Should I Shave My Pubic Hair?

When I was on tour with Lissa Rankin, a question came up at our first college chat event -- a question about pubic hair. Lissa had just explained that not all STDs are prevented with condom use. Pubic lice is one of those. A young woman then asked if she should just shave all of her pubic hair in order to avoid exposure. 

I am sure there had to have been a time when shaving (or waxing) your pubic hair was akin to shaving you head. When I was a little girl in the early '80s "the bush" was symbolic of this incredible, mysterious world of womanhood that I'd one day enter. Getting to sneak a peak at this part of a woman's body -- whether in an R-rated movie or the Playboy magazines under my friend's brother's bed -- absolutely fascinated me. I thought "the bush" was beautiful and I couldn't wait to have one.

Please welcome an anonymous special guest to the Owning Sexuality stage, here today to write about a truly juicy topic (ok, pun intended)... THANK YOU, goddess, for owning your pleasure - we are honored to hold space for your story!

I recently watched the first season of Californication and there was one scene in particular that struck me. In fact, it felt a bit like a punch in the gut. In the episode, protagonist Hank has a friend (Charlie) who talks him into a threesome with a woman whom Hank had previously blown off. At one point Hank is sort of stuck watching Charlie with the woman. As she is growing more and more excited he says, “Now I remember why I didn’t call her. Charlie, watch out, she’s going to blow.” And then it happens, a gush of fluid flows out of her. She, apparently, was a squirter. 

Six days until the release of What's Up Down There? Questions You'd Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend! Our big launch party will take place in Chicago at Sheila Kelley's S Factor on Sept 28, and we couldn't be more thrilled (and hope to see some of you there!). But Lissa's connection with S Factor has inspired an interesting dialogue -- check out this fabulous blog post on pole dancing, owning your sexuality, and the NEW feminism. 

This year, I have become friends with the mind-blowingly wonderful Sheila Kelley, founder of S Factor, the empowering women’s exercise class based on pole dancing. To support my book launch of What’s Up Down There?, Sheila has invited me to participate in a whole host of activities with the S Factor community. My book launch party will be at S Factor’s Chicago studio, I’m speaking at the S Factor retreat in San Diego, and we’re trying to put together events for the LA, San Francisco, and New York S Factor studios while I’m on tour. I’m so in awe of Sheila and her work that I’m truly honored to be doing this. Which is why I was so surprised to receive this letter from one of my friends.

I was recently given the opportunity to help host the Dallas Pink Posse event on Owning Sexuality. If any of you have met Megan then you know you just don't tell her no. So when she took a shot and asked, I didn't hesitate. But what I didn't realize was that this trip to Texas would take on a life of its own.