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Tenets of being sex positive

RECENTLY, I WAS THINKING ABOUT WHAT MAKES FOR A POSITIVE SEXUAL EXPERIENCE – AND AFTER CONSULTING WITH FRIENDS AND SOME QUICK ONLINE SEARCHING I SETTLED ON FOUR PILLARS, OR TENETS, OF SEXUAL POSITIVITY: HONESTY & OPENNESS, INDIVIDUALITY OF DESIRE, CONSENT, SAFETY. I FEEL AS THOUGH THESE ARE THE FOUR CORE PILLARS OF A HEALTHY AND POSITIVE SEXUAL FUTURE.

HONESTY & OPENNESS:

Sex should be freedom! Honesty and openness are so critical to a positive sexual experience. All sexual partners have the right to express their wants and needs with safety and without judgement. We should all have the right to know about our own, and any partners’ health status, as well as wants and needs in the bedroom! (Or anywhere else)!

INDIVIDUALITY OF DESIRE:

Don’t slut-shame people! Some people want lots of sex, with lots of different people, sometimes at the same time and that’s okay! Some people don’t want any sex, at all, ever, and that’s okay too! We all have unique interests and lifestyles, and these should be celebrated, not looked down upon! If someone is happy and safe, why does it even matter?

CONSENT:

Everyone has the right to refuse a sexual act, encounter or experience and everyone has the right to retract consent at any point for any reason! No one should feel they do not have control (unless a discussion about this act has happened beforehand!) or that they are being taken advantage of!

SAFETY:

Everyone has the right to play out their wants, needs and fantasies in a safe and meaningful way! Everyone has the right to request someone uses protection when engaging in a sexual encounter! Everyone has the right to feel safe at all points during a sexual experience and to take that away would be dishonest towards anyone involved!

If you want to learn more about sexual positivity, or perhaps even become an advocate, get in touch with The Link Youth Health Service (if you’re under 25!) or TasCAHRD! Also check out @thiswaythatway_hobart on Instagram and listen to our radio show on Edge Radio 99.3 FM every Monday from 2pm.