I am so excited to introduce August McLaughlin as a co-conspirator in making the world a more loving and sexually empowered place. Her voice is heard through her weekly radio show and award-winning blog- Girl Boner. Coming from the world of high beauty as an international model and battling her way through anorexia gives her a unique approach, which both inspires other women to embrace themselves and their sexuality, and provokes us all to wake up to our fullest most authentic life. 

Our new partnership is a gift, as her fresh perspective adds a new dimension to my own work of merging healthy passionate sexuality with meaningful emotional intimacy. August’s invitation to sexually empower the good girls is an invitation for all of us… As she says, “Embracing our sexuality and capacity for pleasure means respecting our bodies, living more fully and embracing ourselves.”

Get to know August and her intriguing, provocative content.

1. What brought you to the work of sexual education? Why do you think this is important work?

I was diagnosed with late-stage anorexia in my previous career as an international model. By far, the most powerful step in my recovery was recognizing my lack of sexual empowerment. Changing that changed my entire life, and arguably, saved it. I learned quickly that I’m far from a sole case. We live in a culture that nearly demonizes female sexuality, and places extreme value on narrow views of “beauty.” Since fully (and gratefully) recovering from my illness, I’ve been inspired to change all of that, which starts with celebrating and exploring our sexuality in our daily lives.

2. How do you believe that sexual health fits into and maybe even is necessary for overall health?

Sexual health is vital to overall health—physically, mentally and spiritually. As I often say on my show, our sexuality is far more than what happens between the sheets. It’s an intrinsic, invaluable part of human existence, as present in the words we speak and the air we breathe as our physical bodies. So respecting and caring for our sexuality as we would any other aspect of our beings is crucial for living a full, healthy life.

3. I know you play guitar. What kind of music do you love to listen to and make?

I grew up loving the Beatles and the Indigo Girls, and still do. Anything live, acoustic and honest rocks my world.

4. I love the tagline of your blog/show, Girl Boner—”where good girls go for sexual empowerment.” What does that mean to you?

I find it heartbreaking that ‘good’ and ‘sex’ are seldom affiliated for women. We’re taught in countless ways from childhood on that sex is ‘naughty’ or ‘dirty.’ That’s one reason I love Good Clean Love so much. Sex IS good! It’s wonderful! And shouldn’t be kept in this dark/taboo arena riddled with shame. Girl Boner is a community and movement geared toward the opposite.

5. What is the most fun and rewarding part of your media work? Describe the best days.

The people, hands down. My favorite days are either in the radio studio or at live events, where I interact with people of all ages, genders, belief systems and walks of life, who share their hearts, fears, work and dreams with me—on the air or privately. The more we keep these conversations going, the more loving and accepting our world will become. I feel so blessed to have the freedom to do the work I do.