In this episode, Barb and Landa get delightfully nerdy about Curvy Girl Sex: 101 Body-Positive Positions to Empower Your Sex Life by Elle Chase. They ALSO talk fiascos (melted dildos, passed-out students), the fallout of FOSTA/SESTA on sex educators and sex workers, and why body-inclusive, kink-aware, trauma-informed sex education is still so hard to find online. Barb walks through why she fell in love with this book before finishing it. If you’ve ever wanted a joyful, no-shame guide to pleasure that actually centers fat and marginalized bodies, this one’s a gift-worthy keeper.

Show Notes:

• Curvy Girl Sex: 101 Body-Positive Positions to Empower Your Sex Life – Elle Chase
  https://www.ellechase.com/curvy-girl-sex

• Taylor Lorenz & Siri Dahl discussion on the long-term impact of FOSTA/SESTA
  https://share.google/TV6diQQE0ZejJBdbD

• “What is SESTA/FOSTA?” – Decriminalize Sex Work
  https://decriminalizesex.work/advocacy/sesta-fosta/what-is-sesta-fosta/

In this episode of Sex Ed Book Review, Landa brings Drawn to Sex: The Basics and Drawn to Sex: Our Bodies and Health (from Erica Moen and Matthew Nolan- the creators of Oh Joy Sex Toy). Barb and Landa dig into why we LOVE these authors and their work for grown-up sex ed that is fun and educational!

Bonus: Landa and Barb also share deets on their favorite OJST articles. (spoilers...Landa's fave is Paying for Porn by Matthew Nolan and Barb's is DIY BDSM Toys by Valerie and Adam

In this episode of Sex Ed Book Review, Barb brings Making Nice with Naughty: An Intimacy Guide for the Rule-Following, Organized, Perfectionistic, Practical, and Color-Within-the-Line Types by Dr. Tom Murray. Barb also shares some radical self-disclosure about her own therapy journey, over-control, and perfectionism, and how this book helped her rethink intimacy, vulnerability, and connection.

Today we're reviewing Unf#ck Your Kink by Dr. Faith G. Harper and 101 Kinky Things Even You Can Do by Kate Sloan. We chat about what “kink” even is, where it comes from (maybe), why “normal” sex is a moving target, and why so many neurodivergent folks find a comfy home in kink and BDSM. If you want a playful menu of ideas from dirty talk and sensory play to gags, zapping, and...more, or you want to dig into the science of "why do I like this", join us. We have some answers!

Additional Resources:

Come As You Are: Emily Nagoski https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Come-As-You-Are-Revised-and-Updated/Emily-Nagoski/9781982165314
Tell Me What You Want : Justin Lehmiller https://www.sexandpsychology.com/books/#tell-me-what-you-want
Sexuality and the Black Church: Kelly Brown Douglas https://orbisbooks.com/products/sexuality-and-the-black-church-copy

Gayle Rubin: “Charmed Circle of Sexuality” https://oro.open.ac.uk/105114/

Yes/No/Maybe Lists

Scarleteen: https://www.scarleteen.com/read/relationships/yes-no-maybe-so-sexual-inventory-stocklist

Sunny Megatron: https://sunnymegatron.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/YesNoMaybe-SunnyMegatron1.pdf

BexTalksSex: https://www.bextalkssex.com/yes-no-maybe/

Barb and Landa kick off a kinky mini-series by diving into Kinky History by Dr. Esme Louise James...part research, part beach read, and fully nerdy. They unpack chastity belts that probably never existed the way you think, penis graffiti in ancient Pompeii, and Mozart’s surprising enthusiasm for butt stuff. If you’re a sex educator, clinician, or kink‑curious nerd who wants receipts that people have always been freaky, this one’s for you!

