By Nkhensani Manabe

The conversation title "Pansexual, Gynasexual or Abrosexual? A dive into queerness, pleasure and sex positivity" gives one much to think about. Tiffany Kagure Mugo, author, educator and curator of HOLAAfrica, begins the discussion with a reading from Touch, a recently published collection of fiction and non-fiction essays on sex, sexuality and pleasure. In this excerpt, the author puts forward the idea that pleasure is constant and ongoing, it is to be found in everyday activities and is not confined to sexual intercourse.

This idea, that pleasure is as much a part of daily life as anything else, runs through the discussion, which also covers topics of desire, attraction and sexual orientation.

Early on, there is this sense of hope and possibility. Tiffany presents options and explains alternatives, giving us new language to speak about who we are, what we like, and how we want it. This is about desire and sex, but mostly it is about self-knowledge and empowerment. Tiffany speaks passionately about making decisions from a place of power: learning your own identity so that you are able to make the best choices for yourself. 

In a conversation that is open and free, representing the attitude that Tiffany would have us all adopt, we learn that knowledge about sex and sexuality is ever-changing, the boundaries are shifting. What we may have learned or, more importantly, been kept away from as children or adults is exactly where we should start unlearning and reprogramming. Tiffany notes that young people these days need tools to understand the experiences they are already having, a reminder to never underestimate what children and teenagers know about the kind of pleasure(s) they want to pursue in life.

The conversation opened my mind to something: knowing myself will help to build my confidence; I will be able to approach relationships with care not only for myself but for others, too. Learning the language of orientation, attraction, desire and pleasure will go towards deepening my future connections. I appreciated the space to think about this aspect of my life -- the private, intimate parts that I don’t access often. Tiffany’s enthusiasm about pleasure and identity pushed my own boundaries, allowing me to entertain new personal possibilities. 

The idea of learning how to make holistic connections is still not common. Largely, we live in a culture of instant and fleeting connections. There is hardly any time to truly reflect on how and why we are seeking relationship or partnership -- at least, not until a moment of crisis. 

Of course, there are selected spaces that welcome questions and discussions, such as the AWID Crear Résister Transform Festival and other free-thinking online platforms or publications -- but access to information from a helpful, non-judgemental source is something people are still trying to figure out. This may be in part because people are not confident in the language of sexuality and pleasure. 

The notion of language and tools repeats itself throughout Tiffany’s presentation. Tiffany and her colleagues are doing the work of talking, teaching and nurturing. Seeing what people need, where they are, what they want for themselves, and walking alongside them as they build their ideal worlds. Giving them new words and definitions to help give shape to their identities at different stages of their lives. 
These are the kinds of conversations that are necessary, even in a society that has myriad healthcare messages broadcast with varying degrees of details at any given moment. Sometimes people need to be brought back from the big picture moments and encouraged to learn about their individual opinions and desires. This is what Tiffany’s talk does: it gives people a space in the larger puzzle. 

A highlight of Tiffany’s talk was the section on the different types of attraction. 

Sexual -- as in, the express desire to have intercourse with a person or people
Sensual -- the desire to touch a person or people, to be physically close without necessarily including intercourse
Romantic -- the desire to date or be in a relationship with a person or people
Platonic -- the desire to build close friendships 
Aesthetic -- the desire to look at and be pleased by the appearance of a person or people

These five types or levels of attraction offer a shorthand for desire and pleasure, and help to contextualise the different kinds of pleasure people can experience. 

Thinking of attraction beyond the physical or sexual offers a new perspective on connection. It is a chance to take the pressure off relationships, which opens up opportunities for different, more enlightened and fulfilling partnerships. 

This freedom and knowledge that Tiffany presents is a roadmap to the future. The presentation offered a new perspective on what is possible. 

As the opening excerpt states, pleasure is ongoing. In light of Tiffany’s discussion, it is also clear that it is dynamic and exciting. There is always more to know. 

This may be daunting at first, but on the other side of hesitation is hope, potential and freedom. 

We’re beginning a new year--2023. COVID-19 continues to infect and re-infect many, many people around the world. We are witnessing the resurgence of right-wing and fascist governments, even in places we may not have expected like Sweden. War, armed conflict, and dramatic increase in militarization, militarism, and military spending are enabling the unbridled capital accumulation by the few, with participation of seemingly “strange” alliances locking arms, both visibly and invisibly, where economic and political elites of the Global North and Global South are benefitting beyond our wildest imagination. In the meanwhile, our people and the natural environment pay enormous costs and suffer all the expected and unexpected consequences.

