Cheers Sexy People!
I am just beyond excited to share my latest podcast interview with you – both Part One and Part Two – that I recently recorded with Jules Purnell whom I met at this year’s Woodhull Sexual Freedom Summit (SFS) that I described here. Jules Purnell is a sexuality educator, speaker, writer, and activist. They specialize in LGBT+ concerns, polyamory, safer sex, and intersectional analysis. I was incredibly fortunate to attend Jules’s session at this year’s SFS entitled “Love Outside the Limits: Polyamory for the Rest of Us.” I LOVED this workshop, as well as all of the fascinating and diverse attendees who provided hugely valuable insights to the lively discussion. As I am wont to do, I approached Jules after their session and invited them to come on the podcast. We had a fantastic, highly informative, and fascinating interview. I love getting diverse voices to speak on all kinds of sex-positive, consensual non-monogamy topics. I am proud to have Jules on as our first ever transgender guest to add that intersectionality to our non-monogamy discussions. In our interview, we cover such topics as Jules’ origin story of consensual non-monogamy and gender exploration, the incredible and unique journey they have found themselves on over the course of their lives, how we both have an ironic identification with Chester, Pennsylvania and Widener University, and so so much more!
Some other topics we discuss in this jam-packed interview:
— Discussions on keeping gender and sexuality identification separate (but for Jules, they “definitely pass each other notes in study hall,” meaning can’t have one without the other)
— Jules’ non-monogamy lightbulb moment that involved a debt of gratitude to the movie “People Versus Larry Flint”
— How Jules reclaimed the word “slut” very early on (and a hilarious and eye-opening story around that)
— What it meant and felt like to be female-assigned at birth, yet then develop crushes on gay boys
— How their gender journey has helped them and been so rewarding in their work with foster care kids
— The meaning of the term “gatekeeping” – a well-know phenomenon in the transgender community referring to a bulled-list and series of hoops transgender patients often get required to go through before allowing that person to transition with rigid rules; Jules acts as a trans activist speaking out about this phenomenon
— Discussions of intersectionality, and what it’s like to grow up being ambiguous around gender and sexuality, thus others have a “hard time sorting you,” and what that means
— Who Jules is attracted to today —> those that are doing good in the world and are “switched on,” and how they can no longer date a pessimist
Jules Purnell grew up in Cincinnati, OH and moved to Portland, ME in 2010. There they studied at the University of Southern Maine, earning a BA in Women and Gender Studies and Sociology with a concentration in Deaf Studies. In 2016, they moved to Philadelphia, PA and are a current MEd student in Widener University’s Center for Human Sexuality Studies program.
Jules identifies as non-binary transgender/genderqueer and goes by they/them pronouns. They also identify as multiracial, the descendent of immigrants from Southeast Asia and Western Europe. Jules has taught on subjects ranging from transgender identity and non-mono sexualities (“Other-sexuals: Beyond Gay and Straight”), to polyamory (“Polyamory for the Rest of Us”), to BDSM/kink (“Pegging Like a Pro”), to safer sex and consent, especially for those who are often left out of safer sex talks.
Jules worked as an intern for Planned Parenthood in 2012, owned and operated a feminist, queer, erotic film company from 2012-2014, has worked on political campaigns for LGBT+ rights, and frequently speaks on panels and facilitates discussion with a keen focus on intersectionality. They have been published or featured in the Portland Phoenix, The SMCC Beacon, Dispatch Magazine, the Portland Press Herald, and Shift Left. They have spoken on the radio shows ISM PRISM and The Blunt Youth radio project. Jules has presented at the Philadelphia Trans Health Conference, Dark Odyssey: Winter Fire, The Transcending Boundaries Conference, and helped coordinate and present at the MESH(in) just to name a few!
Thank you Jules, for being so awesomely generous with your time, for all of your sexual education work, and for sharing your thoughts, wisdom and insights with us via the podcast interviews Part One and Part Two! It was informative, inspirational, and so fun! Follow their adventures at their website julesmpurnell.com, find them on Twitter @julesmpurnell, or email them at jules.m.purnell@gmail.com.
To hear the podcasts, go to the Podcast link here, subscribe to the Loving Without Boundaries podcast, and check out Episodes 65 and 66 with Jules Purnell. Also, please help spread awareness of alternative lifestyles and create more tolerance for consensual non-monogamy in the world at large by Rating and Reviewing the Loving Without Boundaries podcast in iTunes. It only takes a few minutes.
If you would like to be interviewed either in written form or via audio on the podcast, please feel free to contact me and we will set something up. Thank you!
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS!
“Jealousy Survival Guide: How to feel safe, happy, and secure in an open relationship” Book Release!
Jealousy is one of the two biggest questions that I get asked about in regards to consensual non-monogamy. This book is chock-full of oodles of information and actionable steps that anyone can start using TODAY to alleviate and expertly handle he challenging emotion of jealousy when it rears its head in their life. I hope readers find it helpful, applicable, easy to read and most of all….impactful. The day is finally here to share the book with you…. and I’m SOOO excited! The book is now in the pre-launch phase, and I want to give you ample time to read the advance copy, review it on Amazon if you wish, share, and enjoy it.
FREE DOWNLOAD – PUT IN YOUR CALENDARS: “The Jealousy Survival Guide” will be available for FREE Downloads for five consecutive days during the official book launch NOVEMBER 1 – 5, 2017. Get your free copy or I invite you to pay just 99 cents now before the price goes up!!
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“Consider This: A Day of Challenging the Status Quo in Sex and Relationship” Video Release!
The creators of this amazing event, Effy Blue and Sara Dahan, have a special, exclusive and time-sensitive offer! They have all the videos from this incredible all-day event available to stream online for $9 until October 22nd. I wrote all about this spectacular and information-filled event here in this blog post. I can speak very highly of the content of all of this material. If you have any interest, don’t miss out on this special offer!
Wishing you peace, love and happiness,
Kitty