Yesterday, I drove all the way down to Cal State Long Beach for Sex Positive Week, because I was on a panel titled “What does it mean to be sex positive?” along with Jillian Lauren, author and wife of Weezer bass player Scott Shriner; Ashleigh Klein, Director of Outreach & Education at Sexual Assault Crisis Agency, and Amy Lee, an expert on natural personal care products. Moderating was Shira Tarrant, a women’s studies professor.

My role: To talk about the intersection of environmentalism and sex positivity. Below’re my notes!

1. Curb population growth
• Limit unplanned pregnancies
• Provide proper sex education
• Allow people to make – and execute — informed choices
– Vote no on Prop 4 and Prop 8 on the Nov. 4 ballot!
– Fight other efforts to impinge on people’s sexual freedom
• Ensure many different types of birth control are widely available — and that honest, up-to-date information about those methods are made readily available.

2. Opt for sex toys / products that are safer both for your health and the environment
• Avoid:
– Vinyl, aka polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics – contain phthalates, a softening agent that’s also an endocrine disruptor linked to sperm damage in men and adverse affects on the genital development of boys.
– Parabens – a preservative that mimics estrogen, which has been linked to breast cancer – as well as other petrochemical derivatives, many of which haven’t been adequately tested.
• Opt for alternatives: silicone, glass, metal, and Lucite

3. Consider the lifecycle of the products you buy
• Don’t flush pills or condoms down toilet
• Opt for organic, biodegradable, recycled or recyclable products when possible

Resources
Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep: A database that gives you information and hazard scores on both personal care products and individual ingredients.

Chemicals, fertility, and reproduction: A guide from Grist.org’s Emily Gertz on what chemicals to avoid, in addition to why and how to avoid them.

Sustainable Sex Toys: A guide from Kyeanne Sager on the many eco-friendly sex toys on the market now.

Stores
Earth Erotics: A web store that offers “non-toxic green sex toys, organic cotton linens, and environmentally friendly bedroom ambience.”

Good Vibrations: A sex toy store that has eliminated phthalates with locations in NoCal and Mass. – plus a web storefront.

Babeland: A sex toy store with locations in LA, NYC, and Seattle that offers many phthalate free and other eco-friendly options.

Select products
• Good Clean Love: A Co-op America certified company that offers organic and eco-friendly lubes, massage oils, etc. (covered here)

• Yes pure intimacy: Lubes that’ve been certified organic by the UK Soil Association. That means no hormones, parabens or petroleum products.

The actual panel discussion ranged from de-shaming menstruation to raising kids to overcoming religious and cultural taboos about sex. Sex Positive Week activities continue to Wednesday, and are all free and open to the public!

Images via sexpositivecsulb.blogspot.com and yesyesyes.com

1 Comments