LOS ANGELES—Susan M. Block, Ph.D.internationally renowned sexologist and best-selling author of The Bonobo Way: The Evolution of Peace through Pleasure (Gardner & Daughters Publishers), will present “The Bonobo Way: An Alternative Great Ape Paradigm for Human Sexuality” at the 48th Annual Conference of The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors & Therapists (AASECT), to be held June 8-12 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
“I look forward to sharing this very special portion of the ‘Bonobo Sutra’ with my fellow sex educators and therapists,” said Dr. Block, who has been presenting various aspects of the Bonobo Way, locally and abroad, at different academic and lifestyle conferences over the past few months, including the keynote address to the world’s first “ecosexuality” symposium in an academic institution, convened at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez by UPRM Humanities Professor SerenaGaia Anderlini D'Onofrio. She also gave a talk on nonmonogamy among bonobos at the 5th International Conference on Monogamy & Nonmonogamy at UC Berkeley; and she delivered a well-received presentation at DomCon LA 2016 on bonobos as the “Most FemDom Apes on Earth."
On Saturday, June 11, she will speak at AASECT 2016 where “Putting the Pieces Together: Inclusivity in Practice” will be the conference theme.
“A vital piece of the human sexuality puzzle is our interconnected Great Ape nature,” stated Block, an AASECT member since 2005. “Bonobos are the most inclusive apes on Earth. They love to share food and sex with friends and strangers. This is deeply linked to another 'piece' of the puzzle that bonobos 'put together': peace through pleasure. Bonobos are the only great apes who have never been seen killing each other. We humans can learn a lot from our bonobo cousins about our own sexual diversity, erotic inclusivity, gender equality and inherent potential for harmony. As sex therapists, we can help our clients to release their ‘inner bonobos’ consensually, relatively safely and enjoyably. And speaking of joy, I am overjoyed to return to Puerto Rico, the ecosexual ‘Island of Enchantment’ and a wonderful place to learn about love.”
A consistent message in all of Block’s Bonobo Way talks is the critical importance of saving the highly endangered wild bonobos from imminent extinction, and she encourages her audiences to “adopt a bonobo” with Lola ya Bonobo or the Bonobo Conservation Initiative, among others. “Bonobo conservation is integral to the Bonobo Way,” declared Block. “If we lose the bonobos, then we lose a key to understanding human sexuality that we can never find again.”
AASECT 2016 will be held June 8-12, 2016 at the Condado Plaza Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico. “The Bonobo Way: An Alternative Great Ape Paradigm for Human Sexuality” is scheduled for 4:15-5:45 p.m. on June 11, 2016. For information about the Bonobo Way at AASECT 2016 or to arrange an interview with Dr. Susan Block, please call 310-568-0066.
