Because 1 out of 4
Rape, Brock Turner and why I do my job in Sexual Health Education
Originally posted on June 8, 2016 by Summers Love Company at lovesummers.com
Summers Love Company
I've wrestled with emotions around the Brock Turner Rape conviction and have remained quiet on the issue. Please forgive my silence. Because for me, this is very personal.
At one point in my life, my younger self, my way too younger self, had one glass of champagne at a new year's party and whether it was laced with drugs or not, I will never know for certain. What I do know for sure is that a scumbag and his scumbag friends found it appropriate to steal my very younger self's innocence while I was largely incoherent and unable to resist. The next morning, I woke up and couldn't find my socks. It was my first clue that something else had gone missing as well.
I was ashamed, confused, embarrassed and unequipped with language to articulate my experience. I wrote a poem about it, that got published a few places and was lauded for my creative imagination. My creative writing teacher got it but said nothing. Nobody really wanted to talk about it with me. I didn't want to talk about it with me.
So instead, I dug deep and got myself through. I developed healthy relationships with high school and college loves and considered myself a Virgin until I chose to give that gift away to the right person at the very right time.
Yesterday, I spoke with a representative from my high-school alumnae magazine as she wanted to edit my class note to remove the language about my business at Summers Love Company's focus and sexual health. It was going to 4th grade parents after all. I challenged her on the issue. My 5th grader, your 4th grader, all of our 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th graders need shame free education about sexual health. Sex is not an inappropriate word. When we pretend it is, we take away the power of every person to own their body.
Because raping a girl while she is wasted in the parking lot isn't "action". Because sexual education isn't best served later. Information and awareness should be shared early. Body awareness, body safety, and the importance of sexual intimacy needs to be a rigor we learn from a very young age. Boys and Girls need this lesson. No more raping.
Now, my life exists to help grown ups learn what they missed out on when it comes to sex ed and to ensure kids learn before they have a chance to miss it. I am determined to create free high quality sex ed available online by 2020. That is why I am always harping on about LOVEGASM and Coconut Oil.
I have healed my own hurt by turning my focus to helping others. Most of my mentors have done the same as well. You see one in four, YES 1 IN 4 women are raped.
To all the drunk girls out there. You did nothing wrong. You are not just a piece of action. You are not broken. You are worth more than that scumbag judge and piece of trash rapist. You are beautiful, powerful and together we will change this world. Let's get climbing.
Love, Summers