2022 WSW Sex & Sexuality Calendar

Sex & Sexuality Calendar for 

Women Who Love Women 

6TH EDITION 

You are now the owner of the Sixth Edition of “Our Space, Our Face” Sex 

& Sexuality Calendar for Women Who Love Women. Enjoy this sensual 

and robust publication courtesy of In Our Own Voices, Inc. (IOOV). 

In Our Own Voices, Inc. is a nonprofit nongovernmental organization 

serving Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People of Color in seven 

counties. IOOV’s mission is to work for and ensure the physical, mental, 

spiritual, political, cultural, and economic survival and growth of Lesbian, 

Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People of Color communities. 

IOOV provides the following services to the Capital Region of New 

York and nationally: 

Training & Technical Assistance 

HIV Prevention & Education 

Health Services 

Support Groups 

Youth Engagement Services 

Legal Services 

Visibility & Outreach 

Organizing & Community Engagement 

Anti-Violence Services 

LGBT Support Line 

Emergency Assistance

Why Our Space, Our Face? 

We are making our mark as sex-positive advocates, and most importantly, we are including the 

voices of Women Who Have Sex With Women (WSW), boldly and unapologetically. 

Social constructs such as homophobia and sexism have limited the discourse about WSW to 

a debate regarding lifestyle, morality and an assumption of rigid gender roles and sexuality. 

Couple this with racism and the historical sexual objectification of women of color and the 

discourse becomes virtually non-existent outside of an academic framework. 

Our Space, Our Face is a Behavioral Health Intervention that addresses the social determinants 

of health and the impact of stigma, shame, sexism, racism, trans/homo-phobia, ableism, (and 

other forms of oppression) on the sexual health & freedom of women.

Our theme 

“Our Space, Our Face” 

speaks to 

• Uniting women across all ethnicities, races, ages, sexual orientations, gender identities, abilities, and 

faiths and spiritualities to build on differences and commonalities in order to gain visibility for the issues 

that matter to WSW sexual health. 

• Promoting culturally specific interventions in order to break through the stigma that still exists for Lesbian, 

Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Women of Color. 

• Bringing visibility to WSW issues that get silenced by offering unique role model stories that speak 

to real-life experiences. 

• Celebrating the beauty of the many dimensions that exist within WSW communities. 

Thank You! 

IOOV would like to thank all the calendar participants who showed up, by taking control of their sexual health and 

chose to share part of their journey with other WSW communities, in order to promote self-love, empowerment, 

safer sex, HIV/STI testing and treatment, PrEP and other risk reduction tools.

Support 

Groups 

The WSW program at IOOV offers 

regular, virtual, monthly and 

bimonthly support groups to 

mingle amongst peers and seek 

an array of social and health 

resources. 

Our Space, Our Face (OSOF) is 

each first and third Wednesday of 

the month. OSOF is a laid-back, 

brave space to discuss everything 

from current events to sexual 

health. 

Our Space Our Face 

Sexversations 

For something sexier and stimulating, 

join us every second Friday for kinky 

conversations at Sexversations. 

Liberate Thy Curls 

Fat & Sexy

Tia S. 

32 | Queer, Non-binary 

Being Queer and living Queer are two very different things. 

As a black pansexual being, understanding my identity was 

extremely difficult. As I was coming to learn a part of myself that 

I hadn't explored, I was also introducing myself in a way that was 

brand new. 

The process of owning my identity and standing firmly in my truth 

were overwhelming and isolating. I didn't know many individuals 

that were openly Queer. I was too new to queerness for some and 

too old to be asking certain questions. 

The internet and the Queer influencers that were brave enough 

to share their stories and images became a major support on my 

journey. They served as guides and distant Aunties that gave me 

the rundown of how things worked. I was able to gather resources 

that helped me to learn how to ask the right questions and support 

my overall well-being as I navigated this new territory. 

I get to stand in my fullness now and share my journey boldly and 

on my own terms. I don’t have to have all of the answers, jargon, or 

labels to live my best Queer life. 

I get to affirm my truth and nurture healthy boundaries while 

expanding my chosen family and community. 

I now know where to look for resources when times are tough and 

how to safely engage with new partners as I relearn who I am. 

I get to take my own pace, and I now have autonomy over my 

identity, which I now know impacts my sexual health. It helps me 

understand the importance of ensuring I know my HIV status and 

outcomes of my overall health.

