Gifts & Resources

Looking for information & inspiration that might support you in your relationship with sex, pleasure, gender, and eros? Here is a curated collection of resources I’ve found educational, transformative, and timely. Is there something you think should be added or removed from this list? Great! Please let me know!

Sex, Pleasure & Justice Educators and Resources:

Luna Matatas - Luna is a sex and pleasure educator with over 15 years of experience in sexual health and wellness internationally and locally. Her playful approach to sexuality draws on the creativity, confidence and communication skills we all need to fulfill our pleasure potentials. I strongly recommend her on-demand webinars!

Emily Nagoski - Emily is the award-winning author of the New York Times bestseller Come As You Are, as well as two other remarkable books: Burnout and Come Together. If I had to choose only one sex educator to pay attention to, Emily would be that educator. She is an expert on sexual wellbeing, healthy relationships, and the prevention of sexual violence and harassment. Emily’s work is available at Medium.com, plus you can check out a remarkably thorough interview with her here. She also has multiple TED talks available on TED's website.

Peggy Kleinplatz - Peggy Kleinplatz is a Canadian sexologist who co-authored the book Magnificent Sex, a book built around one central question: "What makes sex magnificent?" Drawing on the largest in-depth interview study of its kind ever conducted, it gathers insights from people who identify as having magnificent sex, distilling their wisdom into practical guidance for cultivating a more fulfilling sex life.

Lori Brotto - Dr. Brotto is a Canadian professor and psychologist. She is the author of the paradigm-shifting book Better Sex Through Mindfulness and accompanying workbook. Together these books explore - through discussion and practical exercises - how mindfulness can cultivate desire, increase sexual pleasure, and bring more joy to intimacy.

Shemeka Thorpe - Dr. Shemeka is a sex researcher and educator who centres the experience of Black women, and creates space to prioritize their erotic wellbeing. She has created a Google Doc of Black Sexuality, Feminism, and Pleasure Reading List - which at the time of writing includes dozens of titles. She also has a list of BIPOC pelvic floor therapists in the USA/Canada on her website.

Candace Nicole Hargons - Dr. Candice Nicole is a psychologist and associate professor studying sexual wellness and liberation. As a thought leader, Dr. Hargons continues to shape the conversation around sexual and mental health, advocating for liberation and wellness within marginalized communities. Check out her debut book Good Sex, or her TEDx talk about ways to season your sex life.

Cory Silverberg - Cory is the author of a number of important sex education books - The Ultimate Guide to Sex & Disability (an as of yet unparalleled resource on sex and disability) plus What Makes A Baby, Sex Is A Funny Word and You Know, Sex!. Cory also co-founded Come As You Are - an anti-capitalist and sex-positive sex store that I was involved with for 10 years. I hope you enjoy the amazing artwork by Fiona Smyth in Cory’s children's books and on CAYA’s website!

Andrew Gurza - Andrew Gurza is a Disability Awareness Consultant and Cripple Content Creator. In his work, he seeks to explore how the lived experience of disability feels, as it interplays with intersectional communities.

Kai Cheng Thom - Kai Cheng is a somatically trained coach, consultant, and conflict resolution practitioner working at the intersection of mind, body, and collective soul, as well as being an internationally published, award-winning author of a number of books including I Hope We Choose Love.

Onika Henry - Onika Henry lives on the island of Tobago, in the Caribbean, and is a sexologist and qualified Sex Coach who has a B.A. in Theatre Arts, with a minor in Psychology. She uses this combination of specialties for the benefit of her clients in an environment that is healthy, fun, productive and most of all, safe and non-judgemental.

Audre Lorde - Audre Lorde was an American writer, feminist, womanist, librarian, and civil rights activist. She was a self-described "black, lesbian, mother, warrior, poet," who "dedicated both her life and her creative talent to confronting and addressing injustices of racism, sexism, classism, and homophobia." Her article The Uses of the Erotic: The Erotic as Power is a powerful read. You can find an audio recording of this same article here.

adrienne maree brown - adrienne is growing a garden of healing ideas. Informed by decades of movement facilitation, somatics, science fiction scholarship and doula work, adrienne has nurtured Emergent Strategy, Pleasure Activism, Radical Imagination and Loving Correction as ideas and practices for transformation. adrienne is the NYT-bestselling author/editor of several published texts and in particular I urge you to look into Pleasure Activism.

Also! Both Rae McDaniels and Lucie Fielding have made important contributions to a future that embraces gender freedom, euphoria and joy.

And, gosh, there are so so many other important writers, researchers, and educators out there… but hopefully this list gives you a starting point!

Sex Toys, Tools & Media:

Come As You Are - As mentioned elsewhere on my website, I spent 10 years as a worker/owner at Come As You Are (CAYA), an anti-capitalist, sex-positive co-operative sex store. During that time, I produced a number of YouTube videos reviewing products close to my heart - covering how different toys work, their pros and cons, and insight into the manufacturers behind them. I focus on high-quality, ethically made products from Canada and the US. Watch the videos here. Or, check out CAYA’s bestselling sex toys and sex information.

PinkLabel.tv - PinkLabel.tv is created and curated by Shine Louise Houston, a black queer indie porn producer. She decided to create PinkLabel.tv, a subscription porn site where audiences around the world could experience the kinds of films she was enjoying at indie porn showcases, as well as the types of bodies and desires that aren’t often depicted on conventional adult websites.

Cine Sinclaire - Cine Sinclaire is an indie porn company based in Winnipeg, Manitoba. They prioritize hiring and representing LGBTQ+ folks in their porn productions, and take a stance of ensuring that their portrayals of pleasure are true, intimate, and beautiful.