Averi Amsterdam, Staff Writer
Love Your Body Week may have ended, but the important discussion on sex positivity has not. On March 30, Rachel Hills, an Australia native, led her talk titled, “Break the Sex Myth,” which focused on the topic of sexual freedom.
German psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich first coined the term “sex positivity” in the 1930s. Under his hypothesis, he believed some societies viewed sexual expression as essentially good and healthy, while other societies took an overall negative view of sexuality and sought to repress and control people’s sex drive. In other words, sexual freedom and political freedom go hand in hand; if people could express their sexuality more freely in their society, it would be a sex positive society.
Hills is a writer and activist on gender and sexuality issues. Having written for several publications, the topic of sex positivity is one she is both knowledgeable and passionate about. Her talk began with a story about an encounter she had in St. Louis, Missouri a few months ago. While travelling, Hills had a discussion with a stranger who had asked when she became sexually liberated.
Like sex positivity, the term “sexually liberated” can have many different meanings. Hills doesn’t think sexual liberation is a state, but rather a work in progress. She believes there is a large misconception about those who talk about sex; that they love sex and it’s not problematic to them. However, that is not always true. For Hills, she felt anything but liberated when she became sexually active. This is the reason she writes and talks about sex; she was insecure about it.
Society infiltrates people’s minds with the belief that not having sex is abnormal, when in reality it is actually the opposite. To put it in perspective, Hills poses the question, “When we say sex is healthy, are we all inclusive?” This made the audience think about those who don’t have sex; does that make them unhealthy people? In order to enforce sex positivity, an environment must be created where anyone can engage in sexuality in a way that is right for them.
As the talk continued, Hills informed her audience on different pivotal moments in the sex positive movement. In the 1970s and 80s, the “Sex Wars” sparked debate amongst feminists including topics on sexual freedom and pornography, in addition to many others. More recently, the Slut Walk, which began in 2011, sparked international walks that brought awareness to sexual assault and rape.
Hills concluded her talk with one encapsulating motif: sex positivity is all inclusive. Although there is no specific method for becoming sexually liberated, the journey is for everyone.
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