Check out some recommendations and resources from members of the SHINE Lab!
books
This book offers a unique understanding of African American populations and their articulation of sexuality and race by introducing a comprehensive sexological model, Black Sexual Epistemology.
Tracie Q. Gilbert draws from theoretical perspectives of anti-Blackness, ethno-sexuality, Performative Blackness and African-centered epistemology to implicate race as an inextricable factor in the sexual structures and schema of African American people. Chapters identify and introduce a sex-positive and comprehensive sexological model, Black Sexual Epistemology, through which Black sexuality can be understood and navigated in the contemporary era. This model presents empirical data for effectively applying previous critical race perspectives and uniquely demonstrates how Black sexual experience can be better understood and reimagined for greater community development and healing.
Attachment theory has entered the mainstream, but most discussions focus on how we can cultivate secure monogamous relationships. What if, like many people, you’re striving for secure, happy attachments with more than one partner? Polyamorous psychotherapist Jessica Fern breaks new ground by extending attachment theory into the realm of consensual nonmonogamy. Using her nested model of attachment and trauma, she expands our understanding of how emotional experiences can influence our relationships. Then, she sets out six specific strategies to help you move toward secure attachments in your multiple relationships. Polysecure is both a trailblazing theoretical treatise and a practical guide.
Sex work is “easy money?” Hardly. The adult industry is riddled with pitfalls and dangers. Erotic labor is often emotionally demanding, draining, and complex. It can be hard to know who to turn to for advice on keeping yourself safe and sane. Lola Davina, former stripper, dominatrix, porn actress and escort, provides the life skills you need to prosper:
– Shattering myths, such as thinking you need the “perfect” body
– Creating financial freedom so you only work when you want to
– Avoiding bad behavior, bad decisions, and burnout
– Cultivating boundaries in an often insane industry
– Learning to love your work!
Thriving in sex work means having a healthy body, mind, heart, and bank account. No matter your job title or gender, whether you’re independent or work for someone else, if you want to succeed in sex work, this book is for you.
For 20 years The Ethical Slut–widely known as the “Poly Bible”–has dispelled myths and showed curious readers how to maintain a successful polyamorous lifestyle through open communication, emotional honesty, and safer sex practices. The third edition of this timeless guide to the ethics of relationships, communication, and sex has been revised to include:
– Interviews with poly millennials (young people who have grown up without the prejudices their elders encountered regarding gender, orientation, sexuality, and relationships)
– Tributes to polyamory pioneers
– Tools for conflict resolution and instructions on how to improve interpersonal dynamics
– New sidebars on topics such as asexuality, sex workers, LGBTQ terminology, and ways polys can connect and thrive
In this collection of essays, Lambda Literary Award-winning writer and longtime activist and performance artist Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha explores the politics and realities of disability justice, a movement that centers the lives and leadership of sick and disabled queer, trans, Black, and brown people, with knowledge and gifts for all.
Care Work is a mapping of access as radical love, a celebration of the work that sick and disabled queer/people of color are doing to find each other and to build power and community, and a tool kit for everyone who wants to build radically resilient, sustainable communities of liberation where no one is left behind. Powerful and passionate, Care Work is a crucial and necessary call to arms.
Individuals who transition from one gender to another are often in some degree of a relationship, and over 55% of these relationships endure through the transition process.
While more resources are emerging for trans people themselves, there is very little information available for their partners. Through first-hand accounts and vignettes of successful partnerships, this book presents detailed descriptions of everything involved in the transition process, with specific guidance for those supporting a partner in transition. Topics include disclosure, mental health, coming out, loss and grief, sex and sexuality and the legal, medical and social practicalities of transitioning. In this essential guide, people whose partners are across the transgender spectrum speak out on their own experiences with personal advice and support for others.
In Decolonizing Trauma Work, Renee Linklater explores healing and wellness in Indigenous communities on Turtle Island. Drawing on a decolonizing approach, which puts the “soul wound” of colonialism at the centre, Linklater engages ten Indigenous health care practitioners in a dialogue regarding Indigenous notions of wellness and wholistic health, critiques of psychiatry and psychiatric diagnoses, and Indigenous approaches to helping people through trauma, depression and experiences of parallel and multiple realities. Through stories and strategies that are grounded in Indigenous worldviews and embedded with cultural knowledge, Linklater offers purposeful and practical methods to help individuals and communities that have experienced trauma. Decolonizing Trauma Work, one of the first books of its kind, is a resource for education and training programs, health care practitioners, healing centres, clinical services and policy initiatives.
