The Upspoken Sex-Positive Woman

Repeat after me, “I am grateful for my body and I am in full control of my thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.”

Sex-positivity is a movement, and it’s time we educate, self-define, and express. This movement celebrates consensual and safe sex and recognizes sexuality as a natural and empowering human experience. 

As Black women, we have a complex history of sexual oppression – from the rape of our enslaved ancestors to the hyper-sexualization of our bodies in modern-day mainstream media. So as part of our healing, it’s important that we come together to empower each other and embrace our sexuality in safe, consensual ways that bring us joy.

An important element of being sex-positive is the practice of loving yourself physically, emotionally, and spiritually. In order to love yourself, you must take care of yourself and advocate for your sexual health, expression, and identities. Not sure what that looks like? We’ve got you covered:

🙅🏿‍♀️ Contraception. Owning our sexuality is a critical aspect of empowerment. Whether it’s using condoms to help prevent HIV/AIDS and STIs or using birth control to prevent pregnancy, contraception empowers us to make the best decisions for our bodies. Talk to your gynecologist or locate the closest Planned Parenthood here to learn more about your options. 

👌🏾 Mutual Understanding. Talk to your sexual partner and have tough conversations. Are you and your partner mutually monogamous, or seeing other people? Has your partner been tested for STIs recently? Does he/she have an STI? You deserve to know. A relationship where each partner communicates expectations is a healthy one.

 💆🏾‍♀️Masturbation. Don’t be ashamed to get familiar with your body! If you understand how to please yourself, you’ll learn more about what you want and what brings you pleasure. If you’re comfortable with your body, your sex life is guaranteed to improve. Plus, masturbation has many health benefits. Check them out here! 

Sex-positivity is an inclusive movement striving to spread self-love and confidence. We believe it’s important to uplift our sisters to live their truest lives without judgment – and that includes their sexual well-being. We must talk about sex without stigma or shame. We are celebrating and affirming those who approach  sexuality in ways that may not be like our own, whether it be celibacy, BDSM, polyamory, or others. How we choose to express our sexuality is our choice, and we must work together to stand up for each other’s safe and loving expression! 

And on that note: