Queer Sex & Pleasure: A 101 Workshop

Gain confidence and find your creativity when it comes to all things pleasure. Hold on tight (pun intended), you're in for inclusive pleasure education designed for LGBTQIA+ folks and partners. Explore pleasure mapping, safer sex, anatomy, communication, toys, and tools for affirming and fun experiences. Folks who are both new to queer sex and those who have been at it a while, this class is designed for anyone wanting to connect more deeply with their bodies, desire, and pleasure.

Join us with a partner, date, or friend to share in your excitement and desire. Interested in attending on your own? Please do! And then take that knowledge back to your partner or to a potential future lover!

Our Lotus Blooms sex educator, Jay brings their years of teaching and lived experience to bring you this workshop designed to help you uncover and explore your desires!! Participants will get a chance to:

• Journal to guided prompts about past experiences and discoveries, and current interests and desires (with option to share)

• Discuss the ways they have felt limited by norms and expectations

• Normalize physical, mental, emotional and sexual health check-ins

• Discuss the importance and power of language and defining sex and associated words on our own terms (including ways to be trans affirming)

• Review basic anatomy of the genitals, anus, and potential pleasure spots

• Touch & try-on available options for strap-on play including dildos and harnesses

• Touch and learn about vibrators and other toys that are particularly great for various types of queer and trans sex (even if they aren’t designed for us)

• Build out fantasies and desires (to potentially share with partners, but only if you want)

• Ask & receive tailored advice for all your queer sex questions and concerns
  

What to expect from this workshop:
This is an educational class with a little bit of touching products and trying on harnesses, but it is not a sexual class. Folks will have the opportunity to try on harnesses with dildos, but everyone will remain clothed. The focus of the content will be on learning about anatomy, pleasure, techniques, props, toys, and getting in touch with your desire!

Participants will be able to opt in and out of any exercises or offerings.

The tone of class will be taught with sexual partners in mind. All relationship dynamics and configurations are welcome - come by yourself or with your partner, triad, or friend!

Who is this workshop for:
No previous experience with queer sex or relationships required. No pre-requisite to be “out” as queer, and we ask for confidentiality to be maintained by all those in attendance.

This workshop is for folks who are both new to queer sex and those who have been at it a while. Maybe you're in a relationship where one partner feels "less experienced". Attending together is a beautiful way to have a jumping-off point for conversations, ideas for play, and communicating desires. This class is designed for anyone wanting to connect more deeply with their bodies, desire, and pleasure, through a framework of queer sex play.

You may attend solo or bring a partner, date, or friend! If you come with someone, there will be opportunities (but no requirements) to share what fantasies, desires, and concerns/fears you have. Our workshops are not play spaces, nor are they meetups. If you are looking for local groups that host such events, we are happy to recommend them!

What to bring/wear: There will be an opportunity to try on harnesses over clothes so we’d recommend wearing pants if you’d like to do so.

Meet your Educator-

Jay Sheffield (they/he) is an educator at Lotus Blooms who is passionate about helping visitors make informed decisions and feel more connected to their bodies and desires. Previously, Jay worked as a DC-licensed massage therapist practicing consent-based bodywork, with a sliding scale prioritizing QTBIPOC. Jay loves dancing, eating, traveling, and spending time with their cats, the ocean, and their loved ones.

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The Fine Print: Lotus Blooms’ workshops are open to people of all genders and sexual orientations, individuals, couples, or groups. Due to state law, attendees must be over 18 to come to the workshops or shop in the store. Workshops are currently held at  Ms. Moxie's Moon Shop, 102 N Fayette St, Alexandria, VA 22314, one block from Lotus Blooms. Workshops generally run about 60 minutes plus time for Q&A. Afterwards, attendees will be walked over to shop Lotus Blooms with a 15% discount. 

If you are running late:
Because the topics of sex, sexuality, intimacy, etc are so personal and often taboo in our society, our staff and educators work very hard to create events that make people feel comfortable learning and sharing. Much of the working agreements and standards of behavior tend to take place at the beginning of our short workshops. As such, if you arrive more than 15 minutes after the workshop is scheduled to begin, we will not be able to allow you to join this time around and your tickets will be forfeited. We hope that this helps to encourage people to come on time and enjoy the entirety of the event, and create a comfortable space for everyone attending!