JUNE 2022 

LGBT PRIDE MONTH 

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday 

1 2 3 4 

Our Space, Our Face 

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 


Say It Loud Black & 

Latin@ Gay Pride 

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 

Capital Pride 


19 20 21 22 23 24 25 

Juneteenth 

26 27 28 29 30 

NYC Pride 

National HIV 

Testing Day

July is the peak of the 

summer for us in the 

Northeast, and after 

a brutal winter and a 

lasting pandemic, so 

many of us are excited 

to live freely, openly 

and freaky!! 

The summer is filled with fun but it is also anticipated to be 

a spike in STI transmission- of course, more sex being had in 

a community means more of a chance for STI transmission. 

Make sure to keep the good times rolling by protecting 

yourself and your community through practicing safe sexual 

health practices like using contraceptives (external and 

insertive condoms, dental dams, finger cots), cleaning 

your toys between partners or using toys specific to each 

partner, and getting HIV tested every three months!

JULY 2022 


1 2 

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 

Independence Day 


10 11 12 13 14 15 16 


17 18 19 20 21 22 23 


24 25 26 27 28 29 30 

Disability 

Independence Day 

31

Nat Regis 

33 | Bisexual Cis-Woman 

I always knew I was “different”. Different in the sense that I knew 

I was interested in women. I also knew it was not safe to talk 

about, glorify, or celebrate it. I was a child navigating the sea of 

homophobic slurs in music, at home, and school. 

Did I mention that I was Haitian and indoctrinated into Catholicism? 

Growing up Haitian in the 90’s was tough! Tack on navigating, 

suppressing, and hiding the confusion of my homosexuality. Sex 

was taboo. You didn’t talk about it or think about it at home. As a 

child in high school, we were spoken to about sex in Health class. 

That was it! Thinking back, 15+ years ago, Mx. Fisher (Health class 

instructor) definitely gave off some gender queer vibes. 

In Mx. Fisher’s class, or rather the curriculum we were taught, we 

were supposed to believe that sex occurred only between males 

and females. Like in a mechanical system, the male fitting slides 

into the female connection. Perfect fit! At church, marriage was 

reserved for a man and a woman…blah, blah, blah. I remember 

these narratives affected me deeply. There was no room to be myself. 

In this fragile stage in life, there was no one I could trust with my 

thoughts and questions about my sexuality. 

To hell with all that BS and propaganda. Misleading and confusing 

children! I always knew sex, sexuality, and pleasure was never 

clear cut. It wasn’t until I left home for college that I discovered 

sex, sexuality, and pleasure. I learned that sex can feel good and 

be pleasureful. Sex should be consensual. Sex should be safe. Sex, 

sexuality, and pleasure is a natural phenomenon. Sex is a beautiful 

connection. 

It feels good to see this in writing. It feels good to know that I’m 

facing and slowly breaking away at generational traumas regarding 

having, talking about, and enjoying sex. I am a Haitian woman 

having and enjoying homosexual sex; a spirit having and enjoying 

homosexual sex; and a Haitian spirit engaged to a Boricua spirit.

AUGUST 2022 

NATIONAL IMMUNIZATION AWARENESS MONTH 


1 2 3 4 5 6 

National Girlfriend Day 


7 8 9 10 11 12 13 


14 15 16 17 18 19 20 


Southern HIV/AIDS 

Awareness Day 

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 

28 29 30 31 

National Faith HIV/ 

AIDS Awareness 

Day

Mer Kee 

24 | Bisexual Genderfluid 

There is a story about sex we like to tell kids, often 

sparked by questions like “where do babies come 

from?”. Maybe it goes “When a mommy and a daddy 

love each other verrrry much, they share a special 

hug”. Maybe condoms, maybe birth control, maybe… 

I wouldn’t know. My parents never even got as far as 

storks. What unifies these stories is the kind of lie we 

love to tell children, describing a world of crisp neat 

lines. A sketch of sex, love, and all that falls between as 

simple. “There are men and women”, it says “There are 

scripts for them to follow, an order for things to happen”. 

There’s a whole society’s worth of expectation about 

what people get up to in the bedroom that we tend 

to absorb well before it’s ever relevant. But frankly, 

my identity has always been a bit of a mess, and I’ve 

NEVER been good at finding the social norms that cover 

me. So, I got let in on the secret early: there is no single 

script for sex, absolutely no one knows what they’re 

doing. That's why inclusive and diverse sexual health 

resources and education are so important. The more 

we know about ourselves, the better we can ensure our 

safety and the safety of our communities.

