I love learning in ways that feel non-hierarchal, an exploration all together. Maybe a minor detail but sitting together all on the floor / a circle. My favorite way I was taught was when the instructor would start with what people didn't know / questions at the start and then a discussion would ensue. I think when it comes to sex we have been taught to be ashamed of our desires or to know everything already. Very strange! I think dismantling shame from desire and allowing ourselves the room to be embarrassed is important and encourages an honest attempt at curiosity + learning.

I felt deeply held by the environment that Melanie, Meghna, and Max established for us to learn about love in SFPC Digital Love Languages, and can see an environment like this being very safe to learn about sex. This class made me think more about learning environments than I ever had imagined, and to be conscious of this environment means that you are able to approach it (and those that make it up) with care and intention. I loved listening to the prepared presentations, but cherished getting to hear from the other participants and how they showed up for every class.

This is such a hard question, because I've NEVER had a space like that. It's not something my friends or my wider community talks about...so a girl can only dream....umm...I think it looks like a circle of humans sharing wisdom, I think it looks like a lot of laughing because bodies are silly as well as beautiful, I think it looks like dancing, I think it looks like NO CHAIRS in a classroom. My favorite way to learn is to hear other people talk about what they've learned and to be able to make connections to my own life and ways of being. When that happens I feel gooey and happy and like my brain and heart are stretching wide.

Certainly physical safety is very important, but other than that I think brutal honesty and openness create the most transformational learning environment, even though it can be an uncomfortable process.

A safe environment for learning about sex looks like, to me, a non-hierarchical structure with workshops and open discussion, as well as having specific boundaries in place that can keep things consensual and respectful among people. If conversations that are uncomfortable or challenging arise, giving space for those who wish to continue the conversation somewhere else so that those who don’t wish to participate don’t have to.

I love to learn via conversation, even if I’m just watching the conversation. Because I like to see how a clearer concept emerges when two or more people’s reified versions of reality come into contact and each is changed and transformed. Like a dialectic. An understanding emerges. I’d rather learn about the liminal boundaries of something than the core definition.

I want to know that no one is going to use what I say against me. I suppose that's stating the obvious, but just had to say it.

I want to know how to be respectful and affirming of others. I want the needs of others to be communicated. I feel safe when it's clear to me how to make others safe.

I feel safe when others reflect back that they've heard me, and that what I've shared is normal and human.

I learn the best when new ideas are presented alongside the old questions, as in what the fuck are we doing here and how can we do it better.

a space whether virtual or physical where I can ask any question without being judged, a place where it is okay to rebuild from ground 0 to understand things.

For me, a safer learning environment means consent, openness, and the willingness to acknowledge differences in our experiences/awareness not only towards sex, but also the way we talk about sex. Not leaving anyone out due to differences in our knowledge base and boundary-making. Everyone should feel seen and heard. I think that means curiosity and respect towards every participant in the group: from getting to know each other, sharing, to putting together the final showcase. My favorite way to learn always involves some kind of personal application to a theory or practice, regardless of the learning material—it is so much more than receiving information. For example, if a group worked on reading and deciphering a Daoist sexology text together, it would be very fun and generative to create our own manual based on that initial study/reading/workshop. In addition to the class instructors, I would also love to learn from each participant and what they have to bring to the table. For me, it is very important to demystify knowledge and skills through sharing, and redistribute that power through the community. That is also a learning curve for me.

A safer learning environment for learning about sex involves a collective willingness to be open minded and deep listeners while also holding each other accountable for maintaining a safer/affirming space for all present. I think conversations about sex and sexuality can be difficult, shameful, or triggering for people in different ways so I think acknowledging the potential for those feelings to come up and planning on ways to support one another in those situations by establishing community agreements would be a helpful step in that direction.

My favorite way to learn is through discussion, I get anxious sometimes about speaking too often in classes because I feel like I best internalize what I'm learning by having a conversation about the material and getting to listen and talk through other people's interpretations of the subject.

A safer learning environment for learning about sex would look like one free of judgement. A space with trust and shared commitment to epistemic empowerment. I think it's really important to give others space to change, share feelings and ideas in-progress, and be able to acknowledge hurt, conflict, and forgive. I learn best through conversation and making connections. Hearing others share their thoughts and experiences helps me explore new ways of thinking and is my favorite way to learn.

Sitting in a circle instead of facing front! Feeling safe to be curious and ask questions within a group. Information flows top down and bottom up!

A safer learning environment for learning about sex for me looks like classes and workshops being taught and facillitated by folks of all different marginalized identities. Safety in sex education looks like elevating the platforms of fat educators, Black and Brown educators, trans educators, disabled educators, neurodiverent educators, etc. A safe learning environment looks like peer story sharing and inclusive trauma informed language surrounding our bodies with an extremely heavy emphasis on the importance of consent. It also includes various options for information intake for those who may learn differently such as someone neurodivergent like myself, and space for that to be okay and not shameful. For me I learn best through my experiences listening to people within my community about their experiences and finding solidairty in those experiences. I feel seen and understood when I'm in the presence of teachers who can relate and listen with informed opinions that can only be obtained through life and observation. One of my favorite ways to learn is through group discussions and active listening. Being in community and participating in the literal act of communing brings me so much euphoria and comfort. Knowing that you are not alone in an experience makes knowledge sharing feel safer and more accesible as opposed to the hyperindividualism we are taught to have. Another favorite form of learning for me is through art. I am currently reading "Mouths of Rain: An Anthology of Black Lesbian Thought" and through these readings I am seeing the way queer elders have thought about sex and how they provided such beautiful language for understanding.

It means literally asking the "dirtiest" of questions and allowing your curiosities to inform the conversation. No judging and good listening, too!