How would you feel if a global sexual health congress wasn’t just for academics, but a window into what really matters for your midlife body, pleasure and power?
In this episode, I caught up with sexologist and pleasure coach Emma Pleasure (Emma McCann), whom I met at the World Sexual Health Congress in Brisbane, to unpack our biggest takeaways. We compare notes from different streams, share what surprised us and moved us, and spotlight what women in midlife deserve to know so we can advocate for ourselves, support the young people and men in our lives, and expand our own pleasure with less shame and more choice.
Content note: we touch on anatomy, gender identity, porn literacy and genital cutting/circumcision. Choose a time you can care for yourself as you listen – or pop in earphones if you’re in a shared space.
We discuss:
Why a rights-based lens matters – pleasure is not a luxury, it’s part of health
How to talk to practitioners and advocate for inclusive, pleasure-aware care
Sex education that actually works – consent, critical thinking and practical skills
Supporting men and boys without shaming – healthier role models and real conversations about the manosphere
Illness, surgery and ageing – finding your way back to pleasure after body changes
Gender identity compassion – helping loved ones feel at home in their bodies while building our own capacity
The Golden Trio (plus the underrated fourth) – conditions that make orgasm more likely for many women
De-stigmatising toys – treating them as tools that support pleasure, connection and healing
Spotting the scripts we inherited from media and culture, and rewriting them in midlife
Emma and I explore how centring rights, consent and pleasure can shift everything in midlife, from how we speak to our GP, to how we connect with partners, to how we raise more confident, informed young people. It’s a behind-the-scenes download from a very academic space, translated into real-life takeaways you can bring home to your body today.
If you’ve ever wondered what actually happens at a World Sexual Health Congress, and what it means for your daily life, relationships and turn-on, this episode is for you.
You can connect with Emma:
Instagram: @emmapleasure
Website: emma-mccann.com
World Association for Sexual Health – World Sexual Health Congress https://www.worldsexualhealth.net/
Katrina Marson – legal and ethical perspectives on sex education https://katrinamarson.com/
Cam Fraser – supporting young men and healthy masculinity https://cam-fraser.com/
Talk Soon Talk Often – WA parent guide to relationships and sexuality education https://tsto.gdhr.wa.gov.au/
Planet Puberty – resources for young people with disability and their carers https://www.planetpuberty.org.au/
Welcome to Consent (book)
The Body Keeps the Score (book)
Connect with me:
Instagram: @pennyvandersluys
Facebook: facebook.com/penelope.sluys