Some people might consider me to be pretty hardcore green. I mean, I’m about to give up many of my possessions and move into a tiny house. I make my own cleaning products and go to great lengths to avoid products with excess packaging. But you will never, ever hear me utter the word “˜ecosexual.’
Don’t get me wrong – green sex is great. And I consider myself pretty committed to the well being of the planet. But something about the term makes me cringe, whether it’s used in the broad sense – identifying yourself as a greenie – or in the narrower sense, having to do with your bedroom habits.
The term “˜ecosexual’ was coined a few years ago, but has cropped up in the news lately with the publishing of a new book called Eco-Sex: Go Green Between the Sheets and Make Your Love Life Sustainable, by Stefanie Iris Weiss.
“An environmentally-minded person can say, “˜I’m an ecosexual’ to broadly define their commitment to saving the planet. “˜Environmentalist’ and “˜green’ are nice, but why not make it sexier?” Weiss told the Examiner.
Sure, green is hip. Green is sexy. Be proud. But in declaring yourself to be an ecosexual, it sounds like you’re broadcasting to the world that being green is so beyond the norm, it requires its own vague sexual orientation.
As a term for sustainability between the sheets, it totally works. We are, in fact, in the midst of an ecosexual revolution involving everything from phthalate-free sex toys to considering the environmental implications of unplanned pregnancy, as Weiss covers in her book. And hey, if you’re neck-deep in the world of dating, putting yourself out there with so bold a label could indeed help you find a suitable mate.
But personally, I hope it doesn’t catch on in a bigger way. It’s hard enough getting the general public to realize we’re not all fanatics who cry at the sight of a tree being cut down.
What do you think? Would you introduce yourself as an ecosexual?
Image: Big Al