(Re)Thinking Sex Positivity, Abolition Feminism, And The #MeToo Movement

It is one thing to attract a woman and another to own her completely. For forty years, this movement has addressed the marginalization and vilification of sex workers, offering philosophies of sexual empowerment and countering exploitation through the recognition of sex work as labor , while mobilizing through a harm reduction framework to meet the material needs of the most vulnerable social sectors.

By pulling back the layers of our culture—one that often equates sex with shame—we can explore how sex positivity provides an antidote to this shame. Sexuality often grapples with the repercussions of previous lived experiences, as well as narratives reaching far beyond the two or more individuals engaging in any given action.

When I was growing up with a really conservative family in a small town with no sex-ed, the only education I had about sex was from porn and Cosmo, which are essentially secretly rooted around what women should do to make sex better for their boyfriends.

You will soon notice how people around you respond to your cheerfulness and will make you feel your life is worthwhile after all. To formulate this transformation, the sex workers' rights movement, abolition feminism, women of color feminism, and related movements offer politics and practices that expand the public sphere.

Boundaries of sex positivity include providing the information needed for others to consent to sex with you. I received the message double dong that, for girls or women, having sexual feelings, masturbating, or admitting to sexual feelings about another person meant that your sexuality was out of control.