SEPTEMBER 2022 

OVARIAN CANCER AWARENESS MONTH 


National Childhood 

Obesity Awareness 

Month 

1 2 3 

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 

Labor Day 



11 12 13 14 15 16 17 

Latino Heritage 

Month Begins 

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 

National HIV/AIDS 

& Aging Awareness 

Day 


25 26 27 28 29 30

Fall is a beautiful time. 

It's the sweater, pumpkin 

spice, Halloween, sweet 

potato, coming out, apple 

weather that folks get 

excited for every year. 

It is also a beautiful come down from the 

excitement of the summer. In fact…it’s been 

three months since July, and we know what that 

means! Testing every three months for HIV is an 

important part of safe and healthy sexual health 

practices. Testing regularly also keeps our 

data on STI transmission accurate and lets us 

know who is at risk, how and what ways we can 

reach them to help lower transmission rates 

throughout their communities. Get tested, 

know your status and stay warm this season!

OCTOBER 2022 

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AWARENESS MONTH 


National Breast 

Cancer Awareness 

Month 

1 

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 


9 10 11 12 13 14 15 

Indigenous People’s 

Day 

Day of the Girl 

National Coming 

OUT Day 


Latino Heritage 

Month Ends 

16 17 18 19 20 21 22 


23 24 25 26 27 28 29 

30 31 

Halloween

Bree Hassell 

26 | Pansexual, Non-Binary Femme 

I grew up in a pretty conservative household with some very 

blatant homophobia. My grandmother, “Gma”, assumed for a 

long time I was straight. One day I decided to visit her while she 

was in the nursing home. At the time, I was also having a hard 

day with my partner and she could see there was something 

wrong. 

“What's wrong, pumpkin?”, she questioned. 

I sigh and gather my thoughts to answer… but I don’t. It hit me, 

she doesn’t know. So I say it. 

“Gma, I gotta tell you something before I actually tell you.” 

She’s surprised, but she accepted, “Okay, then. Tell me.” 

Silence. 

“Gma, remember the eggplant emoji?” 

She looks confused. “Yes? What does that have to do with 

anything?” 

I hold my breath and claw at my own fingers. “Well, if it ain't 

eggplant— what's the other emoji?” 

Again, she’s confused, but says it back to herself. “… if it ain't 

eggplant— what's the other...” 

“Why won’t you just tell me?” 

“‘Cuz !!!!!! You’re mad smart Gma don’t make me say it!” 

Silence. 

“Do you like… women?” 

I broke. I cried. I was relieved. I was proud she got it with just an 

emoji. I looked up at her. She looked at me, tired. 

“Do you think I’m ashamed of you?” 

My head hangs low; tired and defeated. 

“Well, I'm not. You’re my grand puppy. I’m so proud of my grand 

puppy. I love my grand puppy.” 

I cried more. Loudly. Unapologetically. Open and no longer 

scared of who I knew I was. This was what many of us fight for. 

The ability to know who we are and be supported. Finding 

support in family, friends, chosen family, etc, helps us support 

ourselves and our journeys through life, relationships, sexual 

health and our paths toward acceptance. 

RIP Gma

RIP Gma 

NOVEMBER 2022 

AMERICAN DIABETES MONTH 


National Family 

Caregivers Month 

1 2 3 4 5 


6 7 8 9 10 11 12 

Veteran’s Day 


13 14 15 16 17 18 19 


20 21 22 23 24 25 26 

Thanksgiving 

27 28 29 30

Katie 

34 | Sex Positive Asexual 

AFAB Intersex 

The past couple of years have been… interesting. Just before 

the pandemic hit, I met the love of my life, and, honestly, what 

timing! These past years of the pandemic were hard enough 

without having someone beside me to love me, to support me, 

and to just sit in comfortable silence with me on those days 

when we’re both exhausted from telecommute meeting after 

telecommute meeting. 

That was before I had to open my home to my father who 

suffered a stroke late last year. This pandemic really brought 

to the forefront a conversation on health: mental health, 

physical health, even sexual health. These aren’t easy conversations 

to have; between the constant stigmatization of mental and 

sexual health and this weird viewpoint of illness as some sort of… 

moral failing; it’s hard to find answers to questions everybody 

has without feeling like you’re somehow weird or deviant for 

asking. I am grateful to In Our Own Voices for holding space for 

community where these conversations can happen, and where 

staff, who genuinely care, work hard to provide information 

and support to a marginalized community. Thanks to IOOV, 

I was able to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and a safe, 

judgment-free zone to get tested for HIV.

DECEMBER 2022 


1 2 3 

World AIDS Day 

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 



11 12 13 14 15 16 17 

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 


25 26 27 28 29 30 31 

Christmas

Alice & Katie 

Asexuality: the lack of sexual attraction to 

others, low or absent interest in or desire for 

sexual activity. 

