LOS ANGELES—On Valentine’s weekend, Residence 11 hosted its first in-person and virtual event, Desire Summit, to bring together the site’s sex-positive, open-minded community with more than 25 internationally renowned speakers and experts from the most influential sex-themed podcasts, TV shows, blogs, and best-selling romance and erotica books. Held at the new venue, Velvet Noir in Los Angeles, the event was a full day of audience participation, discussions, and conversations on some of the most stimulating, taboo, and talked about issues when it comes to sex, relationships, pleasure, and intimacy.
Said attendee Alex S., "In a time when the world is getting more and more repressed, it was a breath of fresh air to attend a public event that was so sex positive, kink positive, love positive, and in such a welcoming and safe space."
Attendees came from across the country to hear their favorite authors speak, have books signed, and yell out their favorite kinks for prizes. Session topics ranged from erotic rituals, mismatched desire, managing jealousy, polyamory, sex and aging, kink and toys, to the world of romance novels, a genderqueer future, audio erotica, and more.
Sponsors had the opportunity to reach an audience looking for ways to explore their self-care in new ways. Attendees were treated to a swag bag with products from sponsors, valued at $350, and included sex toys from Fun Factory, Blush, and the Pleasure Chest, romance novels from Avon Books, a free "Go F*** Yourself" course from Ganja Yoga, valued at more than $200, and a special discount for Bloom Audio Stories.
Said Residence 11 editor-in-chief Rachel Kramer Bussel, "Desire Summit was exactly what we had hoped for: a space where our in-person and virtual audiences could learn from and interact with talented speakers on sex, relationships, and literature and get practical advice to immediately apply to their personal lives. From Kevin Patterson’s and Erin Tillman’s tips on how to manage jealousy in polyamorous relationships (and how common that is) to sex therapists Nicoletta Heidegger and Yana Tallon-Hicks on the many ways desire may not match up in relationships, to the laughs heard across the room, especially during Dirty Lola’s frank and funny guide to the wide world of dating apps. The Desire Summit kicked off powerful conversations and served up a vital space for discussion and curiosity around our most intimate selves."
A full list of speakers included:
• Jess Buie of Bloom Audio Stories on erotic audio
• Kristen Tribby and Nora Langknecht of Fun Factory on keeping long-term relationships hot and bringing sex toys to casual dating
• Keynote speaker sex edutainer Dirty Lola with modern online dating advice
• Polyamory expert Kevin Patterson
• Lynn Brown Rosenberg discussing sex and aging
• Sex therapists Moushumi Ghose and Melissa LeSane
• Sex educators Jamila Dawson, Nicoletta Heidegger, August McLaughlin, Yana Tallon-Hicks, and Erin Tillman on various aspects of sexual wellness
• Lasara Firefox Allen on why the future is genderqueer
• Romance novelists Mia Hopkins, Suzanne Park, Kelly Reynolds, Sierra Simone, and Angie Williams
• Authors Taylor Hahn and Allison Moon on alternative sexuality in fiction
• Residence 11 editor-in-chief Rachel Kramer Bussel hosted a virtual interview with Ghana-based writer Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah, author of The Sex Lives of African Women, on why we all need to talk about sex
Said speaker Lasara Firefox Allen, "The Desire Summit was amazing! High-quality presentations, sweet community, and tons of love. Also, the swag bags were out of this world."
The ethos of the Desire Summit, which was navigating healthy, honest, joyful, and fulfilling communication in our relationships; squashing shame, and learning how to better connect, will continue online post-event with highlights will be available soon at residence11.com.
The next Desire summit will be hosted on Oct. 6 to 8, 2023 in Brooklyn, N.Y. To purchase tickets, visit summit.residence11.com.
Residence 11 is an online media brand and community that celebrates the future of sensuality, romance, intimacy, and love in a new age of human communication.
Companies interested in working with Residence 11 or sponsoring future events can contact [email protected].
