Miscellaneous
In the not too distant past, actresses on television or film sets were asked to appear nude or to be in graphic sex scenes that made them feel uncomfortable, and they could either agree, or get fired. Women weren’t the only performers who were coerced, just a horrifically vast majority. As Kristen Lopez writes for RogerEbert.com in a 2018 piece called A Matter of Legitimacy: Female Nudity On-Screen: “…Hollywood marketing and audience interest still encourages the consumption of female bodies, in spite of increased awareness of the male gaze and the continued statistics charting the lack of male nudity on-screen. Actresses today feel the need to “explain” their reasons behind deciding to be nude or not, damned if they do or if they don’t, all in an aid to justify the audiences’ comfort lusting after female flesh and perpetuating the continued double standards regarding male and female nudity in film.” For many marginalized performers, the systemic power imbalance made it impossible for them to advocate for themselves if they wanted to keep working. But now, in the wake of #MeToo and high-profile takedowns of Hollywood power brokers who’ve enjoyed years of predatory behavior that was hushed up by colleagues, there’s a new era. The era of The Intimacy Coordinator. On this episode, I interview Jean Franzblau, a professional, highly trained Intimacy Coordinator, and a member of the Intimacy Professionals Association, who is working on sets to make sure that performers are not coerced into doing sex scenes, and that all graphic depictions on camera are choreographed and negotiated in advance. If a performer has an issue, the Intimacy Coordinator presents it to the director and producers and advocates on the behalf of talent. Not everyone is working with Intimacy Coordinators, and it’s not as if studios and networks that are employing them, have had a sudden awakening. People have turned a blind eye to predatory behavior for as long as there’s been a Hollywood. It's just that now corporations realize that, just like COVID safety protocols, making sure a set is safe for its performers is a legitimate OSHA concern, not to mention that unchecked egregious behavior will expose them to potential litigation and public relations nightmares. No one wants or can afford that today. As a safety measure for all parties involved, many studios and networks now employ Intimacy Coordinators. We’re going to find out exactly what an Intimacy Coordinator does, how they advocate for talent, and assist writers and directors in the technicalities of certain sexual situations. We’ll also find out why they can write off yoga mats. It’s all in this interview. Also!!!! Huge News!!! We (barely) survived the dumpster fire that was 2020. But, we have a new year coming up with a new President and a badass Female Vice President OF COLOR, so things are looking up! It’s time for us to take back sanity, humanity and pleasure. Which is why I have created, for you, a free, full-color collection of 2021 Sex Goals to get your new year back on track! I’ve done all the work, so you can have all the fun. You deserve pleasure, especially after the shit show we continue to live through. Plus, there are genuine mental and physical benefits associated with having sex. Orgasms lower stress, help you sleep better and strengthen your pelvic floor. I don’t know about you, but I had a baby 14 years ago and every time I sneeze it’s like a horrible game show. All of you women over 40 know what I’m talking about. So, think of my free 2021 Sex Goals as a way for you to practice self-care, strengthen your pelvic floor, and set goals to add adventure and fun to the new year. I’m here to help you take back your pleasure and own it. FREE!!! Just email me at info@sexedthemusical.com for your free, 2021 Sex Goals — Your Guide to a Whole New Year of Adventure, Self-Care and Pleasure. Let’s have some fun in 2021! Sex Ed The Musical is available on iTunes, Stitcher, Podtail, IHeartRadio, Podbay, Spotify and more. Please follow, share and subscribe wherever you enjoy podcasts. Also, if you’d be so kind as to leave us a 5-Star Review, we’d gratefully appreciate it. Be sure to check out my writing on Medium.com at https://medium.com/@thewendymiller Now that we’re about to cross the 60,000 downloads threshold, Sex Ed The Musical is actively pursuing sponsorship opportunities. If you represent a super awesome brand that fits in with our super awesome philosophy and want to reach the smartest and sexiest podcast audience in the world, please email us at info@sexedthemusical.com. Thanks, as always, for listening!