Most people hold a common misconception that asexuality 

means someone who is not interested in sex at all; however, 

that is not always the case. Asexuality is a spectrum! There are 

folks who experience sexual attraction and sometimes they 

may identify as a sex-positive asexual or grey-sexual. There are 

folks who only experience sexual attraction once they have 

developed an emotional connection to a potential partner 

known as demi-sexuality. There are folks who simply like the 

feeling of sex but may experience varying levels of attraction 

at different times, all with personal labels that fall under the 

asexuality umbrella. 

All of these identities add to the beauty and diversity of human 

sexuality; but unfortunately, these folks are too often told that 

because they are asexual, they do not have to worry about 

sexual health because they do not have sex. However, as we 

now know, that is not always true! Even if you do not have 

sex, keeping up on positive sexual health practices serves to 

protect yourself and your communities if you ever chose to 

engage; and if you are having sex- even if you are asexualregular 

testing, contraception usage, consent and negotiation 

among other sexual health practices are very important parts 

of maintaining your safety, the safety of your partners and the 

safety of your communities.


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 

New Year’s Day 

Cervical Health 

Awareness Month 

National Stalking 


JANUARY 2023 

HAPPY NEW YEAR 


8 9 10 11 12 13 14 


15 16 17 18 19 20 21 

Martin Luther King 

Jr. Day 


22 23 24 25 26 27 28 

29 30 31

Sonia Sandoval 

29 | Bisexual Female/fluid 

Gender is a construct 

Consent is sexy. 

After navigating both LGBT+ and hetero spaces for 

decades, I can unequivocally confirm that no matter 

what your sexual identity is: we all need to respect 

each other's boundaries. Contrary to popular belief, 

asking for consent doesn't ruin the mood or make 

things difficult. I've found the opposite is true: when 

you and your partner are comfortable enough to 

communicate your needs and desires, everyone has a 

better time. 

I was lucky to have received excellent sexual education 

while growing up in NYC. It taught me to stand up for 

myself, say no if I felt like it, and to not be afraid to talk 

about sex. The more open we are about sex and sexual 

health the safer and happier we make our communities. 

So, say yes if you feel like it, say no if you feel like it & 

make sure that you and your partner(s) are happy. If 

you do it right, they may be back for more.

FEBRUARY 2023 

BLACK HISTORY MONTH 


National Teen Dating 

Violence Awareness 

& Prevention Month 

American Heart Day 

1 2 3 4 

National Girls & 

Women in Sports 

Day 


National Wear 

Red Day 

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 


12 13 14 15 16 17 18 

Valentine’s Day 


National Eating Disorders Awareness Week 

19 20 21 22 23 24 25 

26 27 28

El 

23 | Queer 

It is 2022 and Florida is attempting to pass a law called the 

Parental Rights in Education Bill. In part, it will prohibit schools 

from talking about any LGBT related topics from Kindergarten to 

grade 3 and will limit conversations around this topic to what will 

be considered “age appropriate” by both parents and the school. 

If parents feel that conversations being had are not age appropriate, 

they can sue. I knew I liked girls from the time I was 7 years oldthank 

“Crazy in Love” by Beyonce- but I did not know it was a bad 

thing until I told a classmate I had a crush on her. I was bullied 

into a new school. I only told one of my teachers and she refused 

to touch the issue; she just told me to be strong and ignore the 

bullies. I suffered in silence, I learned to hide my queerness for the 

first time in a series of painful moments of being invisible. What 

a disservice my teacher did to me and my classmates by not 

talking about liking who you like and being who you feel was not 

only normal but also a natural, important part of human diversity. 

Talking about being LGBT in a way that is appropriate but doesn't 

demonize or alienate anyone or their families while also advocating 

for children to be kind to those they may see as different is 

imperative. Imagine how other queer kids around the country 

would feel hearing their teachers publicly, unabashedly support 

them no matter how old they are. 

The first time I was told my queerness was okay was freshman 

year of high school, by an incredibly awesome English teacher 

who was also the advisor for the Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA), a 

student group for LGBT and allied students. I learned so much 

more about myself, sexual health, and healing in four years of 

that club than I did in over 10 years of public school formalized 

education. We as a country need to do better in teaching our 

students about human diversity and sexual health in a comprehensive 

way that is inclusive of various sexual orientations and gender 

identities. We are here, We are queer and We will never disappear.