As all of you and all of us at AWID know, feminists in multiple movements around the world are resisting and organizing against multiple faces of tyranny, creating alternative structures, implementing grassroots strategies, and building transnational alliances. We are generating joy, inspiring one another, singing, and dancing within and against the prevailing culture of killing and cynicism that seems to have engulfed so much of the world.

We--Staff and Board--of AWID are prepared and inspired more than ever before to face challenges by strengthening our relationships with our members and organizational partners, meeting and getting to know those who we are yet to meet and do what we do best: support the global feminist movements. Although we were sad facing the departures of our beloved former Co-Eds Cindy and Hakima, our wonderful new Co-EDS Faye and Inna along with committed and creative staff have embraced the moment that encapsulates both opportunities and threats.

For sure, all of us at AWID and all our movement folks know:  As the Caribbean US poet and activist June Jordan wrote to the South African women activists during the height of the apartheid regime, “We are the ones we have been waiting for”!

The Call for Activities lists a number of suggested formats and methodologies. Be creative and make sure to read the section “What you need to know”.

Thank you for taking a step further to change the world!

Your generous contribution will help us support feminist movements across the globe working to achieve gender justice and women’s human rights worldwide.

You can also support our work as an AWID Member. Find out how here.

يعقد كل منتدى في منطقة مختلفة، وقد حان الوقت لعودة منتدى جمعية حقوق المرأة في التنمية إلى آسيا! قمنا بزيارة العديد من البلدان في المنطقة، واستشرنا الحركات النسوية، وأجرينا تقييمات مفصلة للخدمات اللوجستية، وإمكانية الوصول، والسلامة، والتأشيرات، وغيرها من التفاصيل. وفي نهاية المطاف، وافق مجلس إدارة جمعية حقوق المرأة في التنمية على إقامة المنتدى في بانكوك، تايلاند، باعتبارها الخيار الأفضل. نحن متحمسون/ات للعودة إلى بانكوك، حيث عقدنا منتدى جمعية حقوق المرأة في التنمية في عام 2005.

تمويل مشاركتك

ในหัวข้อ เปิดรับสมัครกิจกรรม แสดงรายการรูปแบบและวิธีการจัดกิจกรรมที่แนะนำจำนวนหนึ่ง ใช้ความคิดสร้างสรรค์และอย่าลืมอ่านหัวข้อ “สิ่งที่คุณต้องรู้”

نحن نعلم أن السفر لأول مرة يمكن أن يكون مثيرًا ولكنه مرهق أيضًا. وإدراكًا للتحديات العديدة التي ينطوي عليها الأمر، سنقدم المزيد من المعلومات والتفاصيل حول كيفية الوصول إلى بانكوك عندما يتم فتح التسجيل في أوائل العام المقبل.

หากคำถามเพิ่มเติมอื่นๆ กรุณาติดต่อเรา เราจะอัปเดทเนื้อหานี้อยู่เสมอจากคำถามต่างๆที่เราได้รับจากคุณ

Challenging Corporate Power

to Reduce Poverty & Strengthen Human Rights

📅Wednesday, March 13 🕒10.30am-12pm EST
Organisers: AWID, ESCR-Net, Franciscan International, Womankind Worldwide as part of Feminists For a Binding Treaty
🏢 Church Center of the United Nations, 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, 11th Floor

WHY SHOULD I TAKE IT NOW?

Feminist, women’s rights, gender justice, LBTQI+ and allied movements around the world are at a critical juncture, facing a powerful backlash on previously-won rights and freedoms.

Recent years have brought the rapid rise of authoritarianism, violent repression of civil society, criminalization of women and gender-diverse human rights defenders, escalating war and conflict in many parts of our world, continued perpetuation of economic injustices, and the intersecting health, ecology and climate crises.

Resourcing feminist movements is fundamental to securing a more just and peaceful present and liberated future. While funders committed significantly more money to gender equality over the last decade, still only 1% of philanthropic and development funding has actually been moved to directly resource feminist-led social change.

Absolutely, we want to hear about your experience with resourcing.

The estimated time to complete the survey is 30 minutes.

Expand your boundaries. AWID members increasingly represent a diverse and vibrant cross-section of feminists working on land rights, workers’ rights, sexual rights and bodily autonomy, among other issues. By joining us as a member, you can connect your struggles across movements.