This episode explores the significance of intergenerational learning and social/racial justice within the sexual health field. We had the joy of interviewing Mariotta Gary-Smith about her experiences of mentorship from Black women/femme elders that also inspired the trajectory of her career as a social justice actionable agitator.

Mariotta Gary-Smith (she/her/Queen [reserved]) is a 3rd generation social justice agitator & Oregonian. Her family history of civil rights seeded her interest in social justice - she found human sexuality on her own.

After high school, Mariotta earned degrees from Agnes Scott College and the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. In Fall 2008, she was one of five nationally selected Fellowship Scholars for the Inaugural Class at the Center of Excellence for Sexual Health (CESH) housed at the Morehouse School of Medicine. In 2009, Mariotta co-founded the Women of Color Sexual Health Network (WoCSHN; pronounced ‘wok-shyn’) – an online-based, collective organization for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) women/femme-identifying/gender-expansive sexuality professionals.

In 2012, Mariotta joined with 6 other Oregon-based BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color/of the Global Majority) women and femmes that formed the Founding Advisory Committee of the We Are BRAVE! Project, a cohort policy project housed at Western States Center (Portland, OR.) This collective was a foundational part of the local political movement that resulted in Oregon passing the Reproductive Health Equity Act (RHEA) in 2017 – the singular most progressive reproductive health law in the United States to date.

With a well-respected reputation for thoughtful, challenging and honest learning experiences centering racial justice, equity, sexuality and social critique, Mariotta continues to offer strategic thought partnership & collaborative consultation with various organizations about racial justice in sexuality education and the Sexuality profession. With over 20 years of experience, Mariotta remains committed to holding space that supports clear & accountable learning on the intersections of social justice, sexual health, equity and “actionable agitation.” She’s fully invested in her ‘passion work’ – focusing on Black folks and Black sexuality and moving their experience from the margins to the center.

You can read Mariotta’s contribution about cultivating a liberatory care practice to the Sexuality Social Justice open access resource here.

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Our guest this time is Dr. Daniel N. Watter. Dan is an existential sex therapist and he has so much to say about appreciating sexuality as we age instead of extolling the virtues of youthful sexuality. He has a fresh approach to the connection between death anxiety and sexuality. Dan talks with us about the existential importance of the penis and the idea that the penis is speaking but sometimes in a whisper.

Dr. Watter is the author of more than 30 professional articles and book chapters on topics such as sexual function and dysfunction, and ethics in healthcare practice. He most recently completed the new book, The Existential Importance of the Penis: A Guide to Understanding Male Sexuality and a new article about men, sex, and aging for the Journal of Sexual Medicine.

Dan has been a practicing clinical and forensic psychologist and certified sex therapist for more than 35 years. He is licensed as both a psychologist and a marital and family therapist. In addition, he is Board Certified in Sex Therapy by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT), and the American Board of Sexology (ACS), of which he also holds Fellowship status. Dr. Watter is an AASECT certified sex therapy supervisor and has been elected to Fellowship Status in the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health (ISSWSH).

In addition to his clinical practice, he is a faculty member at the University of Michigan School of Social Work’s Sexual Certification Program and the Modern Sex Therapy Institutes. He has taught at a number of colleges, universities, and medical schools in the past. Dr. Watter is a member of several professional organizations and has been elected to leadership positions in many including the New Jersey Psychological Association’s Ethics Committee, the Society for Sex Therapy and Research (SSTAR), and AASECT. He’s been the Chair of the AASECT Ethics Advisory Committee and President of SSTAR.

You can reach Dan Watter here. And you can check out his new book here. If you’d like to read any of the other books we discussed, you can find Irvin Yalom’s work here, and Peggy Kleinplatz’s book, Magnificent Sex: Lessons from Extraordinary Lovers  here.