MARCH 2023 

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH 


National Endometriosis 


Colorectal Cancer 


LGBT Health Month 

Women’s History 

Month 

1 2 3 4 


5 6 7 8 9 10 11 

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 


National Women & Girls 

HIV/AIDS Awareness 

Day 


19 20 21 22 23 24 25 

26 27 28 29 30 31

Alice Lithell 

35 | Panromantic Asexual 

Non-conforming Trans Woman 

The past two years have been a whirlwind for many of us in a 

lot of unprecedented ways. The new found fear and isolation 

experienced by our country at large these days feels eerily familiar 

to my daily experience as well as the lives of so many other 

minoritized folks. This pandemic has forced a lot of self-reflection 

regarding my thoughts, actions, biases, and general assumptions 

about people and systems. The world we live in is not broken; 

it is sadly working exactly as intended: to privilege the few at 

the expense of the many. 

I am working to expand my horizons, explore new perspectives, 

and begin to understand the experiences of those around 

me. I am blessed to have some amazing support networks 

out there who are willing to push me to think and do better. 

Growth is a journey and not a destination. I have become 

vocal about my needs and demanding respect for myself and 

those around me. I am trying to live a better example. I am 

thankful to IOOV for creating a space for our TGNCNB community. 

Raising awareness, highlighting our experiences, and providing 

resources, such as HIV/HepC testing and other sexual health 

services that are lifesaving. 

I am beginning to look forward to a future which a younger 

me never thought possible. Our community is stronger together, 

and I am honored to be alongside such amazing folx.

APRIL 2023 

SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS AND PREVENTION MONTH 


Women’s Eye 

Health and Safety 

Month 

1 

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 


9 10 11 12 13 14 15 

Easter 


16 17 18 19 20 21 22 


23 24 25 26 27 28 29 

30

“Caring for myself is 

not self-indulgence, it 

is self-preservation, 

and that is an act of 

political warfare.” 

Audre Lorde-a black feminist, poet, activist and mother 

of the self-care movement- defined self-care as a radical 

act in the face of a society that seeks to keep minoritized 

peoples in a constant state of survival. Survival mode 

places us in a state of hypervigilance and unrest that is 

not only unhealthy over time but can be sustained even 

when we are in positions when we can and should rest 

and invest in ourselves. Rest and care for ourselves is 

revolutionary; being well rested, invested in our health, 

our joys and hobbies allows us to fully show up with 

our communities and promote the well-being of those 

around us both directly and through structural activism… 

if you want. If you just want to practice self-care in order 

to thrive, live your best life and not just survive- that in 

itself is also radical in a society that would rather you 

suffer. May is “Mental Health Awareness Month”, and 

investment in ourselves is also investment in our mental 

health- investment in our mental health will also push 

us to invest in and value our physical and sexual health. 

Self-care is more than just an article asking you to relax, 

it is an investment in a lifestyle that pushes us toward a 

life that is full and thriving.

MAY 2023 

ASIAN AMERICAN & PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH 


National Osteoporosis 

Awareness and 

Prevention Month 

American Stroke 

Month 

1 2 3 4 5 6 

National Teen 

Pregnancy Prevention 

Month 

National Arthritis 

Month 

Mental Health 



7 8 9 10 11 12 13 

Fibromyalgia 

Awareness Day 


14 15 16 17 18 19 20 

Mother’s Day 


National Women’s Health Week 

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 

28 29 30 31 

World No 

Tobacco Day

Thank you from 

IN OUR OWN VOICES, INC. 

Intervention Services Team

So many folks collaborated their time and effort to make this calendar a 

success! Firstly, we would like to thank the role models for their vulnerability, 

flexibility, and amazing words; you have left a lasting positive impact on our 

communities, and we are eternally grateful. We would also like to thank our 

photographer, Jayana Lafotos (Jayana LaFountaine), for helping us build an 

artistic vision and executing it flawlessly while ensuring all the models felt 

comfortable and seen in their power. 

Thank you to our graphic designer Zach for designing a beautiful calendar. 

Thank you to our WSW Program Coordinator, EL & Director of Intervention 

Services, Vanessa, for organizing the calendar's creation, printing, and distribution. 

Thank you to In Our Own Voices and our CEO, Tandra LaGrone, for creating 

a space for LGBT BIPOC community members to feel seen and heard in their 

fullest selves, especially regarding sex and sexuality. Last but not least, thank 

you, reader for picking up a copy and supporting the efforts of all the folks 

who worked to put this together. We appreciate YOU!

2022 WSW Sex & Sexuality Calendar

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