LOS ANGELES—internationally renowned sexologist Susan M. Block, Ph.D., best-selling author of The Bonobo Way: The Evolution of Peace through Pleasure (Gardner & Daughters Publishers) and award-winning talk show host, will give a talk, “The Bonobo Way of Peace through Pleasure,” on Saturday afternoon, November 18, 2 p.m., in conjunction with the “Evolution of Human Sexuality” exhibit at the Erotic Heritage Museum in Las Vegas.
“In a world beset by mass murder—from Las Vegas to Niger—plus unprecedented environmental destruction and confusing, sometimes disturbing sexual relationships, The Bonobo Way presents an alternative Great Ape paradigm for human sexuality, war, peace, ecology and community, inspired by a role model who isn't even human: our closest genetic cousin, the bonobo,” explained Dr. Block.
"The old 'killer ape' paradigm, based on common chimpanzees and baboons, has long been used to explain—and excuse—human violence, war, sexual repression, sexual harassment, misogyny, the NRA and the rise of Donald Trump,” continued Block. “However, bonobo apes, who are at least as close to humans as common chimps, rarely rape and never kill each other. Instead, they utilize consensual sex (and lots of it!), female empowerment, sensuous affection and the sharing of resources to defuse violent tensions before they explode into rape, murder and war, thereby cultivating an amazingly effective ecosystem of ‘peace through pleasure’.”
Can we humans learn to “make like bonobos” (not baboons) and live in erotic harmony with each other and the Earth? “At this especially turbulent point in human history,” Block maintains, “it’s worth giving peace through pleasure a chance.”
Times are also turbulent for the highly endangered wild bonobos, now in critical danger of extinction. “Bonobo conservation is integral to the Bonobo Way,” asserts Block. “If we lose the bonobos, then we will lose a key to female empowerment and peace through pleasure that we can never find again.”
Block has presented the Bonobo Way in the form of talks and seminars at various symposia, conferences and conventions, locally and abroad. In 2016, at the University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, she delivered the keynote address to the world’s first Ecosexuality Symposium at an academic institution. At UC Berkeley, she presented “The Bonobo Way of Nonmonogamy” at the 5th Conference on Monogamy & Nonmonogamy, and she gave a talk on the Bonobo Way of Inclusivity at AASECT, the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors & Therapists. She presented The Bonobo Way of FemDom Power at DomCon LA 2016; and was invited back as a "Guest of Honor" to deliver “FemDoms of the Wild: The Bonobo Way of Female Empowerment” at DomCon 2017. A few weeks ago, she presented “The Bonobo Way of Great Sex” at Adultcon 2017. Dr. Block has been a visiting lecturer in Human Sexuality at USC, UCLA and Caltech, as well as at her alma mater Yale University for Sex Week at Yale and other events. A fascinating speaker on multiple subjects related to sexuality, she has addressed a variety of groups from YPO (Young Presidents’ Organization) to LSO (Lifestyles Organization) on sex, love, peace, pleasure, relationships, feminism, culture and the Bonobo Way. Dr. Block also wrote the definitions of “erotic spanking,” “cuckolding” and “sexual fetishes,” among others, for the Wiley-Blackwell International Encyclopedia of Human Sexuality.
Dr. Block last visited the Erotic Heritage Museum five years ago when she was honored with a Doctorate of the Arts from the Institute for the Advanced Study of Human Sexuality, and she is very much looking forward to returning to this exceptional erotic art museum.
“I’m excited to share a very timely message of hope that just happens to be a lot of fun too,” said Dr. Block, also known as "Dr. Suzy.". Her talk will touch on bonobo and human sexuality, violence, war, peace, Eros vs. Thanatos, the balance of gender power, as well as building loving relationships and inclusive “bonoboësque” communities.”
The Erotic Heritage Museum is located on 3275 Sammy Davis Jr. Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89109. For information, call 702-794-4000.
