WHO AM I? Identity Questions that feel unsafe (a non-White collectivist perspective)

DESCRIPTION

The scientific study of attraction has been overwhelmingly dominated by research conducted in Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic (W.E.I.R.D.) societies. This has led to the global proliferation of identity-based models (e.g., asexual, aromantic, gay, straight) that are treated as universal. However, in many Global South contexts, public discourse on sexuality is highly constrained, and the act of claiming a sexual identity is not a neutral act of self-definition but a politically charged statement that can lead to severe consequences, including social ostracization, familial rejection, and state-sanctioned violence.

This course challenges the adequacy of identity-based models of attraction for non-W.E.I.R.D. (BIPOC and POGM) populations. It proposes a configurational model, which frames attraction as an emergent outcome of specific combinations of intimacies. The objective is to develop a more culturally-attuned and less hazardous linguistic and theoretical framework for studying human connection amongst People of the Global Majority, where publicly asserting a sexual or romantic identity can carry significant social and physical risk.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. At the end of the session, attendees will be able to critique the universality of W.E.I.R.D. identity-based models of attraction by analyzing how these frameworks fail to account for the sociopolitical realities and safety risks faced by People of the Global Majority (POGM) and BIPOC populations.(Core: C, D, P; SET: B; STT: B, C)
2. At the end of the session, attendees will be able to evaluate the physical, social, and familial risks associated with public sexual identity assertion in Global South and collectivist contexts, distinguishing between identity as a neutral act of self-definition and identity as a politically charged, potentially hazardous statement.
   (Core: A, C, H; SCT: F; STT: F)
3. At the end of the session, attendees will be able to apply a configurational model of attraction that frames human connection as an emergent outcome of specific combinations of intimacies rather than relying on static identity labels.
   (Core: E, F; SET: A, D; STT: A, C; SCT: A, C)

AVAILABLE ON

ErosCoaching	AASECT CE · Standard Access	Access Now
The Elsewheres	AASECT CE · Collective Access	Access Now
Forbidden Tickets	Community Access	Access Now
Eventbrite	Open Access	Access Now

Learn More about AASECT.

Access Key
Standard Access: Full course access with AASECT Continuing Education credits. Ideal for licensed clinicians and certified professionals fulfilling CE requirements (First-come, first-served).
Collective Access: Full course access with AASECT Continuing Education credits, offered at a lower price point to support decolonial participation across professional communities (First-come, first-served).
Community Access: Full course access without AASECT CE credits, designed for BIPOC, queer, kink+, and sex-positive community members engaging outside of a clinical or certification context.
Open Access: Registration open to all, including international students. No AASECT CE credits issued. Suitable for anyone curious about the subject matter regardless of professional background.

EDUCATOR BIO