Author and research:

Esme Louise James: https://www.esmeljames.com/

Sextistics: https://www.esmeljames.com/sextistics

Kinky History podcast: https://omny.fm/shows/kinky-history

TikTok: @doctor.esme.louise

Instagram: @esme.louisee

Related resources we mentioned:

Buzz: The Stimulating History of the Sex Toy by Hallie Lieberman https://www.hallielieberman.com/what-we-do

Pompeii sexual graffiti and phallic art https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/stone-phalluses-of-pompeii

Good Vibrations Antique Vibrator Museum https://www.goodvibes.com/content/c/antique-vibrators

Sins Invalid https://sinsinvalid.org/

"Comforting, Reassuring, and…Hot": A Qualitative Exploration of Engaging in Bondage, Discipline, Domination, Submission, Sadism and (Sado)masochism and Kink from the Perspective of Autistic Adults https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38435321/

Welcome to the Sex Ed Book Review Podcast! In this installment, Landa dives into the CLASSIC book "Sex for One" by Betty Dodson. Landa and Barb explore the author's journey as a pioneering sexual health educator, discuss the book’s frank approach to solo sex and self-pleasure, and reflect on its impact, strengths, and legacy. Whether you’re a longtime fan of sex ed resources or just curious about the evolution of conversations around self-pleasure between the 1970's and today, this episode offers thoughtful insights, a few laughs, and plenty of book recommendations for your to-be-read pile.

SHOW NOTES:

Learn more about Betty: https://www.dodsonandross.com/ (CW: some real photographs of genitals on the website - not pornographic but educational.)

There is a great free clip from SlutEver with Betty  where she calls herself a professional masturbator in the interview (and it’s a delight)

Sex Education- Television Series (Barb is convinced that Betty was the template for Gillian Anderson's Jean Milburn)

In this episode, Barb and Landa dive into "Pleasure Activism" by adrienne maree brown—a powerful collection of essays exploring the politics of feeling good. Join us as we unpack how pleasure, sex, and sexuality intersect with community, disability justice, and personal empowerment. We get PASSIONATE about this book today, and we are pleased to share it with y'all!

Find Pleasure Activism HERE!

RESOURCES AND LINKS:

adrienne maree brown https://adriennemareebrown.net/

Rest is Resistance- Tricia Hersey http://www.triciahersey.com/⁠ The Will to Change - bell hooks

Laziness Does Not Exist- Dr. Devon Price

Beyond “Yes Means Yes”: A Behavioral Conceptualization of Affirmative Sexual Consent - Emily Sandoz and the Louisiana Contextual Science Research Group (note from Barb: DEEPEST APOLOGIES to Dr. Sandoz for forgetting everything about you and your incredible lab!!!)

Hi everyone, we're back and looking forward to learning with you!

Wondering how to help teens make sense of what they are watching online? Today we're talking with Jess Melendez, author of "Porn Is Not Sex Ed." Discover how her new book is making conversations about pornography literacy more inclusive, approachable, and fun! Whether you’re a parent, educator, or just passionate about honest conversations, this episode is packed with real talk, creative ideas, and the encouragement you need to start the conversations that matter.

Get Jess’s book here! https://us.jkp.com/products/porn-is-not-sex-ed

Learn more about Jess: https://www.jessmelendez.com/

Check out the YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/@Jess.Melendez

Remy Alva’s Instagram: @hewasazombie

Show Notes:

https://www.erikamoen.com/

https://www.ohjoysextoy.com/

Welcome back to the book review! This time, Landa and Barb review "Me and My Dysphoria Monster" by Laura Kate Dale and illustrated by Ang Hui Qing. This 2022 publication from Jessica Kingsley provides a relatable window into the experience of gender dysphoria, empowering youth and educating caregivers. Don't miss this essential episode!

Find the book here: https://us.jkp.com/products/me-and-my-dysphoria-monster

It's been quite a while, friends. We missed you, and we have explanations! Here's some info on where we've been, what we've been reading, and what we have planned.

Notes/Links:

https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/the-every-body-book-of-consent-an-lgbtqia-inclusive-guide-to-respecting-boundaries-bodies-and-beyond/9781839976834.html

https://kathleenhema.com/

https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/growing-into-you-an-inclusive-shame-busting-get-real-guide-to-your-changing-body-and-mind/9781683694311.html

https://www.emilynagoski.com/

https://www.akpress.org/pleasure-activism.html

https://www.newharbinger.com/9781684038077/the-act-workbook-for-perfectionism/

https://www.routledge.com/Acceptance-and-Commitment-Therapy-for-Behavior-Analysts-A-Practice-Guide-from-Theory-to-Treatment/Dixon-Hayes-Belisle/p/book/9781032168081