I used to write about sex for a living. Back in the day, I was one of the go-to journalists that magazines like Redbook and Mademoiselle and Family Circle called for their monthly contribution to the annals of sex education for modern women. When I was writing about sex, the message was all about the Big O and how to get it, so a lot of what was written then was site specific, as in “touch here but not there.” I did my share of that but there was always an undercurrent for me that spoke to the emotional issues involved.
Specifically I was concerned that our emphasis on the joys of expressing our sexuality should also include the caveat that not every woman’s sexuality was expressed in the same way. To be less than the avid participant that we sex writers were extolling as yes! possible! for you! was not to be a failure. Sex drive is very personal, and I always tried to make my message one that gave all women the space to accept their own predilections.
Now that the glossy women’s magazines have been joined by an ever-growing number of websites that seek to parallel the print world’s efforts, the potential for writing and reading about women’s sexuality has multiplied. This is particularly true for women in midlife. Vibrant Nation and Third Age have long featured experts on sexuality. Better After 50 and Generation Fabulous both have regular columns by “sex experts”. Even MidLifeBloggers entered the arena at one time. Never before, however, has there been an online publication that deals exclusively with the sexuality of midlife women. Now there is, and that means that the wide range of midlife women’s sexual response will be thoroughly covered.
It’s called Bloom Enjoy Yourself, and it was created in some ways as a response to the furor that 50 Shades of Grey raised when it was published. When Jillian Bice, RN, saw the intensity of the conversations the novels were generating, she knew it was time to take a positive step in mainstreaming the conversation about sexuality for midlife women.
For Bice, that conversation was somewhat stunted. We didn’t grow up having the open discussions about sex at home or at school that kids today experience. As a result, talking about sex is awkward for some of us and totally out of the question for others. That leaves the conversation to those women who felt most comfortable with their sexuality and most at ease discussing it; those who didn’t, the very ones who most needed it, were mostly left out of the conversation.
Bice set about changing that. “I knew Bloom’s look, tone and feel were going to be very important to reach this audience and make them feel welcomed, respected (revered, even), safe, and comfortable,” Bice says, adding that the name alludes to a flower in full blossom, as opposed to one with dried-up leaves at the end of its life.”I’m very happy with how Bloom has evolved,” Bice goes on. “It’s positioned as a sexy, healthy, smart space for women and their partners.” Visit the site and you’ll find…
The Sex 101 section
features experts in the field such as Sex Therapists and Relationship Therapists offering the kind of specific,
factual advice that so often is sorely needed. Of course sexuality, as Bice whose specialty as an RN was in women’s health recognizes, a satisfying sexual experience is a holistic experience. Health, nutrition, fitness–are all a part of the mix, and Sex 101 will offer expert articles on these as well.
Tips, Trends, & News
offers a more personal side of midlife sexuality, including the voices of bloggers who will be writing about their own experiences.
The Shop section
presents a curated collection of luxury sex toys, which have been chosen to reflect the Bloom audience who are concerned about safety as well as discretion. “These have each been selected,” Bice says, “ based on the materials used (body-safe), packaging (contemporary, non-offensive), engineering (well made, durable), and esthetics (i.e. no massive green “alien” penises!)”
The most recent addition to the Bloom Enjoy Yourself site is the House of Bloom, which is the membership portion of the Bloom website.
Bloom Enjoy Yourself will continue to evolve, I am sure, to meet our needs–all of us, the gutsy and the meek, the public and the private. It is for that reason that I’m doing this sponsored post for them. Go visit. See what you think. Add your voice, however loud or low.
As a sponsored post, all the opinions are mine.
