The Path to Sexual and Spiritual Freedom
I invite you to think about your sexual and spiritual freedoms—those freedoms you have, those you’re still fighting for, and those you may lose.
This first weekend in July, and specifically 4 July, is celebrated in the United States as Independence Day. It’s the anniversary of the day back in 1776 when the white founding fathers (there were no founding mothers) signed the Declaration of Independence, thus beginning the American Revolutionary War—a war fought to release Americans from autocratic rule by the English king and to bring all Americans (except women and slaves) countless liberties and freedoms, summarized under the banner of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
In the past week, a big chunk of those liberties, freedoms and happiness went up in smoke at the dumpster fire that is the new radically conservative Supreme Court, a court of nine unelected justices appointed to lifelong terms, three of whom were recently appointed by an autocratic president elected by a minority of Americans. We live in a country where there is plenty of freedom for one select religion, less for other religions and absolutely no freedom FROM religion.
Abortion will now be illegal or severely restricted in half the states in the country. Women in those states will now be forced by the State to stay pregnant, no matter how criminally they were impregnated or how incapable they are of raising a child. It will be legal for teachers and coaches to gather students together for prayer, no matter the religious preferences of their students (I do wonder what the ruling might have been in this decisive case if the coach in question had been conducting a Pagan ritual instead of a leading a Christian prayer.) And the Environmental Protection Agency has been stripped of its authority to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. (Sorry about that, ecosexuals!)
If you live outside of America, or in U.S. states that have passed local laws to protect your sexual and spiritual orientations and choices, consider yourself lucky. Lucky, but not safe. Over and over again in this past week I have heard people say, “I didn’t think this was possible here. I thought we were better than that—had come farther than that—had already fought and won these battles—etc.
This weekend I invite you to take stock. For many of us, finding sexual freedom has primarily involved inner work. Right now, it demands outer work as well. So…
1. Feel your feelings (if you haven’t already done so.) Mourn, scream, rage. If you’re feeling numb, you’re probably in the grief stage, so honor that. (It took me a solid week to get out of the punched-in-the-gut stage of grief.)
2. Discover and align with your values. What are your deepest core values? What matters most to you? What about what has happened recently is most out of alignment with your values? What will you fight to protect? (If you want help with this, there’s a super-effective exercise in my book Ecstasy is Necessary.)
3. Choose to act. There are so many ways to help: political activism, emotional support, physical support, financial donations. Decide what’s right for you. If you decide to break unjust laws (and I know many of us will) be sure you know the potential consequences for yourself and others.
Here are a few links to help you get started.
A New York Times Article filled with useful resources: Mad About Roe? Here’s What to Do Now.
Shout Your Abortion is all about normalizing abortion and elevating safe paths to access, regardless of legality.
Freedom From Religion Foundation centers their work around the separation of church and state.
Yours in loving solidarity for the sexual and spiritual liberation of all beings,
Barbara