Education

Research Affiliates at our Center published a paper a few years ago about the need for an easy, accessible, and useful guide to consensual communication. Although this model was originally discussed in terms of BDSM negotiations and interactions, the implication of this model reaches much farther. In all communications with others, we should be using the 4Cs model.

This is a way for us to discuss topics such as:

• • What is surface consent versus deep consent?
  • How and what do we communicate nonverbally?
  • How do we establish a system of caring for ourselves and others when trying to get our needs met?
  • Can we proceed with caution, recognizing our own limits as well as the limits of others?

Sexuality and sexual identity are extremely diverse. There is more to this equation than male-female, heterosexual-homosexual. Currently, there are over 900 terms being used by various individuals to describe their sexual selves and relationships, although most Human Sexuality textbooks barely scratch the surface when discussing these possibilities.

This presentation is meant to inform students and professionals about the larger array of human sexual expression and includes educators from our BDSM, Gender Variant, Polyamory & NonMonogomy, Sexuality & Disabilities, and other panels.

We will answer questions like:

• • Is there more to my sexual identity than sexual orientation?
  • How can I describe my sexual identity?
  • What possible sexual identities are there?
  • How can I be more sensitive toward those who are more sexually diverse than I am?

We highly recommend this presentation for all courses covering material on gender, sexuality, identity, orientation, socialization, and development as well as for workplaces, therapists, counselors, and social workers needing exposure to potential sexually variant clients. This is great for a variety of age groups and education levels.

We believe that gender is a large array of possibilities that go beyond the standard accepted binary of male-female, masculine-feminine. To that end, we have created a panel of people who identify within this large array, some as transsexual, some as transgender, some as gender variant or genderqueer, and still others who do not identify within these or other generally accepted or defined terms.

This presentation includes a 15-minute PowerPoint presentation discussing some of the possible terms and identities that one might use to describe their gender identity as well as a panel of several individuals with unique experiences and histories revolving around mostly non-conforming gender identities. The question and answer portion of this presentation can last 45 minutes to several hours, depending on your class needs.

This presentation will help answer questions like:

• • What is genderqueer?
  • What are the current theories and ideas about gender identity development?
  • What can I do to be more open about gender variance?
  • How can I work more effectively with nontraditional gender identities?

We highly recommend this presentation for all courses covering material on gender, identity, orientation, socialization, and development as well as for workplaces, therapists, counselors, and social workers needing exposure to potential gender-variant clients.

Body image. We all have bodies. And we are all influenced by those around us, especially the media, when we make decisions regarding our bodies and our self-worth.

This presentation discusses the positive and negative body image among women and men, looking at the trends through history that tell us what is “beautiful” and “desirable”. We also explore those who may be differently bodied, either through disabilities, changes in their gender presentation, or forms of body modification. This is a great presentation for students and professionals studying the impact of media/technology on body image, as well as those who are studying the psychosocial impact of beauty standards in Western culture.

Questions addressed include:

• • How do we define body image?
  • What is the “ideal” body for women and men?
  • How can we avoid negative body image?
  • What are the societal expectations of transgender bodies?
  • Can differently-abled bodies be attractive?

This presentation includes a 15 minute PowerPoint that describes and defines body image, covers some myths and misconceptions about body image and offers some definitions for a working vocabulary. After this portion, the panel offers a brief description of themselves and allows the group to ask any questions they may have about personal experiences dealing with various body image issues. This part of the presentation can take 45 minutes to several hours, depending on the size and needs of the group. We highly encourage attendees to be open, honest, and curious. After more than 10 years and hundreds of presentations, we have yet to say “I don’t want to answer that question” to any respectful query.

This is a great presentation for any age group or course and can be tailored to fit your group’s needs.

The word polyamory has really only existed in the general lexicon for about 12 years. Many people don’t understand what it is or what it can be. In short, polyamory means “many loves.”

Many people also engage in relationships that they may not describe as polyamorous but are also not monogamous. This may include relationships like swinging, open relationships, and more.

This presentation offers information from current research and actual people who live a polyamorous and/or nonmonogamous lifestyle about the reality of these relationships and how they can work.

Questions that are answered include:

• • How are these relationships similar and different from one another?
  • How do you deal with jealousy?
  • What do these relationships look like?
  • Could I be polyamorous or nonmonogamous?

This presentation includes a 20 minute PowerPoint that describes and defines what these types of relationships are not and what they can be, how people engage in these relationships and deal with the realities of jealousy, marriage, and children, and offers some definitions for a working vocabulary. After this portion, the panel offers a brief description of themselves and allows the class to ask any questions they may have about polyamory and nonmonogamy. This part of the presentation can take 45 minutes to several hours, depending on the size and needs of the class. We highly encourage attendees to be open, honest, and curious.

We highly recommend taking advantage of our full presentation package, which includes PDF files of a recommended reading list, a list of Polyamory and NonMonogamy groups and organizations, and more.

We highly recommend this presentation for all courses covering material on sexuality, identity, orientation, deviance, socialization, and development as well as for workplaces, therapists, counselors, and social workers needing exposure to potential relationship variant clients.

BDSM is a topic that many are ill-informed about. No wonder, considering most of our knowledge about this sensitive topic tends to come from outlandish media portrayals of “the lifestyle.”

This presentation offers information from research studies and panelists, who are members of the BDSM/Leather/Fetish Communities, about the realities of what the BDSM lifestyle is, and is not, and how it works.

Questions that are answered include:

• What is BDSM?
• Is BDSM abusive?
• Do people in BDSM relationships have “regular” sex?
• What does a BDSM relationship look like?
• Am I normal for having “kinky” fantasies?

This presentation includes a 15 minute PowerPoint that describes and defines the BDSM relationship, covers some myths and misconceptions about people who practice BDSM, and offers some definitions for a working vocabulary. After this portion, the panel offers a brief description of themselves and allows the group to ask any questions they may have about the BDSM/Leather/Fetish Lifestyle. This part of the presentation can take 45 minutes to several hours, depending on the size and needs of the group. We highly encourage attendees to be open, honest, and curious. After more than 10 years and hundreds of presentations, we have yet to say “I don’t want to answer that question” to any respectful query.

We highly recommend that you take advantage of our full presentation package, which includes PDF files of pre- and post-panel materials, including a suggested reading list, a list of local BDSM/Leather/Fetish organizations and events, a pre-scene negotiation questionnaire, a sexual behavior questionnaire, and more.

We highly recommend this presentation for all courses covering material on sexuality, identity, orientation, deviance, socialization, and development as well as for workplaces, therapists, counselors, and social workers needing exposure to potential clients who may fit these categories.

The subject of sex work is very controversial. There are often questions of legality and morality convergent with misconstrued ideas of what sex work actually is.

This presentation is meant to inform students and professionals about the wide array of sex workers, from strippers, exotic dancers, and burlesque dancers, to performers in the porn industry, professional dominatrices, and escorts. This group consists of men and women who currently or who have worked in the past in some aspect of the sex industry and speak about the complexities of this type of work as well as the complexities of the type of people who do this work.

We will answer questions like:

• • What is the difference between sex work and sex trafficking?
  • Are all sex workers the same?
  • What type of person chooses to work in the sex industry?
  • What are some of the laws regarding different types of sex work?
  • How is sex work viewed in other developed countries?

We highly recommend this presentation for all courses covering material on gender, sexuality, identity, sex work, sex industry, legal issues around sex work, and first amendment rights, as well as for workplaces, therapists, counselors, and social workers needing exposure to potential clients who may fit these categories.