Sexuality Happens

I will be presenting a class on sex and disability, and negotiation disability in a BDSM context at the Center for Sex Positive Education in Seattle while I’m there in July.  Would love to see some of you there!

-Essin’ Em

Description: 

Contrary to many social assumptions, people with disabilities and those who are differently abled are sexual beings. Sometimes it is hard to have a partner who is differently abled, or to be someone who is physically or mentally disabled entering a sexual relationships.  Moreover, many people practice BDSM in a certain way, and have trouble changing it when they have a partner who is differently abled.  This will discuss who to include ability level into pre-play negotiations, new ways to try things, and more. Open to everyone, but particularly oriented to those who are differently abled/disabled and their current/potential partners.

After the workshop there will be a short social and  play party. 

Shanna Katz has recently completed her Master€’s in Human Sexuality Education at Widener University in Pennsylvania. She also has her B.A. in Sociology from the Colorado College.

Shanna has many years of experience working with a variety of individuals and groups, providing both consultations and workshops/classes. Some of her specialties include: safer sex workshops, ally education programs, and sexual assault prevention/consent classes. Her popular “€œTaking Sex out of the Dark”€ talk is an intimate session which gives students an opportunity to ask a “€œsexpert” their deep (and often un-answered) questions. She also does trainings and consultations on LGBTQ issues (both in workplace and school environments), work with human resource departments, alternative sexualities consultations, advice about sex toys/sexual aides and more. Additionally, she works one-on-one with individuals, couples, and small groups as a sexual wellness coach, helping people explore their sexuality in a safe and open-minded manner.

Her focuses include queer sexuality, k trainings ink and the BDSM community, sex toy education and safety, and sexuality in regards to disability. She has done, workshops and written curricula for numerous places, including Princeton University (Princeton, NJ), the State University of New York – Purchase (Purchase, NY), the University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA), Widener University (Chester, PA), the Planned Parenthood Association of Bucks Country (Doylestown, PA), Passional Toys (Philadelphia, PA), S.E.X. PhD (Denver, CO), Colorado College (Colorado Springs, CO), Femina Potens Gallery (San Francisco, CA), Sex 2.0 Conference 2009 (Washington DC) and Hysteria (Denver, CO).

http://www.ShannaKatz.com/