Talking about sex can be both difficult and uncomfortable. Some people love to share their sexual experiences while others prefer to keep their experiences to themselves. For women in particular, discussing sex can be a challenge.
Women talking about their sex lives are not usually an open topic of discussion. However, women are growing more comfortable with sharing and expressing their sexual experiences and desires.
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill seniors Deena Fulton and Laura Arias-Gomez created College Women Speak as a blog for college women to anonymously share their stories about sex.
The stories range from romantic first times to drunken one night stands and everything in between.
CWS posts stories about women of any sexual orientation and the blog is not only for women who are actively having sex, but also for women who choose not to have sex that want to share their opinions as well.
According to Arias-Gomez, the website aims to empower women to express, share and be proud of their feelings about sex.
Fulton and Arias-Gomez launched CWS in January 2011. According to The Daily Tar Heel, the two were the “go-to” people for their friends when they needed to talk about sex. Fulton and Arias-Gomez decided to create the blog for women who don’t have a “go-to” person to talk to, or who are simply uncomfortable talking about sex.
CWS also strives to show women that they are not often alone in the way they think or experience sex.
“[CWS] sounds like a way that women can tell all without having to personally admit to it or being labeled as anything,” Linda Battaglia, a junior in communications, said. “It’s a good idea, especially for people who are shy or have experienced something and can relate to other women’s posts on the site.”
According to the blog, Fulton and Arias-Gomez think there are many misconceptions and taboos about the topic of sex and they want to help change that so people can have better experiences in the future.
The stories published on the blog are the direct words of the writers. None of the content is edited.
”I feel like the site would be a positive outlet for those who have had a negative sexual experience to be able to grow and move past it and develop healthy behaviors and attitudes toward sexuality,” Adanna Onuh, a senior in environmental technology, said.
In addition to providing an outlet for women to express themselves, Fulton and Arias-Gomez conduct free workshops for groups of college women using exercises to help women write, discuss and express their feelings about sex.
Although some women feel the website is a good idea, Marianne Turnbull, director of Health Promotion has her hesitations.
“I would just hope that women would use live human resources available to them on most college campuses that are willing and able to have conversations on these topics without being judgmental,” Turnbull said. “My concern would be for those that start to take advice or start to use a suggested resources with out vetting it with a health or counseling professional.”
CWS makes it clear that the posts to the website are not the opinions of CWS. The website is simply a way for women to freely express themselves and gain confidence in sharing their sexual experiences and desires.
Turnbull said the blog could have both positive and negative results, but stresses that, “if the person has issues, concerns or difficulty in these [sexually related] areas of their lives, I encourage them to seek the free services available at the Student Health Service — especially the Women’s Health clinic, Counseling Center or Health Promotion.”
