The Second Circle – Details, episodes & analysis

She’s spent the last six months talking to people about the low points in their sex lives. Now, heavily pregnant, Franki’s struggling to find the spark herself. Could listening to audio porn be the solution? She grabs her headphones to find out.

The Second Circle is produced, written, and hosted by Franki Cookney
Audio production: Anouszka Tate

Theme music: Roof - Big Spoon (Instrumental Version)
Incidental music: _91Nova - Moiety, Maybe - The Universe is a Bitch, _91Nova - Shell Games
All music courtesy of epidemicsound.com

Audio porn clips:
“Don’t Be Late” written and read by Euphemise This
“Free Use Secretary” written and read by Girl On The Net
“E-stim” written and read by Jenby Doll
“Sat On His Face” written by David of The Big Gay Review and read by Luke
All audioporn courtesy of girlonthenet.com

Transcript: https://bit.ly/badsexbonus

Support the Show.

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

Whether it’s with our friends or, more crucially, with our partners, sex IS something we need to be able to communicate about if we want it to be good. But it’s so hard! Why? Because for all the other messages we get around sex, all the things we’re taught or that we glean from our culture or the media… no one tells us how to talk about it.

The Second Circle is produced, written, hosted by Franki Cookney
Audio production: Anouszka Tate
 
Title track: Roof - Big Spoon (Instrumental Version)
Background music: _91Nova - Moiety / From Now On - Small Circuits / Lasae Lyx - Suffering In Paradise / Blaeker - Stay Up All Night

All music courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

Transcript: https://bit.ly/badsexE06

Support the show (https://ko-fi.com/frankicookney) 

Support the Show.

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

Welcome to The Second Circle. A sex podcast for overthinkers.

In episode seven, Franki talks to sex educator Ruby Stevenson about why wanking gets a bad rap and whether masturbation it could ever be considered as important as partnered sex. In The Overthinkers Guide To Sex we hear how a disappointing sexual encounter turned out to have unexpected benefits for Rory.

To enter the competition to win a Womanizer Premium please tweet us @The2ndCircle or email us secondcirclepodcast@gmail.com and tell us what wanking advice you’d give your younger self.

In discussing Rory’s pigeon story, we talk about the rates of erectile dysfunction among young men. We also point out that almost half of men in their 30s report having trouble getting hard at times (and that this is NOT the same as erectile dysfunction) and that this can be for a number of reasons, as outlined here.

The Second Circle is a sex and gender politics podcast produced and hosted by journalist Franki Cookney. It seeks to bring some (okay, a LOT) of the nuance back into discussions of sex, relationships, and gender and challenges the idea that sex doesn’t deserve the same thought and attention that we give to the rest of our lives.

Series 3 of The Second Circle is supported by That’s The Spot.

Get in touch on Twitter @The2ndCircle or email us secondcirclepodcast@gmail.com.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please visit the Patreon page to find out more about how you can support sex-positive content AND get rewarded for your loyalty! Or if you just want to low-key share the love, why not buy me a coffee?

Support the Show.

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

Welcome to The Second Circle. A sex podcast for overthinkers.

On this episode Franki talks to sex and libido blogger Laura about her experiences with low sex drive. In The Overthinkers Guide To Sex we hear from disabled sex writer Finn about how a period of singleness taught them more about what they want from sex and relationships than being coupled up.

We also reference Franki’s article on whether the pressure to be “sex positive” can sometimes have negative effects. We shout out Esther Perel’s podcast episode on “sexlessness” as well as her writing on sexual desire in long term relationships. We also recommend The Apple Tree in London for all your queer and alternative lifestyle events.

The Second Circle is a sex and gender politics podcast produced and hosted by journalist Franki Cookney. It seeks to bring some (okay, a LOT) of the nuance back into discussions of sex, relationships, and gender and challenges the idea that sex doesn’t deserve the same thought and attention that we give to the rest of our lives.

Series 3 of The Second Circle is supported by That’s The Spot.

Get in touch on Twitter @The2ndCircle or email us secondcirclepodcast@gmail.com.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please visit the Patreon page to find out more about how you can support sex-positive content AND get rewarded for your loyalty! Or if you just want to low-key share the love, why not buy me a coffee?

Support the Show.

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

Welcome to The Second Circle. A sex podcast for overthinkers.

Franki talks to sex worker and co-curator of Objects of Desire Rory about having sex for money and what kinds of stories get left out of conversations about sex work. In The Overthinkers Guide To Sex, we hear how a university hookup made Heather re-evaluate her approach to kink.

We also discuss the ways sex work gets talked about in the mainstream media. We talk about Amnesty International’s policy on protecting sex worker rights and the backlash it faced as a result. We touch on the damage done by SESTA-FOSTA, mention the Decrim Now movement and recommend the book Revolting Prostitutes as a starting point for anyone interested in the subject of sex work and decriminalisation.

Objects of Desire runs at the Schwules Museum in Berlin until 01 June 2019.

The Second Circle is a sex and gender politics podcast produced and hosted by journalist Franki Cookney. It seeks to bring some (okay, a LOT) of the nuance back into discussions of sex, relationships, and gender and challenges the idea that sex doesn’t deserve the same thought and attention that we give to the rest of our lives.

Series 3 of The Second Circle is supported by That’s The Spot.

Get in touch on Twitter @The2ndCircle or email us secondcirclepodcast@gmail.com.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please visit the Patreon page to find out more about how you can support sex-positive content AND get rewarded for your loyalty! Or if you just want to low-key share the love, why not buy me a coffee?

Support the Show.

