Welcome to “Seven Minutes in Heaven,” GO Magazine’s brand new interview series that profiles a different queer lady each day, by asking her seven unique (and sometimes random) questions. Get to know the thoughts, feelings, and opinions of the groundbreaking, fierce forces-of-nature in the queer community.
I’m so excited for you babes to discover the amazing force-of-nature that is Jenny Block. Jenny is a fab writer who covers the topics of food and sex. Purr. Our two most favorite things, am I right, kittens? Block has written for everyone from Playboy to HuffPo, and has penned two sexy books (one about orgasms, one about solo sex).
Though Block is hyper-passionate about both food and sex, Block’s main objective in life is all about spreading the mission of visibility and inclusion, through creative expression.
So on this super fine Friday, we’re proud to present today’s rendition of “Seven Minutes In Heaven” featuring the one and only Jenny Block!
GO Magazine: Who are you and what do you do?
Jenny Block: My name is Jenny Block. Yes, like Jenny from the. Sigh. I am an author, writer, speaker, and performer. I’ve written a articles on all sorts of topics from great sex to incredible food to super high-end travel for a variety of publications and websites from Playboy to Huffington Post to Yahoo Travel. I also wrote, “O Wow: Discovering Your Ultimate Orgasm” and “The Ultimate Guide to Solo Sex” and have done lots of media and bookstore appearances, including Nightline and the Tyra Banks Show. These days you can find me in all sorts of places speaking and entertaining from Olivia cruises and resort trips to Texas’ Plezzure Island to cruising down 5th Avenue on a pedi-bed answering questions about sex.
GO: What is the driving force behind your career/activism/work?
JB: Visibility and inclusion. It is far more difficult to hate someone whose story you know. What I want more than anything is for people to be able to share their stories in an effort to give everyone a voice and everyone a place. Humans need to feel validated. Not in an “everyone is perfect, everyone is beautiful, everyone gets a trophy, purple dinosaur” kind of way. But instead in a “you do you and I do me and everyone deserves to be respected no matter who they are and who and how they love” kind of way.
On the surface, much of my work is about women’s sexuality. But on a much deeper level, it’s about women’s empowerment, queer empowerment, lesbian empowerment, body empowerment. We cannot expect anyone to love and accept us if we can’t first do that for ourselves. Hate comes from self-loathing. I truly believe we can love ourselves and each other out of this mess.
Forget the meek. Women shall inherit the earth and queer women will lead the way. Our lives, our journeys, are struggles, our longings make us uniquely qualified to heal what men have sullied.
GO: Where do you go for inspiration when you’re feeling discouraged or depleted?
JB: The written word. I read about the good work that’s being done and the importance of the work we still need to do. And I also write about it. I write about what challenges we still face and how we are the only ones who can do it even when I’m feeling like it’s a losing battle. I write it and I share it and seeing people’s responses reminds me that we will rise.
GO: Who are your biggest queer lady role models?
JB: Audre Lorde, Rita Mae Brown, Judy Dlugacz, Kris Perry & Sandy Stier, Kate Kendell, Selisse Berry, for starters!
GO: Describe yourself in three words?
JB: Intelligent, chic, kind
GO: What music are you listening to right now?
JB: Wedding music. Well, music we want to play at our wedding. The big day is coming up in March and we didn’t realize how many musical decisions there were to be made. Coming down the aisle, father/daughter dances, first dance. We’re not having a totally traditional wedding. But we are breaking the glass and throwing the bouquet and all that. So, we are all about the wedding soundtrack these days!
GO: Where can people find you?
Instagram – @thejennyblock
Twitter – @Jenny_Block
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TheJennyBlock/
Web – www.thejennyblock.com
What Do You Think?