it’s lgbtq-inclusive, too
The Female Orgasm program is frequently praised by audience members for its inclusivity of the diversity of gender identities and sexual orientations. This is an issue that’s important to us, both personally and professionally. Thirty percent of the time, the program is sponsored or co-sponsored by LGBTQ campus groups and centers, many of which organize to bring the program back time after time.
Gender identity
A diversity of people attend and enjoy the program, including cisgender people, whose gender identity matches the one they were assigned at birth, and people who identify as transgender, genderqueer, gender non-conforming, nonbinary, agender, intersex, and/or use some other word to describe their gender identity. We want the program to be inclusive of everyone, no matter what their gender identity.
Depending on each campus’ needs and culture, we often:
• Define and teach the concept of "cisgender" early in the program, including explaining how people are assigned female or male at birth.
• Explain various ways to define the word "female," and the broad, inclusive approach we take.
• Explicitly recognize and name the diversity of the audience along lines of sexual orientation, gender identity, and other categories, including the presence of students who identify as asexual.
• Are precise with our language throughout the program. If we’re talking about anatomy, we’ll often say "people with vaginas" rather than "women," to recognize that not everyone with a vagina is a woman, and not every woman has a vagina. If we’re talking about socialization, we’ll use the phrase "socialized female" to address the experience of growing up assigned female in a culture that has expectations of how girls and women should be and behave.
• Since language is always evolving, we always welcome feedback and suggestions from audience members about how we can improve. The language used in the program has and continues to change, as the world becomes more aware of how to be inclusive when talking about gender and sexuality.
Sexual orientation
The program is also inclusive of people who identity as lesbian, bisexual, queer, and/or pansexual, as well as heterosexual. It’s carefully designed not to be heteronormative, and in fact critiques the heteronormativity often found in other representations of female orgasm. Nearly all the topics addressed in the program are relevant regardless of sexual orientation, and are discussed without referencing the potential gender of a partner, or in many cases, even the presence of a partner. The program does include a brief section on intercourse, because it is a topic cisgender men and women ask about so frequently. It’s included alongside discussions of lesbian, bisexual, and queer women’s sexual experiences, and transgender people’s experiences.
Calibrating with campus culture
We check in with each school in advance of the event about campus climate and culture relating to these issues. If these are topics many on your campus care about and are thinking about, please be sure to let us know.
What audiences are saying
Below you’ll find quotes from audience members speaking to their experience of the program’s inclusivity.
“This is by far the most inclusive presentation I've been to of any kind.”
J. Heinz, sex/gender student activist, Beloit College
“I <3 Female Orgasm holds true to all of its promises! From fantastic speakers and information to an environment inclusive of all genders and sexualities -- Female Orgasm has it all!”
Courtney Cox, Peer Health Educator, The College of William & Mary
“I was absolutely blown away. Thank you for an amazing, funny, inclusive, and really informational Thursday night!”
Alessandra Robinson, Sexual Health Educator, Wellesley College
“People of all identities and experiences will love I Heart Female Orgasm! It is incredibly inclusive -- not to mention hilarious and informative.”
Tori Sowa, student, Gustavus Adolphus College
“You were incredibly inclusive. Our queer community was very pleased.”
Casey Allen Sears, College of William & Mary
“You're amazing! Thanks so much for being so sex-positive, female-positive, trans-positive, and queer-positive!”
Rachel Richardson, Student Director of Peer Health Educators, Bard College
“The presentation was brilliant -- both presenters were sure to use gender-inclusive statements and points reaffirming trans identities and orgasms for all sorts of women!”
Joseph Woo, Beloit College
“I really appreciated that they talked about both queer and straight sexuality.”
Johanna Galat, St. Mary's College of Maryland
“I Heart Female Orgasm program went far beyond what I could even imagine. They are sexuality and gender inclusive which made the program even more accessible for all students!”
Megan Myhre, Co-President, Womyn's Awareness Center, Gustavus Adolphus College
“The program exceeded my expectations immensely! I expected a heteronormative discussion that focused its information to an entirely cisgender woman-filled audience. As a fluid (bisexual) woman, I really valued the discussion's inclusivity and the speakers' breakdown of information regarding who the discussion was for. Thank you for making this an amazingly informative discussion!”
Natasha Chapman, Gender and Women's Studies graduate student, Minnesota State University Mankato
“As a trans person, when sex is the topic often both my gender and sexuality are non-existent. I appreciate feeling included.”
Student, University of Wisconsin - La Crosse
“Students have commented that this was one of the best programs we have ever brought to campus, and we agree! The speakers did an amazing job establishing an atmosphere of comfort and freedom that generated so much positive energy among audience members. We were also struck by how inclusive the presentation was -- celebrating people of all sexual orientations. Highly recommended!”
Catherine Champagne, Coordinator of Alcohol, Drug, & Health Education, Denison University
“The Female Orgasm program RULES!! The crowd was totally engaged. it was funny, educational, and orgasmic!”
Blair Rowlett, Co-Organizer, New England's LGBTAQQIF College Conference, University of New Hampshire
“Informative, funny, and inclusive! Well worth bringing again and again to campus.”
Brandon Meyers, student, University of Vermont