BBXX: Let's Get Intimate!

Hani Lees Dresner is the Founder of the sex-positive ceramics company, Gashtrays. Hani emphasizes celebration vs exploitation of the naked body in her work and she believes that sex-positivity and body-positivity are crucial steps towards battling sexual and mental health. She sees her work as a “subtle protest” that aims to provoke conversation in a way that is approachable. We talk about the story behind the Gashtrays movement, her nude-positive family, the hilarity of the human body, and the relationship between sexuality and creativity. She also talks about us her beautiful handmade vulva and penis artwork and we announce our upcoming virtual workshop on May 1st where you will all have the opportunity to make your very own art to celebrate your body! Learn more — https://bbxx.world/gashtrays-body-positive-ceramics [https://bbxx.world/gashtrays-body-positive-ceramics/]

BBXX Founder, Sasza Lohrey, interviews her sister-in-law for a follow-up of our last Humans of Intimacy interview with her brother, “Teamwork Makes The Dream Work,” to get the other side of the story. We explore Sarah’s life story, what shaped her view of relationships growing up, common misconceptions of relationships, foundational qualities of a relationship, lessons in communication, the role of luck, how to stay positive in difficult moments, and lessons learning in parenting.

We discuss the five languages of apology, their relationship to the five love languages, tips for a healthy relationship, expressing apology, as well as the power of apology in conflict resolution—and in all walks of life. Dr. Jennifer Thomas is a bestselling author, TEDx speaker, leadership consultant, and psychologist who helps people know what to say in any situation, including one of the most complicated situations of them all: when giving an apology. She has co-authored the book, “When Sorry Isn’t Enough” with Gary Chapman, author of the bestselling book and the world-famous concept of the “5 Love Languages” in which they present relationship-changing research for understanding love, the power of language, forgiveness, the impact of a good apology, and the art of giving an apology in the right “language” in order to be recognized by the person on the receiving end.

BBXX Founder Sasza Lohrey interviews her very own brother for the pilot episode of an exciting new sub-series, Humans Of Intimacy. He talks about what influences his view on relationships growing up, how his perspective of relationships has evolved, and what advice he would give to the younger version of himself. He discusses how he learned to express himself emotionally, struggles in the beginning stages of his relationship with his now wife, lessons learned in communication, the role of authenticity, and how to be true to yourself in a partnership.

Deborah Tannen is a Professor of Linguistics at Georgetown University and the author of countless books about how the language of everyday conversation affects relationships. We learn about the different ways we each interpret conversations and interactions and break down the foundational concept of individual conversational style. We explore the “metadata” of conversations, demonstrating empathy vs. power, the influence of family in shaping our communication, the role of communication in a partnership, and gender differences in communication styles.