My name is Corinne Loperfido and I produce events, teach workshops and lead group discussions on the topics of women’s empowerment and sexual health, as well as on environmental issues and anti-consumerism. I bring people together to share resources and information on “taboo” topics like menstruation, masturbation and female pleasure because the more we can share stories and hear about what other people are experiencing, the more we can fight isolation and create stronger communities.
1. Why are you Joining the Pussy Parade?
The “Powers That Think They Are” will have us believing that the female body is weak, disgusting, and lesser than that of a male body, and for some reason, we have believed them. In the age of Trump, we are seeing the fabric of reality breaking at the seams. The unraveling of the Systems we are used to are becoming more and more apparent, and as things are falling apart, we have no choice but to build the world we want to see with a compost of the Patriarchy as it falls. By joining together and talking about the world we want, we are each helping to create new ways of being and relating to our own bodies, our relationships, our pleasure, and our (pussy) power.
2. What brings you pleasure? / What makes you feel alive?
What brings me pleasure is to be able to stand in what feels good to me, regardless of what society has to say about it. If I want to live a life that does not fit the script that was taught to me through the media, I am not going to ask for a man’s approval before living the life I want. If I want to be queer and have more than one lover, travel the world solo, talk openly about female pleasure and abortion… whatever it is that feels good to me – I do not ask permission and I do not curb my truth to seem more like a “good girl”. I am nobody’s good girl – I am a free woman! As long as I am not hurting anyone else, I focus on what feels good to me instead of spending my energy trying to put myself into a box that society can easily digest.
3. What are you up to?
I am currently offering a 6 month online class called Minimalism for Maximalists via Patreon which provides resources and homework to help people break free from single use plastics and teaches ways to be happier with less. Through my own journey living a zero waste lifestyle and being a professional organizer, I have developed a course that breaks these lessons up into monthly topics to help people stay focused and not get overwhelmed by all the changes at once. I have seen massive changes for the better in those around me who start to put these teachings into practice, and I know from my own experience how powerful and inspiring it is to pull out of the consumerist trap and reevaluate why and how we shop. I will be teaching in person workshops all over the country in 2020, check my instagram or website to see if I am coming to a city near you 🙂
How would you like to see sexual education and/or sexual representation in the media transform?
I would like to see more realistic sex ed that goes into detail about communication, STIs, pregnancy + abortion resources, trauma support, and queer resources. Let’s get real : THE KIDS ARE HAVING SEX! Abstinence only education CREATES unnecessary trauma because it does not give people access to the resources they need to be having safe, ecstatically consensual sex and instead leaves people guessing in the dark and hoping for the best. It’s 2020 : We have online dating now, basically everyone is queer and poly, the nuclear family is dead, marriage is obsolete, and women know what their internal clitoris looks like now so let’s just DROP THE BULLSHIT and be open to the truth and get some real useful information out there!
Why is it important to tell stories about pleasure?
When men are told “you will just instinctively know what to do (sexually to a woman’d body)”, “No means Yes” and “make it look like they do in pornography” – they are being given the opposite tools needed for mutually pleasurable intimacy. Women are told “the man knows what he’s doing, if you don’t like it, then there must be something wrong with you” and “make sure your body / hair / makeup are all on trend so that men will find you attractive” and “your pleasure comes second or often not at all.” When people are able to share openly and honestly about what *actually* feels good to them, we see a broader spectrum of experiences and become aware that everyone likes different things and that is ok. We need to give more space to listen and be heard in our truths, not more energy spent trying to fit an existing roll or to force ourselves into a box of someone else’s creation. Storytelling allows for more possibilities to exist, and for people to feel more confident and comfortable being themselves.
In a world without shame I would… #noshame #deshamify
In a world without shame I would probably be naked a lot more often haha. I try and live my life as an outward protest of shame as it is, because I refuse to feel bad for being myself and living the way I do. I wear all red when I am on my period because I want to celebrate my body and not be ashamed or embarrassed of the fact that I am bleeding. The less we give in to fear and censor ourselves, the more confidently we can stand up as our full authentic selves and be proud of who we are.
Honor the influences! Who are yours?
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Instagram: @corinneloperfido
Facebook: /corinne.loperfido
Photo Credit: Leone Julitte