Vanessa Geffrard has made a career of broaching taboo subjects with people she doesn’t know. It makes perfect sense that the sex educator of 15 years has curated and created the “Sex Ed Pop Up” taking place on Saturday from noon to 4 p.m. at the Baltimore Peninsula.
Geffrard began her personal business and brand, VagEsteem, in 2013 to encourage women and femmes to have “courageous conversations about love, sex, and everything in between.” The business grew from hosting workshops in her home where friends could have open, free, and fun conversations around sex and sexuality that didn’t happen in typical social settings.
She branched out to begin a podcast in 2016 to reach a larger audience and increase the variety of topics addressed in her conversations. She also hosted events like “Sex Trivia Night” at different bars in and around Baltimore.
During the COVID-19 pandemic Geffrard paused the in-person activities to keep people safe. She also had a child in 2022. Amid that hiatus, she navigated how to continue having these conversations, bring people together, and have fun in what she calls “safe and cool and loud spaces.” The idea of a sex education pop up event took hold.
“This is me coming back and integrating all the things that make VagEsteem so amazing and so great,” Geffrard told Baltimore Fishbowl in a phone call.
The Sex Ed Pop Up offers more than 27 speakers and vendors, featured artists, local artists, workshops, food, and libations. Geffrard’s workshops had always featured an art component, and she wants to prioritize local businesses. She’s excited to provide a platform for people to showcase what they’re doing and selling in Baltimore. For the workshops, she invited a number of sexual health educators and speakers to share their expertise.
“I decided … let’s make it interactive.… Let’s make talking about sex as an adult fun and something that we can be curious about and something that we can ask questions about in a non-judgmental space and just be free about it,” Geffrard said.
She added, “Typically, I feel like once you hit a certain age, people think that ‘Oh, you’re an adult, you should know everything there is to know about sex.’ And secondly, a lot of times, the way we are talking about our sex lives is with our clinicians. And that’s a different type of atmosphere. And so, I wanted us to feel open and free.”
Geffrard understands that many people may have gone their entire lives without any kind of sexual education. This is precisely why she feels the workshops and educational opportunities she provides and facilitates are so necessary.
“Just because you reach a certain age does not mean you automatically know everything there is to know about pleasure or your own body or even taking care of your body.… There aren’t a lot of safe spaces or open spaces where I feel that folks can go to get a mix of everything from that elementary stuff — because we have conversations about consent, just baseline — to the [topics that] might be a little bit niche for people,” Geffrard said. “Or things that that folks may not know where to get, introductory information, like we have a workshop on kink, called ‘Kink 101.’”
Other topics that the talks and workshops will cover include psychedelics and body liberation; communicating your wants, needs and desires; sexual somatics; boudoir photography; the art of spicy talk and text; a consensual cuddle space; and more.
Geffrard said there will also be a safe space and a healing space.
“When it comes to talking about sex and sexuality, so many different feelings [come up],” Geffrard said. “It could be triggering; it could be good. It could be bringing up stuff that we didn’t even know what’s there. And so, we have three trained facilitators and therapists who are going to just be there. Just in case people need it.” The facilitators and therapists are called “Healing Space Crew Members,” and they’ll be accessible to anyone at anytime throughout the event.
To ensure all who attend feel that safety and comfort, since the event is open to anyone over the age of 18, Geffrard asks everyone who attends to read and abide by their Guiding Principles. There are ten of them, listed on the website for the pop up. Developed by Marla Stewart and Sex Down South Team, they’re designed to make sure all attendees feel welcomed and affirmed, particularly those who have been historically marginalized.
Examples of these principles include prioritizing voices, feelings, and experiences of Black, Indigenous, and other people of color (BIPOC); not assuming anyone’s gender identity based on their appearance; not shaming another person’s taste in sexual activity; respecting consent and boundaries always; and more.
Geffrard said her goal is to take this kind of event to other spaces, and even other cities.
“I’ll just see where this conversation leads us,” Geffrard said. “But I’m back. My creativity is coming back. There are definitely going to be more VagEsteem events coming.”
Food will be provided by Soul Smoked BBQ, and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be available. All individuals must be 18 years old to attend the event, and must be 21 years old or older to drink alcohol.
The event’s agenda is listed here. If you don’t live nearby, it’s possible to join the event online for a reduced fee. Ticket prices are $15 for online attendance and $25 for in-person attendance. You can purchase tickets by clicking this link. The ticket link has the option for adding ASL interpretation if needed.
The Sex Ed Pop Up will take place at the Baltimore Peninsula, 301 Mission Blvd., Building 3 Baltimore, MD.
