecsph.tumblr.com for more, or to submit your own definitions.]

“To me, sex-positivity refers to attitudes or actions that celebrate sexuality rather than try to conceal it. It encourages open sexual communication between partners, families, and friends, supports universal access to comprehensive and accurate sex education materials, and attempts to dispel unnecessary feelings of shame or embarrassment around sexual issues. Rather than focus on negative aspects of sex, sexuality, and sexual expression, sex-positivity reminds us that sexual pleasure and consensual sexual activities are healthy, normal parts of life, and should be embraced rather than hidden.”

Jenn, CSPH Programming and Outreach Intern, Spring 2013

[Part of our weekly Sex Positive Saturday series! Visit http://thecsph.tumblr.com for more, or to submit your own definitions.]

“To me, sex positivity is grounded in the importance of pleasure and consent. It embraces the weird and wild spectrum of human sexuality by encouraging people to explore their kinks and sexual proclivities in a way that is safe and consensual. Personally, the sex positive movement offers a refreshing counter-point to a culture that insists on using shame to police our sexual choices and marginalizes sexual experiences that venture outside a narrow script.”

Cait, CSPH Education Intern, Spring 2013

[Part of our weekly Sex Positive Saturday series! Visit http://thecsph.tumblr.com for more, or to submit your own definitions.]

“To me, being sex positive means being comfortable with yourself sexually, meaning that you are comfortable with the idea of having sex and discussing sex with your partner(s). By extension this can mean a lack of shyness related to sex, however it does not always.”

Devin, CSPH Social Media Intern, Fall 2012

[Part of our weekly Sex Positive Saturday series! Visit http://thecsph.tumblr.com for more, or to submit your own definitions.]

“The sex-positive movement is about embracing sex as a beautiful and pleasurable act. It is about respecting individuals enough to honor their preferences rather than judge them. It is about being open to new experiences, both intellectually and in practice. That being said, the sex positive movement is not a free-for-all. Its goals more than anything are of education, safety, and empowerment. Being sex positive means ensuring that our youth can make informed sexual decisions by providing them with age-appropriate, comprehensive sexual education. It means that discussions related to sex and sexuality are no longer pushed to hushed corners of conferences rooms, doctors’ offices, and bedrooms. And it means that men and women are empowered to experience the pleasure they deserve, both in the bedroom and out.”

Kaitlyn, CSPH Education Intern, Fall 2012

[Part of our weekly Sex Positive Saturday series! Visit http://thecsph.tumblr.com for more, or to submit your own definitions.]

“Sex Positivity means to practice, encourage, and share the importance of safe sex, shameless sexual exploration, communication, acceptance and pleasure. Being sex positive means one is open to being honest about what they need from their partner(s) in order to receive the best sexual experience, and are giving their partner(s) the same opportunity for transparency and honesty.”

Whitney, CSPH Education Intern, Fall 2012

[Part of our weekly Sex Positive Saturday series! Visit http://thecsph.tumblr.com for more, or to submit your own definitions.]

“I hated condoms before. Now, I love using them.”“Having sex wearing a condom can actually even feel better than wearing no condom at all.”“I’ve never had a problem with condoms, but when I found the one I loved, it became an added bonus instead of just a method of protection.”“I found a favorite condom from the review that I would have never tried because I probably wouldn’t have strayed from my usual brand.”“I found out that there are also condoms that can be pleasant to use :)”“I thought that most condoms were the same. That’s so not true! And they aren’t all that bad, if you choose the right style.” THESE ARE THE KINDS OF TESTIMONIALS COMING OUT OF Lucky Bloke’s MISSION: GREAT SEX!  And they really, really need your help to reach their goal: FREE premium, custom-fitted condoms sent across the country, proving that sexual health and sexual pleasure don’t need to be mutually exclusive - and that condoms really aren’t just one-size or one-brand-fits-all.Please consider donating - even just $5 - at http://indiegogo.com/missiongreatsex (Where you can also find more information on the project!) And even if you can’t give, please, PLEASE share and reblog this post. It only takes a second, and we endorse this project 100%.

“I hated condoms before. Now, I love using them.”

“Having sex wearing a condom can actually even feel better than wearing no condom at all.”

“I’ve never had a problem with condoms, but when I found the one I loved, it became an added bonus instead of just a method of protection.”

“I found a favorite condom from the review that I would have never tried because I probably wouldn’t have strayed from my usual brand.”

“I found out that there are also condoms that can be pleasant to use :)”

“I thought that most condoms were the same. That’s so not true! And they aren’t all that bad, if you choose the right style.”

THESE ARE THE KINDS OF TESTIMONIALS COMING OUT OF Lucky Bloke’s MISSION: GREAT SEX! 

And they really, really need your help to reach their goal: FREE premium, custom-fitted condoms sent across the country, proving that sexual health and sexual pleasure don’t need to be mutually exclusive - and that condoms really aren’t just one-size or one-brand-fits-all.

Please consider donating - even just $5 - at http://indiegogo.com/missiongreatsex (Where you can also find more information on the project!)

And even if you can’t give, please, PLEASE share and reblog this post. It only takes a second, and we endorse this project 100%.

Apply to intern at The Center For Sexual Pleasure And Health!

Applications are now up! We offer a variety of perks (including free trainings, workshops, resources, connections, & sex toys for review - wonderful for anyone looking to enter the field of sex education and/or advocacy), and work to make this an internship that isn’t just about fetching coffee or taking orders. Everyone has important duties, works together as part of our team, and we welcome new ideas, innovations, and feedback that helps improve our operation as an organization! All applications are due on August 10th - we cannot accept late applications. 

Please help share! We are so excited about adding a new batch of fall interns - local OR distance - to our team!