What does sex mean to you?

Hello there, friends!

We hope you enjoyed our first couple of community stories—and the unveiling of our very first monster-sona: Cheeky!

We hope you're starting to see that the way we move through the world—and the way we experience our sexuality—is stunning in its diversity.

We also hope we've been able to teach you a think or two, whether about communication, desire, or even just the glories of finding the best toy for you.

We recently learned that one of our community members is also bringing sex ed to the people.

The audacious Dr. Jane Fleishman, a certified sexuality educator, teaches folks in senior centers and assisted living facilities.

Say hi to Dr. Jane!

"I just demonstrated a Starsi with a group of older adults at a senior center and they went crazy over it!" Jane told us.

"Many of them suffer from some type of arthritis in their hands and realized, when they started playing with it, that they loved how accessible it is."

Jane brings sex toys, lube samples, condoms, and dental dams to all her workshops in order to show folks what's out there.

"And people love them!" she said.

"Especially for older adults who have some nerve damage or arthritis in their hands," she added, "a toy like Starsi makes it easy and fun to feel sexually excited!"

It makes us think about those who are often left out of the conversation when it comes to pleasure, whether because of age or ability… gender, race, or size… or just because their experience of sex does not revolve around penetration.

But that’s ridiculous! When we limit our thinking in these ways, such as only defining sex as penetrative intercourse, we can miss out on a lot.

And heck, that definition can exclude a lot of people!

Instead of thinking of intercourse as the main event, we prefer to think of it as just one expression of intimacy.

So, instead of worrying about what everyone else might or might not be doing, ask yourself:

What brings me pleasure?

Whether it's kissing 💏,

stroking 🍆💦,

erotic massage 💆‍♂️,

or some alone time 🧘‍♀️ or Starsi ⭐…

We challenge you to redefine what sex means to you.

And we'd love it if you'd share those definitions with us. We might showcase a few in a future email.

And if you want to share more of your story and get your own, unique monster-sona, send us an email!

Love you all - Step

P.S. If you are in the SF Bay Area, make sure to come and visit our booth at Folsom Street Fair, this Sunday the 25th! Look for us near the entrance on Dore Alley at booth F09-01— We’d love to say hi!