Although environmentalism and sexual health are not generally considered related topics, SPECS Panther is here to explore how the two are deeply intertwined. Sexual health, justice and pleasure cannot be talked about without including the health of the Earth.
From a general health perspective, exposure to high levels of pollution can negatively impact the reproductive system. For people with uteruses, there is a demonstrated relationship between exposure to environmental pollutants, mainly coming from man-made sources like air pollutants and fertility. Fertility is dependent on a system of ovarian and hormonal signaling, and high exposure to air pollutants can dysregulate this process.
For people with penises, similar exposure to these pollutants can affect varying aspects of sperm parameters, such as sperm concentration and the sperm’s ability to move. Furthermore, the results of climate change, such as extreme and more frequent natural disasters, can create barriers to access to sexual health resources like doctors, safe sex supplies and gender-affirming treatments. This phenomenon then directly affects a person’s autonomy to choose what a healthy sex life looks like for them.
At SPECS, we believe that everyone deserves access to pleasure, regardless of uncontrollable external environmental factors. When anxiety induced by environmental repercussions is present, it becomes much harder to be in a mindset where one can fully engage and enjoy pleasure. The Dual Control Model of Sexual Response is a model that describes how one becomes aroused by using a gas pedal and brake metaphor. Gas refers to stimuli that turns somebody on and brakes are the factors that turn one off. In this circumstance, environmental inequality or climate change effects are factors that press on the brakes and halt access to pleasure. In addition, access to the outdoors boosts general wellbeing and mental health. These are aspects that help engage one's gas pedal and can increase pleasure.
For some people, environmentalism and sexual pleasure are deeply related and environmental degradation directly hinders their sexuality. Ecosexuality, or sexecology, is an environmental activist strategy where one finds sensuality in nature and focuses on the Earth’s power as a lover. It can also be viewed as a new type of sexual identity where the queerness and non-binary aspects of nature are deeply relatable and create a sense of sexual empowerment.
These adverse reproductive health effects then connect to environmental justice. Minority populations face a disproportional rate of exposure to pollutants in comparison to white Americans. This is due to various factors, a main one being that pollution hazards are usually located within close proximity to redlined and other minority neighborhoods. These populations then face higher risk of pollution-related reproductive complications and more barriers to sexual health resources, which are already unequal due to systematic discrimination in the health and education sectors. Additionally, due to over a century of redlining, minority communities have less access to outdoor spaces which worsens mental health, warms the physical temperature of communities and means they lack green spaces that act as pollution sinks. All of these aspects, along with other non-environmental barriers to sexual health, compound to disproportionally affect minority populations’ sexual health. These direct and indirect adverse effects then also generate barriers in accessing pleasure, whether sexual or not.
So, what can you do about all of this?
From a sexual health lens, there are some sustainable swaps one can make. The Natural Love Company is a carbon neutral sex toy company that uses recycled plastic to make sex toys and plants a tree with every purchase. Condom brands like HANX, XO By Flo! and GLYDE are committed to making ethically and sustainably sourced rubber condoms. Using reusable menstruation products like menstrual cups or period underwear is another way to reduce waste. For porn consumption, Fuck for Forest is a porn production company that creates porn with an eco-sexuality focus. The non-profit then donates the proceeds from their pay-to-watch porn to reforestation efforts.
Another way to participate in environmental and sexual health justice is to go out and engage with these topics directly. Go tell someone how access to the outdoors and pleasure are connected and help them start thinking about these injustices. Go volunteer at the Knoll, or attend an educational talk about the environment or about sexual health. Think about your carbon footprint, and be passionate about advocating for equal access to the outdoors, pleasure and healthcare. Engage with Middlebury’s Fostering Inclusive Recreational Experiences (FIRE), a student organization that works to create a safe and supportive environment for BIPOC students outdoors. Look into outdoor activities in your hometown and start being aware of the systematic divergences in access that manifest there. Finally, remember that you cannot talk about one without the other. Environmental justice and sexual health are intricately tied together, and it is critical to maintain an awareness of this in our thoughts and actions.
