Do we all share a communal sexual energy that’s just waiting to be activated?

My guest in this episode is Kalah Hill, and she thinks the answer is definitely yes! Kalah works with individuals and groups of people to help them to discover and channel their sexual energies. She’s all about rooting our sexual pleasures in our bodies, our spirits, our ecosystems and our histories. So she was a fascinating guest for Free Sex.

We talked about how Kalah creates play parties, the history of ‘eros’ from the Ancient Greeks, the science of music and frequencies, and sex education. It was such a deep and interesting conversation, and I’d love to know what you think about Kalah’s ideas and practices. Let me know!

A transcript of this episode is available on freesex.substack.com.

Hosted, produced and edited by Adam Zmith

Music: Translife by Othon

Artwork: photo of Borneo mealworm by @DamasterCarabus / design by Adam Zmith and Rebecka Öberg

Executive Producer: Tash Walker

An Aunt Nell Production

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can we create non-judgemental sex clubs and dancefloors?

My guest in this episode is Diana Isi, who is part of the underground queer scene in London. As a DJ, Diana helps to create precious spaces where people come together to feel good, feel sexy, to dance, to commune, to kiss and maybe more. Diana’s vision for free sex is spaces like this, which operate without judgement or labels or categories.

She told me about her own experiences on the gay male scene and how they led her into the queer underground, her process for creating music that makes people want to fuck (or snog at least!), and about the politics of creating non-judgemental club nights. It was a deep and heartfelt conversation about something that’s essential for us both, and I’m grateful to Diana for joining me in that.

A transcript of this episode is available on freesex.substack.com.

Hosted, produced and edited by Adam Zmith

Music: Translife by Othon

Artwork: photo of Borneo mealworm by @DamasterCarabus / design by Adam Zmith and Rebecka Öberg

Executive Producer: Tash Walker

An Aunt Nell Production

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if... we could suck toes without shame?

In this episode, my producer Tash turns the mic on ME to ask me about my foot kink. I’ve just published a new book called Solemates: A History of Our Fetish for Feet, so Tash has a million questions for me about how it can help us to get to a world where we can suck toes without stressing out about it.

Tash and I discuss shame, freedom, what is actually ‘sex’, and the double standard of what ‘sex’ means. I tell Tash about my own journey as a foot fetishist, and what it’s been like to talk and write so openly about this. It was weird to have the mic turned on me, but also a lot of fun.

You can Solemates from the usual places and direct from the publisher here.

A transcript of this episode is available on freesex.substack.com.

Hosted, produced and edited by Adam Zmith

Music: Translife by Othon

Artwork: photo of Borneo mealworm by @DamasterCarabus / design by Adam Zmith and Rebecka Öberg

Executive Producer: Tash Walker

An Aunt Nell Production

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode is an excerpt from my new book, Solemates: A History of Our Fetish for Feet, published by 404 Ink. You can buy the book from the usual places and direct from the publisher here.

If you sign up to my newsletter I’ll send you a PDF of the text of the first chapter as a taster, too.

The excerpt is read by me, and it’s the introduction chapter for the book. It introduces my fetish, and my deep interest in its history, as well as linking to popular culture. I’d love to hear what you think of this excerpt or the book as a whole if you get a chance to read it. Let me know!

Hosted, produced and edited by Adam Zmith

Music: Translife by Othon

Artwork: photo of Borneo mealworm by @DamasterCarabus / design by Adam Zmith and Rebecka Öberg

Executive Producer: Tash Walker

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if... we could see everyone’s intimate sexual desires?

My guest in this episode is Liam Wignall, a researcher, lecturer and writer specialising in the role of the internet in our sex lives, especially for kinky people. Liam’s got a fun idea: imagine if we all wore some X-ray specs that revealed everyone else’s sexual tastes. Liam thinks we could get to a world of free sex if only our desires were more visible.

Liam and I tested out the idea of the XXX-ray sex specs in our conversation. We explored the power of the internet, the trouble with the internet, and the enduring stigma that we all live with. Liam was a fascinating and insightful guest, with a big imagination and loads of great examples. You can also buy his book, Kink In The Digital Age, which I really recommend.

A transcript of this episode is available on freesex.substack.com.

Hosted, produced and edited by Adam Zmith

Music: Translife by Othon

Artwork: photo of Borneo mealworm by @DamasterCarabus / design by Adam Zmith and Rebecka Öberg

Executive Producer: Tash Walker

An Aunt Nell Production

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do we desire what we desire?

*This episode discusses sexual assault and an alleged case of rape*

My guest in this episode is Kitty Drake, a journalist who interviews a lot of people about the sex they have. Kitty helped me to see that we could approach a free-sex world if we’re able to give ourselves over to sex while at the same time hold space for reflecting on why we fancy it. How are our desires shaped by the politics and societies that we live in?

Kitty writes a regular column in The Guardian and recently published a fun and fascinating global sweep of peoples’ sex lives. Her work is influenced by feminist politics and deep thinkers, such as Susan Sontag and Amia Srinivasan. Let’s get thinking!

A transcript of this episode is available on freesex.substack.com.

Hosted, produced and edited by Adam Zmith

Music: Translife by Othon

Artwork: photo of Borneo mealworm by @DamasterCarabus / design by Adam Zmith and Rebecka Öberg

Executive Producer: Tash Walker

An Aunt Nell Production

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How are people with learning disabilities held back from sex?

My guest in this episode is Claire Bates who runs a network for people with learning disabilities, supporting them in sex and relationships. Through her work with Supported Loving Claire has tracked all the ways that people with disabilities are held back from the sex they want to have — whether it’s discriminatory laws or unhelpful staff in residential care homes.

I learnt a lot from this conversation with Claire, about how the world of free sex would not be reached without including those with disabilities. Claire has specific policies, practices and laws that need to change, and important ways to think about sex for all types of people.

A transcript of this episode is available on freesex.substack.com.

Hosted, produced and edited by Adam Zmith

Music: Translife by Othon

Artwork: photo of Borneo mealworm by @DamasterCarabus / design by Adam Zmith and Rebecka Öberg

Executive Producer: Tash Walker

An Aunt Nell Production

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if you could have anal sex without the shit?

My guest in this episode is Henry Blest, “the most ambitious bottom in London”. It says that on his LinkedIn profile, honestly! Henry and I talked about the realities of anal sex, from the slipperiness of the term ‘clean’ to ‘taboo tech’, which is technology that faces stigma when trying to solve our problems.

Henry is one half of a duo who have invented a device that means people wanting to have anal sex would not have to douche in order to avoid faecal matter. Along with Anna Vybornova, Henry has co-founded the company Polari Labs; he and Anna are busy attracting investment and getting their device ready for the market in 2025.

A transcript of this episode is available on freesex.substack.com.

Hosted, produced and edited by Adam Zmith

Music: Translife by Othon

Artwork: photo of Borneo mealworm by @DamasterCarabus / design by Adam Zmith and Rebecka Öberg

Executive Producer: Tash Walker

An Aunt Nell Production

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.