Meet Linda, the Emissary from Bendigo, Australia
Linda and me at La Trobe University’s student health fair
Despite living hours away, sex educator and researcher Linda Kirkman has been involved with the Sex Geekdom Melbourne community since its early days. In addition to attending the meet ups and trivia nights, Linda hosted our first Sex Geekdom retreat last year. Now, she’s founded a hub in her town – Bendigo, Victoria.
Kate: Tell us a little bit about yourself. What makes you a sex geek?
Linda: I’m a sex geek because I’m passionate about people’s wellbeing and as a sexuality educator I get to make a difference with that. I’m still trying to understand human sexuality, gender and culture in all its strange, fascinating, pleasurable and sometimes alarming forms, so study and research sexuality to learn as much as I can. The academic side is a big part of my sex geekery.
L: Sex Geekdom is a way to find my tribe, locally.
K: Why do you think it’s important for people to talk about sex?
L: Talking about sex is a way to normalise it and break down taboos. Education is a route to self-knowledge and safety.
K: What’s your all-time favourite book about sex?
L: Golly, this is a hard one. One of the earliest books that influenced me was Taught Not Caught by The Clarity Collective which outlined a fabulous approach to teaching sex ed. The other one is The Ethical Slut which is one of the best books on communication in relationships I’ve read. More recently is Meg Barker’s Rewriting The Rules about new, thoughtful approaches to relationships, gender and sexuality. For erotica … Quiver by Tobsha Learner but I love the way Kerry Greenwood writes about sex in her many novels.
Photo from blogs.discovermagazine.com
What’s the sex geekiest fact you know?
Kangaroo females have three vaginas and males have two headed penises.
For more information about Sex Geekdom Bendigo events, request to join their Facebook group.
