Walking With the Ecosexuals
Tree Hugging, Grassalingus and Finding Your E-Spot: Walking With the Ecosexuals
Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens love a tree on Holy Hill after asking for consent. All Photography by Vita Hewitt
There is a not-so-secret art/activism movement roaming the streets of San Francisco. The Ecosexuals have come to entertain, to educate and to explore ways to treat the transgendered Earth as a consensual lover. They are Annie Sprinkle (former porn star turned sex-positive feminist, artist, and activist) and Beth Stephens, a UC Santa Cruz professor and filmmaker. This past Earth Day they and a sparkling array of artists and activists invited us to take a walk through Bernal Heights.
A presentation of The Ecosexual Manifesto: 25 Ways to Love the Earth.
We gathered in front of the Bernal Heights Public Library (the San Francisco Library Sponsored this event) to be initiated into the ecosexual movement. Sprinkle and Stephens came out of the ecosexual closet and married the Earth in a ceremony with 350 of their guests in 2008. Ecosexuality is a sexual orientation, environmental activism, and a new way to love the Earth. “The Earth is sexy!” pronounces Stephens.
Venus in Furs of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence kept us safe by directing traffic.
The audience is asked to consider the Earth as a lover more than a mother. Some people might discover that certain elements are more arousing than others (I find that I am pretty monogamous with water).
We sniffed lavender to help discover our E-spot.
exploring ecosexuality.
Sprinkle and Stephens said, “We imagine the Earth as transgender, all genders and very gender queer. They use all pronouns.” We were led through the Bernal Heights neighborhood. Together we find our “E-spot” by smelling lavender. Thus titillated, we confessed the moments we first thought we might be ecosexual. A lot of arousing talk of worms, dirt touching, and ocean floating happened.
The Ecosexuals erected a portal for us to ascend. They rang bells. It was nice.
A portal was erected on the top of the Bernal Hill stairs. Feathers and leaf scarves blowing in the wind, we ascended. The forest was waiting for us. Once there we breathed the Spring air and we loved the Earth in all directions.
Sprinkle and Stephens lead us through a breathing exercise to appreciate the air.
We sent love to the Earth in all directions.
If anyone had felt the need to perform grassalingus (it’s loving grass in exactly the way you think this word implies) this group would have understood.
We hugged trees. Yes, yes we did.
Trees have enough love for everyone.
In a surprisingly sincere act we hugged the trees. “We have a whole bunch of trees here. See which tree calls to you. See if you can get to know it a little. Ask for consent.” Sprinkle instructed us. “You can talk dirty to your tree. Some of them like that!” Stephens chimed in. Mostly it was a meditative affair.
The Ecosexuals preparing for a very short protest.
We protested for a very small part of the walk.
It was a lovely afternoon getting to know the neighborhood and the plants and nature that grows there.
A beautiful poem was read.
The ecosexuals lead us through an exercise of connectivity and awareness.
The takeaway: Enjoy the Earth as often and as much as you can with respect and love.
The ecosexual movement can be amusing but it is also a gentle reminder to love and protect the Earth. I will leave you with some tips for being a good ecosexual by Stephens and Sprinkle:
25 Ways to Make Love to the Earth
- Tell the Earth, “ I love you. I can’t live without you.”
- At first, you may feel embarrassed to be lovers with the earth. Relax. Let it go. It’s OK.
- Spend time with her.
- Ask her what she likes, once, and needs— then try to give it to her.
- Massage the earth with your feet
- Admire her views often.
- Circulate erotic energy with him.
- Smell her.
- Taste her.
- Touch all her all over.
- Hug and stroke his trees.
- Talk dirty to her plants.
- Swim naked in their waters.
- Lay on top of her, or let her get on top of you.
- Do a nude dance for her.
- Sing to her.
- Kiss and lick her.
- Bury parts of your body deep inside his soil.
- Plant your seeds in her.
- Love, her unconditionally even when she’s angry or cruel.
- Keep him clean. Please recycle.
- Work for peace. Bombs really hurt.
- If you see her being abused, raped, exploded, protect her as best you can.
- Protect their mountains, Waters and Sky.
- Vow to love, honor, and cherish the earth, until death brings you closer together forever.
If you want to explore more about Annie Sprinkle and Beth Stephens you can purchase their books and watch their films. This photo is of the display at Castle Books in Bernal Heights.
To learn more: sprinklestephens.ucsc.edu
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