Sexual freedom is as relevant as ever. On one hand, we have an abundance of sexually liberated platforms: podcasts, articles, and books openly discussing sex, sexuality, nudity and all types of sexual preferences. People can talk about their favourite porn sites, sexual positions and sex toys. Sex parties, numerous sexual wellness sites and bondage classes are available. We’re seeing the expansion of events for the LGBTQI+ community and organisations working towards creating safe spaces for BIPOC LGBTQI+ people. The feminist discourse is also becoming more and more intersectional.
On the other hand, sex and nudity are heavily censored on social media, especially the female body. This is evident through movements such as #freethenipple or #uncensoredme. In 70 countries, LGBTQI+ relationships are still illegal. Hungary recently passed a law prohibiting young people from informing themselves about homosexuality. Poland has created “LGBTQI+ free zones”, and the German Bundestag denied the “Self-Determination Act,” consequently, holding onto a transphobic law. Many porn tubes still have videos of underaged people and rape videos, and sex workers are being exploited.
Sexual Liberation for All
It is important to remember that power structures extend their influence to sex and sexuality just as they do every other aspect of life. This means that discrimination and intersectional discrimination play a big role in the sexual freedom of both societies and individuals. We must ask ourselves, “Are we taking inclusive steps forward in terms of sexual freedom, or merely reproducing repressive power structures?”
The collaboration “How free is your sex?” with Einhorn aims to reflect the sexual liberation of our society to understand how we feel and identify what needs to change. We want to highlight inequalities and, at the same time, we want to establish that sexual freedom is not a privilege but a right that should be accessible to everyone.
Sexually liberated?- Here’s what the experts think
The question of what sexual liberation means is, of course, a very personal one, so, to gain insights, we asked several experts from different professions in the field for their opinions. Our esteemed contributors include Anarella, the founder of “Sex School Hub”; Cupcake, performance artist, drag queen and event producer; Neen Sever, performer and activist; Cordelia, head of menstruation at “Einhorn”; Jordis Meise, marketing manager of fun factory; Jared, founder of “Pinky Promise”; Anna Dillinger, sex therapist; Claudia, self-healer; Patrick, queer podcaster and sex therapist; Nadine Primo, blogger; Helen Hagemeier, couple and sexual therapist; Maya, founder of “Beingfemale”; Charlotte Weise, influencer; Paulita Pappel, porn producer and director; Marry, sex coach, yoni and pleasure education; Fiffy, part of the “Berlin Stripper Collective”; Silky&Velvet, performer couple; Denise Kratzenberg, founder of “CHEEX”; Popo Fan, writer, filmmaker and activist; Malcom Lovejoy, performer; and Beste Freundinnen, podcast duo.
By loading the video, you agree to YouTube's privacy policy.
Learn more
Defining sexual liberation:
Limits to sexual liberation:
Fostering sexual liberation:
Sexually Liberated? Here’s What Our Community Thinks
Survey Demographics:
A diverse group of around 3000 individuals participated in our questionnaire gauging their perception of sexual freedom. Of our respondents, 80 % were women, 17% were men, and 3% identified beyond the binary, as genderqueer, genderfluid, agender, non-binary, or without label. The majority of participants were between 18 and 34 years old. Most were heterosexual, but many participants were LGBTQI+, identifying as bisexual, pansexual, queer, gay, lesbian and asexual.
Perceived Sexual Freedom:
Meaning of Sexual Liberation:
Limitations to Sexual Freedom:
45% of participants cited societal conventions, taboos and gender roles as limitations to sexual freedom. 38% of the participants mentioned emotional stress, while 17% felt limited by their partners.
Factors for Sexual Liberation:
For a detailed exploration of the questionnaire and its findings, download the complete report below.
The Path to Sexual Freedom
As we proceed on the path toward sexual liberation, the identification of the many barriers has become a pivotal step in overcoming them. Malcolm Lovejoy sums up this conversation nicely by saying, “Our world is not free until everybody is allowed to express their personal, emotional, sexual, spiritual desires and not be judged for it. I hope we get there one day.”
So do we.
