S2 Ep4 Speaking Frankly: Why sex positivity can transform healthcare with JaDawn Wright

“Sex positivity” has become quite a buzzy phrase in sexual health and advocacy spaces in the last decade. But what does that actually mean in practice? Today we will talk with JaDawn Wright of the Pacific Aids Education training Center, about just that.

JaDawn is the Deputy Director of the organization and a long-term trainer in the world of sexual health. She tells us why creating healthcare experiences that are welcoming, nonjudgmental, and unbiased can go so far in helping us realize positive health outcomes.

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S2 Ep2 Speaking Frankly: Supporting youths’ choice to parent with Dr. Aisha Mays

Dr. Aisha Mays is a Family Physician who focuses on Adolescent Medicine. She is the Founder and Medical Director of the Dream Youth Clinic of Roots Community Health Center, in Oakland, California — a youth-led, youth-engaged adolescent clinic co-located within Oakland’s two youth shelters.

Dr. Mays’ work centers on adolescent reproductive health, reproductive justice for highly vulnerable youth, and the health risks associated with childhood commercial sexual exploitation. Her research focuses on exploring reproductive justice barriers and supporting sexual health for youth.

On this episode, we talk with Dr. Mays about her important work.

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S2 Ep1 Speaking Frankly: Welcoming the new CAPTC Director, Dana Cropper

Dana Cropper recently took the helm of the California Prevention Training Center as its new Director, after Alice Gandelman’s retirement. Dana previously served as Director of Education at HealthHIV.

In this debut episode of Speaking Frankly season two, we talk with Dana about her new position, why Oprah and Sojourner Truth are two of her heroes, and why she thinks to reduce stigma, we must each engage in deep and ongoing self-reflection “about how we navigate through the world”.

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Sex Positivity in Sexual Health

In Dr. Ina Park’s new book, Strange Bedfellows, she helps readers understand the broad impact of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), while removing the unfair stigma. She speaks with us about the writing process, tackling sex ed with her own kids, and how stigma impacts mental and physical health.

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S1 Ep3 Speaking Frankly: Sex ed has come a long way w/Lidia Carlton Pt2

We continue our discussion with Lidia Carlton, Director of Community Education at Planned Parenthood Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley, about the CA Healthy Youth Act and how it’s changing sex ed. She tells us why some parents are pushing back against gender diversity discussions, and why sex ed is a natural place to teach about race and ableism.

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S1 Ep2 Speaking Frankly: Sex ed has come a long way w/Lidia Carlton Pt 1

We talk with Lidia Carlton, Director of Community Education at Planned Parenthood Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley. She walks us through the California Healthy Youth Act (AB 329) which mandates more inclusive sex ed in California’s public schools. She sheds light on the nuances of the legislation, talks about why some parents are pushing back against it, and why comprehensive sex ed is a health equity issue.

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