An Open Letter to White People in the Sexuality/Sexology Field

April 18, 2012

Dear White People in the Sexuality/Sexology Field,

I’m writing this letter regarding a particular interaction I recently had with a racially white person in the field. This person is planning a new program and project in which I was invited to be a part. I asked what the demographics were for this space, if there are any people of Color, with disabilities, youth, or trans* people. I was told, right now, there are no people of Color who are a part of the programming identified as “experts” and the demographics of participants is not available. The letter I wrote to this person is one that is filled with the same arguments I, and many other people of Color, have been making to racially white people in the field for years.

My decision to write and share with you this letter comes from my investment in the field (of which I’ve been a part for over a decade), but mostly because I care about the people of Color who wish to join this field, those people of Color who gave their lives to this field, and those of us who are still here doing work.

Have you noted the lack of people of Color in the field? When I’ve brought this to the attention of some of you, your responses have mostly fallen into the category of: “the field is what it is.” This response is problematic on numerous levels. It ignores and erases the people of Color who were a part of the field, helped create it in the US, those of us here today, and those of us to come. This response does not question the colonial legacies and white supremacy of which the US field was created and remains.

The field “is what it is” because of the lives, bodies, and sacrifice of people of Color. From the life of Saartjie Baartman [11], to the enslaved African women experimented on by “doctors” such as James Marion Sims [12], Henrietta Lacks [13], Black families in the Tuskegee Experiment [14], the forcibly sterilized Puerto Rican [15], Native [16] and people with disabilities [17] in the US; Rosie Jimenez [18], and the nurses, healers, doulas, midwives, and educators of Color save the lives of people every day make the field.

I understand when I write about youth people assume it is always folks under the age of 18. Sometimes this is true. Sometimes the term “youth” is more inclusive. What does remain when people who identify as “professional” or “experts” in the field is the ageism and elitism that isolates and excludes youth of any age. Assuming that youth are not serious about this profession, or cannot understand or put the time in necessary to develop their skills and abilities ignores the amazing work youth have done in their communities, especially as peer educators. Many of the amazing people of Color I know moving the field forward are under 30, several under 25. I have met and mentored peer educators who at the age of 14 are working at a local clinic/health centers or are students in college (because not all of us can afford to go to college or have the ability to attend) and seeking careers in this field. They are the vanguard of the work and the people who will remain when we are no longer here. Why are they ignored?

If we truly believe the field in the US must grow, evolve, and change and that we welcome anyone who cares and wants to do the work, we cannot exclude youth. Ever. It seems only certain types of sexuality professionals are seen as being able to grow, evolve and move the field in the US forward. When you think of why people of Color are not attracted to your space, website, services, etc. think about the marketing you carry out. Many of the “experts” and professionals that are highlighted or treasured as valuable are all racially white people. Not only are they all racially white, but often the well-known, highlighted “experts” are all blonde/light-haired people. Some of the “experts” that are highlighted have made offensive and oppressive remarks that perpetuate anti-Black racism and xenophobia [19].