I was at a sex-positive book launch in central London when it suddenly dawned on me what Season Two of G’s Spot was going to be about.

We were discussing vulvas (standard) and some of the more vintage members of the audience shared information about their post-menopausal vaginas and consequent sex lives. Everything they spoke about was totally new to me. I mean, I knew about the menopause, but I realised that I had no idea what sex was like for women after they experienced it.

I became curious: what other experiences, shared by many women within the field of sexuality, was I totally unaware of?

I’ve come to realise that women have an understanding about a lot of the ‘events’ or ‘phenomena’ that happen – or could happen  – to them.  On the telly, in the newspapers, at school, in politics, in the movies and in books we ingest all types of things about: abortion, polyamory, divorce, gender transitions, STIs, depression, having kids, sexual assault, body pressures, recovery, sobriety… Some more than others, but these words and experiences are commonplace in 2020. The life of the modern women. 

But do we understand how these things affect women’s sexuality? 

What happens to women’s sex lives after these events? What does sex even mean after having kids? After trauma? After turning 70?

And where’s all the chat about this happening? Not in open forums, I’ll tell you that much. Behind closed doors, perhaps. Or maybe even never. I harp on about it all the time, but women are ashamed to talk about their sex lives honestly. At the best of times. And when our sexuality fluctuates and changes course after a particular event or experience, it seems even harder to discuss.

And I think we suffer from this silence. Where’s the community and where are the resources that women can turn to when grappling with their sexuality that changes and undulates throughout their life?

SEX AFTER is my new series that frames the sexual experiences of women ‘after’ a significant event in their life. It lifts the lid on the many shared sexual experiences of women that we all seem to have skimmed over and ignored.

This season is G’s Spot’s contribution to alleviating the shame associated with talking about sex

The stories shared on here are not mine to tell. This season is about me passing the microphone to women out there who are brave enough to share their sexual experiences. Expressed in their own words. To start conversations that we should be having. Not only can these stories alleviate the stigma around talking about female sexuality, I believe – and hope – they can help, support, enlighten, educate and empower the people reading them. 

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G’s Spot is proud to collaborate with artist Bee Illustrates for Season Two

@beeillustrates / www.beeillustrates.com

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Submissions for Season Two are still open – please get in touch if you would like to share your story.