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

Welcome to The Second Circle. A sex podcast for overthinkers.

On this episode Franki talks to writer Sangeeta Pillai about the stigma and stereotypes around sex when you’re a South Asian woman. Sangeeta is the founder of Soul Sutras and creator of The Masala Monologues as well as the forthcoming Masala Podcast. In The Overthinkers Guide To Sex we hear from sex blogger Exhibit A about how an sexy encounter with a Canadian couple allowed him to tap into previously unrealised desires.

We also discuss the ways in which South Asian sexuality gets represented in the mainstream media (spoiler: it doesn’t!) and how, while reporting on human rights issues in other parts of the world is important, it’s also really crucial we hear the individual stories as well.

The Second Circle is a sex and gender politics podcast produced and hosted by journalist Franki Cookney. It seeks to bring some (okay, a LOT) of the nuance back into discussions of sex, relationships, and gender and challenges the idea that sex doesn’t deserve the same thought and attention that we give to the rest of our lives.

Series 3 of The Second Circle is supported by That’s The Spot.

Get in touch on Twitter @The2ndCircle or email us secondcirclepodcast@gmail.com.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please visit the Patreon page to find out more about how you can support sex-positive content AND get rewarded for your loyalty! Or if you just want to low-key share the love, why not buy me a coffee?

Support the Show.

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

Welcome to The Second Circle. A sex podcast for overthinkers.

On this episode Franki talks to trans activist and all-round kinkster Alyssa Henley about her experiences with sex and gender identity. And in The Overthinkers Guide To Sex, we hear how alcohol shaped Africa Brooke‘s relationship with sex and how she went about relearning how to connect with her body now that she’s sober. Download on your favourite podcast app now.

Alyssa is the CEO of LGBTQ charity Support U in Reading.

In discussing Africa’s story, we mention a study by University College London which found that the proportion of 16 to 24-year-olds who do not drink alcohol has increased. But we also point this this recent Atlantic article that said that actually not that many people have quit altogether.

The Second Circle is a sex and gender politics podcast produced and hosted by journalist Franki Cookney. It seeks to bring some (okay, a LOT) of the nuance back into discussions of sex, relationships, and gender and challenges the idea that sex doesn’t deserve the same thought and attention that we give to the rest of our lives.

Series 3 of The Second Circle is supported by That’s The Spot.

Get in touch on Twitter @The2ndCircle or email us secondcirclepodcast@gmail.com.

If you’re enjoying the podcast, please visit the Patreon page to find out more about how you can support sex-positive content AND get rewarded for your loyalty! Or if you just want to low-key share the love, why not buy me a coffee?

Support the Show.

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

October was a depressing month for sex news but we managed to dig out a few rays of hope in the form of a new type of condom. We discuss the consultation on the Gender Recognition Act, dodgy biscuits and the appointment of Brett Kavanagh to the US Supreme Court. Then Franki sits down with porn performer Lina Bembe to talk about the ethics of porn (both producers and viewers!) and also how the heck you have an orgasm “by accident”.

LINKS

This RightsInfo feature has a good breakdown of the legal rights being discussed and fought for in the debate around the Gender Recognition Act.

You can find out all about the self-lubricating condom here (although you’ll have to wait for Franki’s thrust report!)

Lina recommended us some fantastic ethical porn sites. If you’re interested you can check them out here:

Bright Desire

Erika Lust

Blue Artichoke Films

Pink Label

We also talked about Four Chambers and not forgetting Ersties themselves! You can hear Lina and her colleagues on the Ersties Podcast here.

The Second Circle is a sex and gender politics podcast hosted by Franki Cookney. Get in touch @The2ndCircle or via our contact page. If you enjoyed the show today and want to low-key share the love, why not buy me a coffee?

Support the Show.

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

There’s a lot of vagina news this week including a discussion about summer vaginas… so we ask what a summer penis might look like. Franki interviewed sex and relationships therapist Dr Lori Beth Bisbey about how sexuality develops and changes throughout our lives and Rob has a lot of thoughts about that. Plus, we have a look at a question about polyamory and have a go at unpicking it ourselves.

LINKS

This Teen Vogue piece about “summer vaginas” has come in for a lot of flak, not least from a canadian gynaecologist who has debunked its claims.

The Mail Online says this woman is calling for designer vaginas to be available on the NHS but she’s not actually talking about aesthetics at all, she’s talking about curing incontinence and boosting sexual pleasure for women which seems pretty worthwhile.

This week Rob stole an Everyday Sex question from The Guardian’s sex column. It was about polyamory and monogamy.

The Second Circle is a sex and gender politics podcast hosted by Franki Cookney. Get in touch @The2ndCircle or via our contact page. If you enjoyed the show today, why not buy me a coffee?

Support the Show.

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

I don’t write smut, I don’t share sexy pictures, I don’t wear slutty outfits. So am I sexy enough? Things get up close and personal in the first of The Second Circle’s Solo Sessions as Franki goes it alone in order to ponder a question that’s been on her mind. This episode looks at how it feels when everyone around you seems to be having more adventurous sex than you and why we need to shake the idea that there’s such a thing as the “right” way to be sexy.

LINKS

You can read Clarisse Thorn’s essay I’m Not Your Sex-Crazy Nympho Dreamgirl here.

If you like tackling subjects like this in fine detail, you should definitely check out Meg-John Barker and Justin Hancock’s podcasts here. Their book, Enjoy Sex, is available here.

The Second Circle is a sex and gender politics podcast hosted by Franki Cookney. Get in touch @The2ndCircle or via our contact page. If you enjoyed the show today, why not buy me a coffee?

Support the Show.

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