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Our guest this time is James Wilson, the Executive Officer of the Theatre and Performance program at the City University of New York Graduate Center. His research and teaching interests include African American theatre and performance, gender and sexuality studies, and musical theatre history. He is the author of two books and today we’ll be talking about his book Bulldaggers, Pansies, and Chocolate Babies: Performance, Race, and Sexuality in the Harlem Renaissance. His essays have appeared in numerous academic journals and chapter anthologies. He is a voting member of the Drama Desk, nearly 60, and a lover of Broadway. His thoughts and reflections on Florence Mills, Gladys Bentley, and other queer performers in the Harlem Renaissance are spell-binding and we think you’ll truly enjoy him like we did! Not only does he shed light on the often overlooked LGBTQ contributions to the era's creativity and fights for justice, he does so with gusto and great research!

If you’d like to purchase his book, please go to your nearest local independent bookstore. You can learn more about Jim Wilson here.

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In this episode we interview Dr. Lexx Brown-James, President of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT).

Dr. Lexx is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and an AASECT certified sexuality educator and supervisor. Dr. Lexx is also the Director of the University of Michigan’s Sexual Health Certificate Program and is the first Black woman to be elected President of AASECT.

Dr. Lexx provides education and therapy from womb-to-tomb through her practice, The Institute for Sexuality & Intimacy, LLC . As a multiple time Amazon best seller and creator of Dr. Lexx’s Relationship Tune Up Cards and The Black Girls' Guide to Couple's Intimacy, Dr. Lexx is an international sexologist featured in Essence, The New York Times, Scary Mommy, NPR, multiple news outlets, Vice, Buzzfeed, as well as multiple journal publications and books.

You can find out more information about Dr. Lexx Brown-James at https://www.lexxsexdoc.com/.

For more information about Dr. Konnie Mccaffree as well as the different organizations mentioned in this episode, check out these links:

Konstance McCaffree Obituary

SIECUS

The Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality (SSSS)

The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT)

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Jacqueline Boyd brings passion and expertise to the field of aging and LGBTQ+ advocacy. A dynamic speaker, facilitator, and entrepreneur, Jacqueline is the owner of The CarePlan, the country’s first LGBTQ+ centered care management and care development company. As part of The Care Plan’s leadership, Jacqueline has consulted with national and local organizations such as AARP, SAGE, Howard Brown Health Centers, and AIDS Foundation Chicago to enhance services offered to LGBTQ+ older adults.

Jane met Jackie at a conference in Dayton, Ohio and was blown away by her compassion, her wisdom, and her exquisite capacity to connect with others. She is creating what she calls queer magic in her work as an aging advocate and changemaker. She not only works with LGBTQ elders as clients, she’s a major proponent of the care ethic and offers valuable resources available on their website.

If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our website and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. It really helps support our show!

As always, thanks for listening!

Hey Listeners! This episode features an interview with Dr. Reece Malone and explores the significance of intersectionality and decolonization to the sex therapy process. Dr. Malone spoke about erotic racism and its impact on desirability of bodies, the internalization of these experiences, and impact on clients.

Dr. Reece Malone is an award-winning certified sexologist with a Masters of Public Health and a Doctorate of Human Sexuality. He is a sex therapist and a Certified Sexuality Education Supervisor through the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT), and acquired Diplomate status with the American Board of Sexologists.

Complementing his private practice, he is an adjunct professor at Antioch University Seattle Couple and Family Therapy Department and an instructor at the California Institute for Integral Studies. Dr. Reece Malone is the CEO and founder of Sexuality Consultants and Support Services in Manitoba and his counterpart company, Diversity Essentials. As an advocate for sexual health and comprehensive human sexuality education and as an internationally respected sexologist, he has provided assistance to organizations such as The World Health Organization – Pan American Health Organization, The Canadian Human Rights Commission, and many others. As a popular culture commentator, he has appeared on Dan Savage’s Savage Love and many other media outlets.

Collaborating with Mariotta Gary Smith, Marla Renee Stewart, and Dr. James Wadley, he is the co-editor of An Intersectional Approach to Sex Therapy: Centering the Lives of Indigenous, Racialized, and People of Color, published by Routledge Press. As a community-based researcher, Dr. Reece, along with his colleagues, is researching patient engagement and examining mental health outcomes experienced by gender diverse Manitobans.

You can find out more information about Dr. Malone’s work here!

