CYBERSPACE—Sex has often been regarded as a taboo subject. Hidden away in the dirty corners of the Internet or desensitized on medical pages, the act has been relegated to two distinctly different areas: pleasure and health.
Adult film industry veteran Nina Hartley is looking to change that. With the launch of SexWise.ME, an online social network community, and SexWise.TV, a weekly, live-streaming talk show dealing with all things sex, Hartley is hoping to bridge the gap between sexual education and enjoyment.
“As much as I’ve been an entertainer, my primary mission has always been to be a sexual educator and advocate,” Hartley said of her decision to create SexWise. The goal of the brand is simple: To give members and audiences outlets for communicating, questioning and learning about their sexuality in an online community full of like-minded people. Judgment is not allowed. Neither is nudity or pornography—just honest conversations about sex and sexuality.
To help members make the most of SexWise, the site offers a growing list of features, including e-books and e-courses; Skype counseling; weekly articles and weekly streaming TV shows; forums, discussion groups and member-only chat; and erotic art, photography and story sections (non-explicit images only).
The goal is to connect those who desire intelligent conversation around sex, sexuality and sexual expression and stimulate meaningful conversation.
SexWise.TV is a twist on the traditional talk show. The audience has the opportunity via the chat room to talk with Nina, in real time, and ask questions of her and her guests. The show includes Nina’s thoughts on the topic of the week, a live Skype call, video questions about sex, and photos and videos that offer viewers a behind-the-scenes look at her life. Archived shows can be viewed on demand at SexWise.tv.
In a quest to make SexWise the most comprehensive online sexuality resource, Hartley has enlisted a crew of experts to contribute regularly to the site. They include Reid Mihalko, Dr. Carol Queen (and CarolQueen.com), Tristan Taormino, Barbara Carrellas, Jamye Waxman, Ernest Greene, Dr. Annie Sprinkle and more.
With 26 years in the adult film industry under her belt—and a nursing degree to boot—Hartley is prepared and excited to lead the SexWise community in new way to learn about sexuality.
“Sexual freedom is a fundamental human right, and consenting adults need to be able to talk freely amongst themselves without fear of ridicule or censure,” Hartley says. “I hope SexWise will accomplish the goal of taking the conversation about sex, sexuality and sexual expression to the next level.”
For more information, visit SexWise.me and SexWise.tv.
