Volume 11, Issue 5
Page 11
blackandpink.org
System-Impacted People Deserve Sexual Liberation By Jasmine Tasaki, Director of Advocacy, Black & Pink Sexual Liberation is an idea or destination for many people. What does that liberation look like for folks everyday in the world, at work, home, and socially? Now think about what that looks like for system-impacted folks. Imagine a world where you are not in touch with your pleasure and sexuality. This is the reality for many. Now imagine being punished or vilified for any contact with pleasure. It is very important to know your sexuality and sense of pleasure. Connecting to this pleasure is also key to understanding oneself and evolving. Being incarcerated cuts you off from all normalcy while stifling you from learning other things about yourself, specifically your sexuality. Our ability to navigate through our own sexuality is a right, and should never be forced to conform to societal norms. The beauty in sexual development within yourself is a journey that must be explored to become sexually liberated. Systemimpacted people need space to be and evolve with themselves as
sexual beings. Sexual urges and needs don’t just disappear when you are incarcerated; these feelings become suppressed, exasperated, or over compensated in other ways. To have true freedom means to be liberated and with that comes clarity. Understanding who we are as sexual beings should lead us on this journey. The after effects of incarceration manifest in all areas, even sex. Specifically there can be some sexual trauma when systemimpacted people try to enter back into an active sex life. I think for system-impacted folks, sexual liberation looks like loving who I want to love in the way
art by Bec Young, courtesy of justseeds.org
that I want to love them and not being policed for it. It also looks like not being put in the hole for whispers of sexual activity, not being demonized for personal desires and pleasures. As a system-impacted trans woman on the outside, it looks like making decisions that are informed by my sexuality. Often we make bad decisions in relationships or in our life because we are not letting our sexuality be a part of those decisions. To truly be liberated, we must show up as our full selves, that includes our sexuality as well. Our happiness is tied to our liberation, and our sexuality is tied to them as well. Navigating through defining your sexuality while being trans or queer is difficult no matter what. But the system adds a layer that creates more issues to deal with. Toxic masculinity and toxic femininity both play major roles in how jails and prisons shape the culture of facilities; they show up within the LGBTQIA2S+ community as well. We must stay in touch with who we are as sexual beings to move about the systems who wish to oppress our sexuality. No person is free until they can love themselves and others in a way that makes them feel proud.
