Sexuality, Scholarship, and the Struggle for Free Expression
February 28, 2025 • 1:00 pm ET
How does censorship shape our understanding of sexuality, and what happens when scholars, researchers, and activists confront and challenge those boundaries? This multidisciplinary panel features experts to explore the complex intersections of sexuality, academic inquiry, and free expression. We’ll answer the following questions: What haven’t we been able to learn about due to censorship? What has been left unstudied? With insights from esteemed panelists, including Nicole Prause, PhD, India Thusi and Dr. Jennifer Pollitt, the discussion will examine the cultural, political, and institutional forces that dictate who can speak and what can be said about sexuality.
Panelists will reflect on their own experiences navigating censorship, resistance, and public scrutiny in their work, sharing the personal and professional challenges of studying and advocating for sexuality in contentious spaces. Topics will include pushback against controversial research and the societal consequences of silencing sexual expression. The discussion will also address how issues of race, gender, and technology further complicate the regulation of sexuality, fostering a conversation that highlights shared struggles across disciplines and professions.
This dialogue will emphasize the collective stakes of resisting censorship, underscoring the idea that the fight for intellectual and sexual freedom is one we all share. By standing together, we can defend the fundamental right to explore, discuss, and embrace the diverse and complex realities of human sexuality.
