Good Sexual Citizenship: How to Create a (Sexually) Safer World

Most of us want to be decent people in the world. Yet when it comes to sex, we so often stumble and contribute to sexual injustice. Think about it: are we really still blaming victims of sexual assaults? Can it truly be that there is a gender based orgasm gap? Are we actually labeling people based on the kind of sex they do or don’t have? Why do we insist on questioning if sex is consensual when someone’s passed out drunk?

Our society is undergoing an evolution, and we should take this as a call to action to ensure that all people, regardless of gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, age, ethnicity, race, religion, or social class, are treated as humans worthy of respect.

Good Sexual Citizenship asks us all to break down sexual hostility and build up something better. To promote understanding and empathy, Friedrichs includes a factual and historical backdrop covering gender disparities, women’s rights, sexual violence, prevention, and sex education, and challenges readers to use this insight, along with guided exercises, to examine their own potential for “good sexual citizenship.” Covering topics like consent, sexual assault, pleasure, double standards, casual sex, hook-up culture, and teen sex, she provides us with tools to navigate societal messages, sexually hostile climates, stereotypes, and outdated mentalities.

This book is written for anyone—but especially educators, parents, fellow students, coworkers, and employers—who have helplessly looked around in the midst of some type of sexual injustice wondering, “What can I do?”

Ellen Friedrichs is a health educator and writer. She runs a middle and high school health education program for teens and teaches at Brooklyn College. Her writing has appeared in TheWashington Post, HuffPost, Rewire News, Everyday Feminism, and gURL.com. Currently, she answers sex and relationship questions on the Okayso app. Follow her on X and Instagram @EllenKateF.