You Don't Learn About the Clit in Med School11/17/2022 An Interview with Gorjus Doc, aka Dr. Tasha Ramsey  If you've ever seen a sexual anatomy diagram, I am willing to bet that it was based on a white person. As much as the sex-positive movement strives to combat oppression, it is still largely made up of middle class white people, and we aren't always as aware of intersectional oppression as we should be. The lack of representation — both in our teaching tools and among sex educators and sex-positive leaders — creates the impression that Black and brown folks are "other." As in, not the norm, not the target audience, not who we expect to see or interact with. In order for sex-positivity to be truly liberatory, it must center diverse bodies and experiences, and it must be led by diverse educators and advocates. One person leading the way in diversifying sex education is Dr. Tasha Ramsey, aka Gorjus Doc. I spoke with Dr. Tasha about what led her to create diverse sexual anatomy visuals, what changes she would like to see in the sex-positive movement, and what was missing from her medical school education. PP: How did you first become interested in sex education? TR: My interest in sex ed started all the way back in middle school. I had a great physical education and health teacher who was not afraid to talk about the tough topics and that inspired me to learn more about sexual health. Back then, I was passionate about writing and wanted to become a journalist or an author. When I found out about an opportunity to be a student writer for a teen sexual health magazine called Sex Etc., which would combine both my passions, I jumped at the opportunity. As a writer and employee of Sex Etc., I learned so much more about state of sexual health in our country. From that point forward I knew that this was my calling. I would hand out condoms in school, share my writing pieces with my classmates, and speak at fundraiser events about why sex ed needed to be better. That passions for sex ed and youth inspired me to pursue a career in adolescent health. PP: What is it like to straddle the sex ed and medical fields? TR: It is so interesting! Honestly, it is synergistic given the nature of what I do as a doctor. I will often discuss things with my patients in clinic and start to see patterns. For instance, I may notice that a lot of menstruators experience pain and cramping and do not know how to manage their symptoms. I do a ton of education with my patient, because for me, knowledge is power — sometimes even more powerful than prescribing medication. I also have learned that the medical field is flawed. There are things I have learned on my own or from working within the sexual health field about how the medical field can do a way better job. It’s a process of constantly growing and learning in both areas, but the great thing is I never stop learning. PP: What was the sex ed that you received in your medical training like? Do you think doctors get sufficient sex education in med school? TR: I do not think doctors or medical professionals get enough training around sexual health. I spent months learning about anatomy in medical school, but didn’t learn about the clitoris until I read about it on my own. Most of what we learn in medical training is about the pathology related to sexual health — meaning all of the horrible bad things that can happen, such as STIs. We also learn about pregnancy and pregnancy prevention. However, we learn very little about the reasons why people have sex — because it feels good! We get little training about sex-positivity, pleasure, communication, and the other important things that are key to a healthy sex life. I spent months learning about anatomy in medical school, but didn’t learn about the clitoris until I read about it on my own. There is so much more work to do in this area and part of my mission is to help bridge this gap.  Gorjus Sex Ed female anatomy diagram PP: What are your goals in making sexual anatomy visuals? TR: I started making diverse sexual anatomy visuals out of desperation. I remember creating some informational posts on my Instagram and searching the internet far and wide for images that were representative of different skin tones and body types. I have always been kind of artsy, and in addition to writing I loved to draw. I couldn’t find the health information images I was looking for so I drew them myself! And then people started asking me if they could purchase them and thus Gorjus Sex Ed was born. Sex ed curriculum must incorporate the needs of marginalized individuals in a normalized way, not just as a footnote. I continue to offer my basic images for free so that people continue to have access to images that are representative. PP: What would you like to see change in the field of sex education (and/or the sex-positive movement)? TR: I would like to see the voices of those who have been silenced centered. As a woman of color, I find that the sexual health conversation is often led by cis white able-bodied individuals. The stories of BIPOC, disabled, and LGBTQ individuals are often left out of the discussion. The history of reproductive injustices are often left out of the discussion, too. And the injustices that are happening right now are also not often acknowledged. I would love to see curriculums revamped to not only included the needs of marginalized individuals as a footnote, but incorporated in a normalized way. PP: What advice do you have for someone who is passionate about sex ed as a tool for liberation and social justice? TR: The first step is identifying your why. Why are you entering the sex ed space? Who are you trying to impact? What injustice or disservice are you trying to correct? The work we do in sex ed is extremely hard, and it's important to have a guiding light to remind you why you are doing the work you do. Also learn about and heal your own biases and traumas. We are sexual beings ourselves, our experiences can sometimes impact our approach to the work. Think outside of yourself, learn more about the experiences of someone other that the groups you identify with. Stay humble and realize there is always more to learn. Lastly, make time for self care. The work we do is taxing. Make sure to make time to refill your cup. Comments are closed.
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