By Orlando Quezada
As the section editor for the Happy Trail this year, I am excited to continue the work of my predecessors in demystifying and destigmatizing topics relating to sex, gender and sexuality. While our writers are not licensed professionals, we all bring our own important lived experiences to write for this section.
Shame and internalization are often at the forefront of our minds when talking about anything sex related, usually not by choice. It can take years to undo the principles we were raised on, that ultimately feels limiting and not our own. Pleasure, in the personal and spiritual sense, is a human right that all should be able to experience. This can look different among folks who are sexually active, asexual, experimenting with kink, and healing from past sexual traumas.
The broader goal for this section this year is to challenge the status quo, to bring forth conversations many may feel shame in having, and give all the opportunity to share. We are eager to explore the nuances of human sexuality. We will examine what that may look like at both the intersections of personal and social self.
I am excited for the Happy Trail to continue its anonymous advice column, Kiss & Tell All. I hope that the column increases engagement by bringing forward more critical conversations with readers. Past and present column writers have done incredible work in responding to peers with judgment-free and insightful responses.
The Happy Trail will also explore topics this section has yet to report on, explore the vastness that is sexuality, and encourage a lineage of healthy conversations. I hope readers feel supported through their own personal journeys and find some enlightenment in what we have to offer through this section. I welcome all students to share any ideas, story leads or event coverages relating to the topics in this section. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my email oescobar@pugetsound.edu.