Leah met Gretchen at Sex Geek Summer Camp. They realized they share remarkably similar journeys; both started having sex later in life, believed that they were broken, then sought out sexual experiences and healing. Significantly, both engaged the services of a tantric practitioner.
Gretchen is a cisgender 46-year-old cisgender woman. She describes herself as bisexual and polyamorous. She describes her body as average.
- Gretchen talks about her first memory of sexual pleasure, cuddling with another girl around age 8 or 9.
- Growing up Catholic, sex was never talked about.
- Gretchen discusses dissociating from her body for most of her life. Her parents never discussed her appearance in an attempt to minimize cultural influences. It backfires, though not in the usual way.
- In her late 20's, after returning from the Peace Corps, she finally tries to start dating.
- Living in the culture of the Dominican Republic changes her perspective.
- After a long time of flirting with a co-worker, sex enters the conversation. The encounter qualifies more as "penetration of some type".
- She's moved to Portland and wanting to date and have sex.
- With the help of her therapist and a whiteboard, Gretchen has a breakthrough.
- She takes a 3-week trip to Mexico. It ends, unexpectedly, with a one-night stand with her Mayan kayak guide. For touch-starved Gretchen, the experience is wonderful, then strange, then breaks her with the thought that she might be frigid.
- Gretchen starts working with a tantric practitioner.
Update:
Since this episode was released, the podcast has concluded. Here's how you can find me now:
EPISODE CREDITS:
Host / Producer – Leah Carey (email)
Audio Editor – Gretchen Kilby
Administrative Support - Lara O'Connor, Maria Franco
Transcript creation – Jan Acielo
Music – Nazar Rybak
