Ecosexology is to sexology as ecopsychology is to psychology. Ecosexology merges environmental consciousness with an expanded inquiry into human sexual behavior. But unlike ecopsychology, ecosexology is newly born. Though we can sense the vast terrain of ecosexology, it remains largely uncharted and mostly unexplored.
The time is coming when it will no longer be adequate for a sexologist to merely address “what people do and how they feel about it.” Even now the juiciest questions arise when merged with awareness of what people do intimately, and when, and where, and how, and above all, with what manner of connection to natural realms? How do our erotic and reproductive lives and our sexual behaviors draw from our connection to the earth and its myriad ecosystems (as well as the ways we’ve altered these!) and how does our individual and collective lovemaking affect all this?
Ecosexology is one name for this way of experiencing, celebrating, perceiving, studying, and thinking about human sexual behavior. Annie Sprinkle and Elizabeth Stephens, collaborative artistic and sexological pioneers, call what they do “sexecology.” Several months ago, in a private Facebook exchange, Annie Sprinkle explained sexecology to me as “the place where sexology and ecology overlap.”
But I think ecosexology can serve as the umbrella term, because it can include “the study of” sexecology and ecosexuality as well as other entwined realms. Ecosexology can include clinical, cultural, artistic, political, scientific, entrepreneurial, and/or academic explorations. It can inform community activism in sexual, social justice, and environmental movements. And it draws - as sexology has always drawn - from a wide range of varied disciplines and spheres: art and erotology, history, medicine, biology, botany, community action, education, clinical literature, psychology, anthropology, sociology and social work, law, public policy, and so on.
The differences between standard clinical sexology and the future practice of clinical ecosexology may be similar to the differences between clinical social workers and therapists. Clinical social workers tend to address people in their larger familial and social context, while traditional therapists tend to focus on the individual psyche. So we can say the “eco” portion of our newly minted word represents an expansion of the sexological context by bringing in environmental, ecological, and other Earth-centered elements to our view of human sexual behavior.
Ecosexology is also different from ecosexuality, which we’ve been hearing about recently. Ecosexuality is an attitude and/or behavior, perhaps for some even an orientation. It can be considered within the context of ecosexology, which acknowledges ecosexuality and observes it through an expanded lens, alone and in relationship with other aspects.
Exploring and defining ecosexology is a juicy job, and more than a handful of somebodies have got to do it. Core concepts of ecosexology have arisen in the zeitgeist, “independently” in more than one fertile mind. A few years ago, I began to view myself as an ecosexologist - “coining” that word for myself after reading a bit about ecopsychology. This was based on my experiences as a chemically sensitive environmental health activist and former president of the Environmental Health Network. I was also cognizant of the lack of ecological and environmental awareness in my chosen field of sexology, particularly the ways in which toxins could be affecting sexual behavior and function, and the importance of a pristine environment for healing. Though the zeitgeist and I are old friends, I had no idea anyone else was even thinking along ecosexological lines. I should have known better!
For example, in 2008, in the green fourth chakra year of their “Seven Years of Loving” project, Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens took vows to “love and cherish the Earth.” Subsequent weddings have included the sky. This year they will wed the moon and mountains.In 2008, ecosexology also made an appearance at the German Society for Social Scientific Sexuality Research conference in Munich. Prof. William A. Granzig, PhD, FAACS presented “Eco-sexology: A New Paradigm.”
Interest in this “new paradigm” continues. This coming September, the First International Conference on Eco-Sexology takes place at Peking University, in Beijing, China, with a couple American sexologists attending. As it takes form, modern ecosexology will encounter concepts and traditions formed in ancient, Earth-centered cultures.
More Than Green Products and Sustainable Sex
As I’ve said before, my own entry point began with my experiences with environmental illness and the impact of toxic chemicals on my sexual and erotic life. In recent years, people have started tossing non-toxic, phthalate-free vibrators down into the toxin-laden “coal mines” where “Cassandras” (i.e. “canaries”) like me reside. This is surely nicer than doing without access to safer sex toys and lube, but as an ecosexologist, I know the green products movement is only one small (though necessary) part of the picture. So are individual proclamations of ecosexuality and the dating sites which support such folk.
With regard to human eroticism and its dynamic interaction with the earth (including human constructions), our individual understanding will be broader, deeper, richer, and far more pleasurable if we invite an expanded (collective) vision. So here’s a preliminary outline of fundamental areas that fall naturally into the realm of ecosexology as well as areas which ecosexology can begin to address. This is not a complete list, by any means. This column is simply a starting point for your own thoughts and inquiries.
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