The first of a critical two-part discussion, this episode focuses on Ming Peiffer’s USUAL GIRLS. The play premiered in 2018 at Roundabout Underground for an extended, sold-out run. Catalyzed by the allegations against American Apparel’s Dov Charney, playwright Peiffer began to investigate the stories of women and the milestones in the sexual maturation of girls in America that can lead to a fraught and vulnerable relationship to one’s own sexuality. Peiffer put the patriarchy, rape culture, sexism, misogyny, and racism on trial in her professional debut work.
What does healthy sexual development look like? How can femmes claim (or reclaim) their own sexuality? Is it possible to shed the culturally imposed shame and guilt and adopt an outlook of pleasure? What should effective sex education teach and when? What sexual stereotypes do we impose upon different communities, be it Black, Latinx, Asian, and how do we counter them? What are the consequences of teaching abstinence-only, medically inaccurate, or emotionally devoid sex ed? Peiffer, host Ruthie Fierberg, and experts Dr. Tracie Gilbert, a sex educator, writer, researcher, and consultant with over 25 years experience, specializing in work with Black communities; Professor Lisa Speidel, assistant professor and general faculty in the Gender and Sexuality department at the University of Virginia, and editor of The Edge of Sex; Professor Celine Parrenas Shimizu, Director of the School of Cinema, member of the graduate faculty of Sexuality Studies at San Francisco State University, filmmaker, and author; and Justine Ang Fonte, a disruptor in health education and Director of Health and Wellness at an NYC K-12 school, gather to discuss everything from pleasure to self-discovery, recovering from violence to self-defense and all the coming-of-age in between.
Referred to in this episode
- Kinsey Institute
- What is a “comfort woman”?
- Who gets the most right-swipes on dating apps?
- Sexual stereotypes of Black communities and Asian communities
- Lesson Plan: How to teach accurate reproductive anatomy and physiology to kids
- Only 15 of 50 states required to be medically accurate; and other sex ed laws
- What is rape culture? As explained by Marshall University or Buzzfeed
- Children’s Book: SEX IS A FUNNY WORD
- Music video: WAP
Create the change
- Check out K-12 sex education resources from Advocates for Youth
- How to teach consent to kids at every age
- Explore your own pleasure at stores geared towards female pleasure like Babeland or The Smitten Kitten
- Watch Justine Fonte’s “Story”
- Read Emily Nagoski’s Come As You Are
- Read Celine Parrenas Shimizu’s The Hypersexuality of Race: Performing Asian American Women on Screen and Scene
- Read Shimizu’s The Feminist Porn Book: The Politics of Producing Pleasure
- Read Lisa Spiedel’s The Edge of Sex: Navigating aa Sexually Confusing Culture From the Margins
Why We Theater is a product of part of the Broadway Podcast Network, edited by Derek Gunther, and produced by Alan Seales.
Follow us @whywetheater on Instagram & Twitter.
Our theme music is by Benjamin Velez. Hear more at BenjaminVelez.com.
Our logo is by Christina Minopoli. See more at MinopoliDesign.com.
Special thanks to Genesis Johnson, Dori Berinstein, Leigh Silverman, Patrick Taylor, Tony Montenieri, Elena Mayer, Wesley Birdsall, and Suzanne Chipkin.
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Instagram: @ruthiefierceberg
Twitter: @RuthiesATrain