We are living under increasingly carceral and tyrannical times. We're finding ourselves deep in battles we believed we had already won. That's why it's so important to never give up.
Today, access is temporarily protected. But the larger truth? They are testing how far they can go.
We deserve more than temporary relief. It's trifling to constantly be back and forth between having rights and then having that rug pulled from under you.
Artists have long shaped our relationship with sex appeal and sexuality. From the Blues to rap, and everything in between, musicians open showcase of their sexual prowess and bodily autonomy gives audiences a framework from which they either continue social scripts or break free.
WEEK 5: Integration, Reflection & Rebirth
bringing it all together, embodiment, and moving forward
Day 31: Write a reflection or affirmation to close Sextober:
βI honor my body, my desires, and my right to experience joy, softness, and ecstasy β on my own terms.β
WEEK 5: Integration, Reflection & Rebirth
bringing it all together, embodiment, and moving forward
Day 30: How do I define pleasure activism in my own life and community?
WEEK 5: Integration, Reflection & Rebirth
bringing it all together, embodiment, and moving forward
Day 29: What am I learning about the kind of lover, partner, or sexual being I want to be?
WEEK 4: Creative, Spiritual, & Erotic Expression
writing, artistry, ritual, and erotic imagination
Day 28: What parts of me come alive when Iβm in flow, turned on, or inspired?
WEEK 4: Creative, Spiritual, & Erotic Expression
writing, artistry, ritual, and erotic imagination
Day 27: What rituals make me feel most connected to my erotic power (baths, oiling skin, dancing, masturbation)?
WEEK 4: Creative, Spiritual, & Erotic Expression
writing, artistry, ritual, and erotic imagination
Day 26: How do creativity and sexuality feed each other in my life?
WEEK 4: Creative, Spiritual, & Erotic Expression
writing, artistry, ritual, and erotic imagination
Day 25: Write a short story, memory, or fantasy that centers Black pleasure without apology.
WEEK 4: Creative, Spiritual, & Erotic Expression
writing, artistry, ritual, and erotic imagination
Day 24: What does divine or ancestral sexuality mean to me?
Vintage, Black ads were always so sultry. They were provocative, yet not crude, in a way that filled the page with an intoxicating level of eroticism.
But y'all know me it's always that deep haha. We can see through revisiting old ads how sexy was often hetero and male-centered.
WEEK 4: Creative, Spiritual, & Erotic Expression
writing, artistry, ritual, and erotic imagination
Day 23: Create a sensual playlist or altar. What songs, scents, or items awaken your erotic energy?
Went to the National Museum of African American History and Culture and stumbled upon a book that had been in my 'to buy' category for far too long. So what did I do? I spent the $30 of course!
I never want to give the impression that I need to be the end-all be-all of your Black sex/sexuality education. Also, I'm not a book snob. There's just as much to learn about Black love from the arts as there is from academia.
So if you've got a couple of dollars to spare, think about spending them to support Black authors and Black books while curating a Black ass personal library.
WEEK 4: Creative, Spiritual, & Erotic Expression
writing, artistry, ritual, and erotic imagination
Day 22: Write an erotic poem or love note to your future self; the version who feels fully sexually free.
WEEK 3: Desire, Kink & Liberation
sexual politics, kink, queerness, and freedom
Day 21: What role does community or chosen family play in my sexual liberation journey?
WEEK 3: Desire, Kink & Liberation
sexual politics, kink, queerness, and freedom
Day 20: What is my relationship to dominance, submission, control, or surrender?