Sex Ed

Gail Karuna-Vetter, Kim Marks and Oblio StroymanPhoto by Alex V. Cipolle

This Valentine’s season, say goodbye to chocolates and flowers and consider treating yourself — with or without a partner — to a safe, sex-savvy workshop.

Kim Marks, owner of the new gender-inclusive eco-conscious sex shop As You Like It, wants you to have a good sex life. And in addition to providing the toys and treats to do so, the shop will present workshops with professional sex educators covering everything from sex toys to the G-spot.

“There’s not enough people out there creating a space for people to talk about sex or sexuality, gender and how-to’s,” she says. “This is the right place to create that space.”

Marks says she plans to host monthly workshops that cover different topics, including lube, sex toys, hormones, oral sex and more. “We’ll have a mixture of fun and light-hearted workshops to more serious, emotional ones,” she says.

So forget that most dreaded Hallmark holiday and mark your calendar with these sex-positive events. And check out EW’s calendar section for more love and sex happenings around town.

Toy Curious?

“For a lot of people, it’s a source of anxiety to figure out how to talk to their partner about sex toys,” Marks says. “They want to introduce a vibrator into their relationship, or they want to introduce kink into their relationship and they just don’t know how to talk about it.” As You Like It’s own Oblio Stroyman, who’s worked in the marriage and family therapy field since 2006, will teach the workshop, which will explore communication skills and introduce some of the store’s sex toys.

“Toy Curious? Exploring communication around sex toys and how they fit into your life” starts at 6 pm Thursday, Feb. 12, at As You Like It; free. RSVP on As You Like It’s Facebook page.

Shop like a Superhero

If browsing a sex shop feels like diving down the rabbit hole, sex educator JoEllen Notte’s workshop can help. Notte writes the award-winning sex blog Redhead Bedhead. Her goal? “Saving the world from mediocre sex.” Notte will discuss several of the store’s products and ways to navigate sex shops to find the best products for each individual.

“Superhero sex shopping: Stocking your nightstand for your best sex ever” starts at noon Wednesday, Feb. 18, at As You Like It; free. RSVP on the store’s Facebook page.

50 Shades of Confusion

Inspired by the Valentine’s Day season and the Feb. 14 release of 50 Shades of Grey, the shop will host a large workshop at WOW Hall taught by Janet Hardy — Eugene’s “best kept-secret,” according to Marks — a sex expert and author of The Ethical Slut: A Guide to Infinite Sexual Possibilities. “I think there are a lot of people interested in exploring kink and different levels of bondage and retrains and what does that all mean,” Marks says. “I think [50 Shades of Grey] leaves people with more questions than answers.”

As You Like It hosts “50 Shades of Confusion” March 8. Details to come, check asyoulikeitshop.com.

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