Introducing ‘Ecosexuals’
Pansexual, polysexual, monosexual . . . find a prefix and it probably can be appended to “-sexual” to reflect a current identity of some sort. One of the lesser-known examples is “ecosexuality,” a movement that was recently given the spotlight by VICE in “Ecosexuals Believe Having Sex with the Earth Could Save It.” It places the emphasis of a person’s sexuality squarely on interaction with the environment, with the broader goal of a perfect harmony with the earth. Think tree-hugging taken to its most provocative extreme!
One of the primary web sources on the subject, Here Come the Ecosexuals, defines an ecosexual as one who “finds nature romantic, sensual and sexy.” UNLV faculty member and movement leader Amanda Morgan describes a scale of ecosexuality ranging from people “who enjoy skinny dipping and naked hiking” to those who “who roll around in the dirt having an orgasm covered in potting soil” or “fuck trees, or masturbate under a waterfall.”
The ecosexual manifesto contains additional interesting tidbits about the movement’s particulars, including a professed interest for dirty talk with plants and a love for starting at the Earth’s curves. When one paragraph closes with the sentence “We are very dirty,” the reader definitely gets the impression that literal “dirt” is undoubtedly the emphasis in this case.
VICE bills 2016 as the year that ecosexuality went mainstream, and they may not be far off the mark. In fact, a temporary sex house opened in Melbourne, Australia, earlier this year, complete with finger-sized condoms (for fondling orchids) and surgical masks filled up with grass.
According to VICE, the term “ecosex” originated in the early 2000s and solidified into a full-fledged movement late in the last decade. While sexy fun with the nature and the environment are a major part of ecosexuality, they aren’t its only goal. “Maybe if we can encourage people to have an erotic engagement with the earth, then we can encourage them to save it,” said Ian Sinclair, co-creator of Melbourne’s Ecosexual Bathhouse.
Featured image: The Gardener from Girlfriends Films
