Sexploration
A guide to help reinvent sexual education
Heather Blair
KEYWORDS
Sex-Ed, Empowerment, Pleasure, Zine
Project
Sexploration provides a new kind of sexual education. Instead of fear & abstinence based, it explores the idea of empowerment, pleasure, and consent. The look and feel of the book resembles a personal journal; each page hand crafted through collage and illustration. The text provides the necessary information for individuals of all ages to feel informed and empowered to make their own choices. Along with this, there are journal entries throughout, giving the reader a chance to reflect and develop their personal relationship with sex.
challenge
This book took a year of extensive research and development. Interviews and workshops helped narrow down what I was looking for, and the changes that had to be made. I worked with a teacher in California, who helped provide major insights into what’s being taught to kids in private and public schools. I consulted with a New York City based Gynecologist, who answered questions regarding the medical side. I read a variety of books on sex ed, including Sex at Dawn, Mating in Captivity, and Ethical Slut. I took Emily Morse’s Masterclass on Sex and Communication. This led me to identifying the 5 main points that weren’t being taught in typical sex ed programs; pleasure, shame, double standards, curiosity, and communication.
Outcome
The book focused on reversing the negative long term effects that fear based sex ed instills. The topics range from masturbation to oral sex, with the main focus being on personal pleasure. The final book was sent to our target demographic, who loved the layout and information provided. The results exceeded my original expectations. No matter what age or gender, Sexploration provides a new perspective on sex. It reminds the reader that they are in control of their experiences, and inspires a new kind of exploration.