In Beyond the Gender Binary, poet, artist, and LGBTQIA+ rights advocate Alok Vaid-Menon deconstructs, demystifies, and reimagines the gender binary.
Pocket Change Collective is a series of small books with big ideas from today’s leading activists and artists. In this installment, Beyond the Gender Binary, Alok Vaid-Menon challenges the world to see gender not in black and white, but in full color. Taking from their own experiences as a gender-nonconforming artist, they show us that gender is a malleable and creative form of expression. The only limit is your imagination.
media
Based on the graphic novels of the same name by series creator Alice Oseman, Heartstopper (Netflix) follows high school sweetie Charlie (Joe Locke), who develops a crush on jock classmate Nick (Kit Connor). The series always chooses heart-stopping romance over trauma, a welcome tone for teen coming-out stories.
Sex Education is a British comedy-drama streaming television series created by Laurie Nunn for Netflix. The series follows the lives of the students, staff and parents of the fictional Moordale Secondary School as they contend with various personal dilemmas, often related to sexual intimacy.
Sense8 follows the story of eight strangers across the world who are thrust into each other’s lives, each other’s secrets, and in terrible danger. As they attempt to discover the meaning of their unique connection, a shadowy organization commandeered by an elusive figure known as Whispers aims to hunt them down.
websites
LGBTQ and ALL is an inclusive community for folks who live within the margins. Whether you identify as gay, straight, trans, non-binary, BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, or People of Color), fat/larger-bodied, a sex worker, neurodivergent, live with a disability, or in poverty, our community strives to uplift all its members.
If you are an ally, whether a friend, family, partner, or chosen family, you can also belong to this community. We welcome those who acknowledge their privilege and do their part to interact with the LGBTQ+ community positively and stand up for their rights.
Scarleteen is an independent, feminist, grassroots sexuality and relationships education media and support organization and website. Founded in 1998, as of 2020, Scarleteen.com is visited by over five million diverse people each year — several thousand of whom we speak with directly in our direct services and in-person outreach — most between the ages of 15 and 30. It is often the most popular and most widely used site specifically providing sex and relationships information and support for young people worldwide and has been so through most of its tenure.
muncie & indianapolis community
Since 1974, Spectrum has served as Ball State University’s organization for gender, sexual and romantic minorities (LGBTQ+) and their allies. Spectrum is advised through the Office of Student Life, the clearinghouse for all recognized student organizations.
Spectrum provides social support to create a comfortable, confidential, and accepting atmosphere for its members. Meetings are both fun and educational. Everyone regardless of sexual orientation or gender expression is welcome to attend our meetings and events! Due to the nature of this organization, everyone is asked to respect the privacy of others.
Muncie OUTreach’s mission is to provide an accepting environment to enhance the personal growth of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth in the Delaware County area. We provide programming for LGBTQ youth, as well as advocate for community awareness and acceptance of young people of all sexual orientations and gender identities.
Safezone is a voluntary network of faculty, staff, students, and community members who believe that every member of the University and broader community should have an equal opportunity to grow and learn in a safe and open environment. It is a group of people especially committed to being allies to and advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) individuals.
Safezone offers trainings for those who wish to educate themselves and become allies and advocates, workshops on relevant topics, assistance and support to faculty, staff, students, and the greater community, as well as resources for LGBTQ people and allies/advocates.
The Eskenazi Health Gender Health Program, located on the fifth floor of the Sandra Eskenazi Outpatient Care Center, provides gender-affirming care including hormone therapy and specialty services for older adolescent and adult transgender patients of all gender identities. The first of its kind in Indiana, the program combines hormone management and other comprehensive services with surgical options.
therapy resources
Therapy for Black Girls is an online space dedicated to encouraging the mental wellness of Black women and girls.
Finding a therapist should not feel like a gamble.
All people with all abilities in all bodies deserve equal access to identity affirming, culturally responsive care.
We aim to make this process simpler and safer.
We center the needs of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. We amplify the voices and expressions of Neurodivergent and Disabled communities.
AASECT is devoted to the promotion of sexual health by the development and advancement of the fields of sexual therapy, counseling, and education. AASECT’s mission is the advancement of the highest standards of professional practice for educators, counselors and therapist