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Our guest this time is Sarah Dahlston, the Senior Director of Education at Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio. She is a Certified Health Education Specialist and a Certified Sexuality Educator. We recorded this episode before the November, 2024 elections. In the first half of the interview Sarah offers her perspectives post-Dobbs on reproductive justice in a different political climate, then we shift focus to navigating sexuality with a chronic illness. Sarah and Rosara offer helpful ideas for timing, talking, and self-advocacy.

If you’d like to learn more about Sarah Dahlston, you can contact her here.

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In this week’s episode we welcome Dr. Michele Angello, a leading expert in the field of gender diversity. Dr. Angello specializes in providing therapy for gender-variant and transgender individuals, including youth and adults, as well as those who identify as genderqueer. She offers both individual and group therapy, as well as family therapy.

Dr. Angello’s expertise has been recognized at local, national, and international conferences, where she has shared her work and experience on transgender youth and children with transitioning parents. She also facilitates several monthly support groups for transgender adults, youth, and their families.

As a sought-after speaker, Dr. Angello frequently presents on transgender youth issues to universities, corporations, and media outlets. Her appearances include notable shows like Larry King Live and the Tyra Banks Show, as well as various documentaries on transgender issues.

In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Angello is a trailblazer in academia, having developed the first graduate course in the U.S. focused on clinical issues within transgender communities. She holds a doctorate in human sexuality and a master’s degree in psychological services, and is a certified clinical sexologist.

Dr. Angello serves on the board of directors for the Main Line Youth Alliance and the Renaissance Transgender Association, and is an active member of several professional organizations, including the American College of Sexology and the American Psychological Association.

Go check out Dr. Michele Angello’s new book: On the Couch with Dr. Angello: A Guide to Raising and Supporting Transgender Youth, and if you would like to get in touch with her, you can contact her on her website!

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As an older adult, if your doctor is not comfortable asking about your sexual health but you’ve got questions, this episode is just what you need. Our guest this time is Dr. Jennifer Vencill, an assistant professor, board certified clinical health psychologist, and AASECT certified sex therapist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She is passionate about answering patient questions and teaching her colleagues.

She is dually appointed in the Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, as well as the Division of General Internal Medicine, where she spends the bulk of her time providing integrated sexual health care and educating fellows, residents, and medical students about the importance of sexual and gender health.

Dr. Vencill’s research focuses on sexual health, health disparities and minority stress in marginalized sexual and gender communities, and mixed orientation relationships. She sits on the editorial board of The International Journal of Sexual Health and Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and is a past president of the Society for the Psychology of Women’s Section on Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Concerns. Dr. Vencill received her PhD in Counseling Psychology from Texas Tech University and completed her postdoctoral training as the first Michael E. Metz fellow in Sexual Health at the University of Minnesota Medical School’s Institute for Sexual and Gender Health.

Along with her co-author, Lauren Fogel Mersy, Dr. Vencill is co-author of the new book, Desire: An Inclusive Guide to Navigating Libido Differences in Relationships. You can reach her at the Mayo Clinic or on Instagram.

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Join us for our first ever live recording at the Annual AASECT Conference in a fascinating discussion with our esteemed guest, De-Andrea Blaylock-Solar. She’s the first Black AASECT Certified Sex Therapist in St. Louis. We’re talking about sex, religion, exegesis, prostate cancer, embodied sexuality, widowhood, and a thing she calls Christian plus.

Resources we talked about on this episode include the Instagram account Unfit Christians and The Day God Saw Me As Black from D. Danyelle Thomas, Red Lip Theology: For Church Girls Who’ve Considered Tithing to the Beauty Supply Store When Sunday Morning Is Not Enough by Candice Marie Benbow, Sensual Faith: The Art of Coming Home to Your Body by Lyvonne Briggs, the Theater of War productions, and the Women of Color Sexual Health Network (WOCSHN).

You can reach De-Andrea directly at Sankofa Sex Therapy.

If you want to catch up on other shows, just visit our website and please subscribe! We love our listeners and welcome your feedback, so if you love Our Better Half and want to support our show, please give us a 5-star rating and follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

As always, thanks for listening!