April 29, 2015
File Art /for PhillyVoice
GALAEI and Dr. Timaree Schmit present sex-positive conference SEXx Interactive
In 2014, queer latino social justice organization GALAEI teamed up with Dr. Timaree Schmit to host SEXx. Modeled off the popular TEDx community-driven speaker series, SEXx garnered national attention and more than 150 participants. This year, GALAEI and Schmit are expanding the brand into a four-day conference.
SEXx Interactive: A Journey for the Mind, Heart and Body will be held Thursday, May 7, through Sunday, May 10. Its goal is to facilitate a sex-positive conversation for the Philadelphia region by celebrating "the mind, body and soul of sexuality." To do so, they've packed the weekend with more than 40 different programs, including academic presentations, art exhibitions, performances and workshops.
The keynote presenters at SEXx Interactive include Carlos Ulises Decena, Ph.D., an associate professor at Rutgers University; author and public speaker Feminista Jones and Ignacio Rivera, a queer performance artist, activist and educator.
Thursday night attendees are invited to a mixer at Sexploratorium. Friday and Saturday are where the bulk of the schedule's events fall. On Friday, attendees can expect to hear tons of TED-style talks on everything from sexual rights to cancer and sex. Both Friday and Saturday feature workshops on subjects like asexuality, how to stop sexual assault and sexuality in horror movies. Each night also features activities like comedy performances, films and dance parties.
