I’m proud to be the presenter at the 2017 Harvard Orgasm Seminar! Below you’ll find video of my presentation (once available), my slides, plus lots of additional resources.
References and Resources
- What is Gender? by West Anderson is a great introductory overview.
- My personal favorite book around gender is Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Bergman. This is a follow-up to Kate’s groundbreaking book (newly revised and updated!) Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women, and the Rest of Us. I’d also recommend her books My New Gender Workbook: A Step-by-Step Guide to Achieving World Peace Through Gender Anarchy and Sex and her memoir, A Queer and Pleasant Danger.
- Justin Hubbell is a fellow non-binary person who makes great comics about gender. My favorite is The Great Divide.
- The Gender Unicorn was designed by Laandyn Pan and Anna Moore and published by TSER (Trans Student Educational Resources).
- For more information on biological sex as a social construct, see Trans women are not ‘biologically male’ by Riley J. Dennis (video includes transcription below).
What is “Sex”
- The alternative definition of sex I present is from Dr. Marty Klein: Sexual Intelligence: What We Really Want From Sex
- Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan offers another great perspective in their comic “What is Sex?” from Oh Joy, Sex Toy.
- Consent is a necessary component of ethical sex. Two of my favorite metaphors for understanding consent are consent and having tea by Rockstar Dinosaur Pirate Princess (incidentally, also the author of a great erotic comic) and Building Consent Castles by Robot Hugs.
- Every year or so the “orgasm gap” comes across my radar. No one particular piece comes to mind at the moment, so here’s what you can find via Google.
- For more information on the difference between equality and equity, check out Equality Is Not Enough: What the Classroom Has Taught Me About Justice by Amy Sun and, as a follow-up, The problem with that equity vs. equality graphic you’re using by Paul Kuttner.
- I’ve included photos and diagrams from the Wikipedia pages on vulvas and the Anterior fornix erogenous zone (AFE zone or A-spot).
- I first heard about the “G-zone” (as opposed to the “G-spot”) on the podcast Science Vs. I’ve read and would recommend Tristan Taormino’s book The Secrets of Great G-Spot Orgasms and Female Ejaculation as one way to learn more about playing with G-zones.
- I first heard about the A-spot (AFE zone) from @girly_juice on Twitter, who’s blogged about it here.
- I’ve included photos and diagrams from the Wikipedia pages on penises and penis size.
- Huge thanks to Nicole M. of Pleasure Pie for allowing me to use her beautiful drawings of genitals!
- I’ve included photos and diagrams from the Wikipedia pages on the anus, the rectum, and the prostate.
- I learned pretty much everything I know about anal play, including “ringing the doorbell,” from Tristan Taormino. She’s blogged, made educational videos, and authored books about many different aspects of sexuality and relationships. Tristan is one of my favorite presenters, and if you ever have the chance to hear her speak or take a workshop with her, I strongly recommend it!
- If you’re just getting started with anal play, check out the comic Butt Sex featuring the Anal Safety Snails by Erika Moen and Matthew Nolan on Oh Joy, Sex Toy.
Fun Things to Make and Do
- Safer sex practices are designed to reduce the possibility that you contract or transmit an STI (sexually transmitted infection). For more info, check out Safe, Sound & Sexy: A Safer Sex How-To by Heather Corinna of the fabulous sex-ed site Scarleteen.
- Want some ideas of how to make safer sex sexier? Check out Sex Nerd Sandra podcast episode 105, “Sexy Safer Sex with Kate McCombs”. Kate is a friend of mine and the founder of Sex Geekdom.
- Want to go down on someone with a vulva, or tongue someone’s asshole, and you don’t have a dental dam? Yes, you can use saran wrap (video by the amazing Megan Andelloux).
- Sex toy safety is important! See The Trouble with Toxic Sex Toys by Caitlin Murphy for an overview. There are a number of guides on safe (and unsafe) sex toy materials, including What is my sex toy made of? and Toxic Toys by Dangerous Lily.
- If you’re interested in learning more, there are many resources in the Boston area, including
- Pleasure Pie, which runs the Sex-Positive Boston meetup group and Boston’s Sex-Positive Newsletter
- Good Vibrations is a feminist, queer- and trans-friendly retailer which has a shop near Harvard and one in Brookline
- teasecraft-boston, a meetup group that I co-organize for people who are interested in making their own sex toys, BDSM equipment, and other kinky and fun things
- The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health in Pawtuckett, RI, offers lots of sex-positive educational events
Questions & Answers
I’ll flesh this section out after the lecture.