Natalie is a 30-year-old, cisgender female who describes herself as monogamous, straight and engaged to be married. She describes her body as petite.
Natalie talks about her experiences with both binge and purge eating behaviors, and how they affected her experience of sex and her body. She also talks about sometimes trading sex for lodging when she didn't have steady housing.
- Natalie shares her first memory of sexual pleasure, in high school. She's the middle of 7 kids and grew open in a pretty open household, though it's hard to masturbate in a bunk bed.
- She loses her virginity to her first "official" boyfriend, whom she connects with on MySpace.
- She meets her next boyfriend at the mall, and moves in with him. Her body image issues escalate and she begins to work out excessively at the 24-hr gym. She starts eliminating food to cut down on her unsustainable gym schedule; then she starts taking Adderall.
- Her disordered eating takes a toll on her appearance, and her physical, sexual, and mental health. Sex becomes an obligation.
- They break up, and she begins a period of couch-surfing. She tries to eat more, and isn't going to the gym, but she ends up purging and having to endure the associated health difficulties.
- Natalie talks about how she's doing in present day with the disordered eating. She credits her improvement and maintenance to her current partner, who holds her accountable for her self-care. They've been together 8 years. The sex is fantastic.
- She and her partner experiment with BDSM. She likes collecting slap marks on her body, but has to hide them at work.
- Leah and Natalie discuss safety protocols for choking.
- Natalie recently removed her nipple and clit piercings, and feels renewed sensation. She discusses what's on the table for her sexual future.
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
