EDITORS NOTE: APRIL

Welcome to April! It's Aries season, which means we're starting anew as Aries is the first in the zodiac wheel. Spring is supposed to be here (although she seems to be fashionably late)... and I'm in a daydreaming kind of mood — which is important, as that part of my brain was on hibernation all winter long. I hope with this change in seasons, you too feel a sense of awakening.

This month on theGIRLMOB we're focusing on SEX. Three letters, lots of controversy. I obviously don't know how ya'll grew up, but I know that in my household that was not a word you heard ever. In fact, I didn't really start to talk about sex until I was in college. I'll never forget being in a car full of my sorority sisters, driving deeper into the upstate abyss, and one of them started to talk about her night with someone. One by one they commented, making jokes or asking personal questions. We all laughed... but I was quietly hoping no one would ask me anything as I was uncomfortable and embarrassed by the topic. Of course there was no skipping me! So when one of my sorors asked me "What about you Yari?" I got defensive and said something a long the lines of me being private. 

NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

But the truth was, I was still a virgin in a land full of horny teens who were leaving home for the first time. I had never really talked to anyone about sex, sexuality or sensuality. Till this day, I've never heard anyone in my family even make a joke about it — and I come from a family full of comedians (figuratively speaking). So navigating that world was a bit painful as I internalized a lot of it and felt like an outcast. 

I've grown out of the shell for the most part, but have a long way to go before I can easily flow into a conversation without feeling out of place. I find myself more fascinated by the sex-positive movement and the women who are building companies around sexual pleasure (just got my first vibrator last year, don't judge me). 

All I'm saying is, at whatever stage you are when it comes to your sexual/sensual exploration you enjoy that for YOU! You don't need to go at anybody else's speed, as this is a very personal (literally) experience.

I look forward to seeing what you have to say this month, as we set April on fire! Remember you can always DM us or send us a Tweet and we'll be here— ready to parlay and discuss.

Always here,

Yari B.

Peace + Love