Sextember at Macquarie

Sextember is Macquarie's annual sex-positive festival that embraces and educates our community on safe, healthy and respectful relationships with themselves and others.

This Sextember we’re focused on healthy communication between (YOU)us with:

  • Drag Trivia and Lip-syncing at Ubar
  • Sex and relationship education with NORMAL, our partners in pleasure and sexual wellness
  • On campus sexual health clinic: Get tested at the MQ Health GP Clinic, it’s quick, easy, and confidential.
  • Information about STIs, find out more from Family Planning

And much more! See the full program and registration details below.

Sextember is a safe space to learn about all kinds of relationships, consent, and sexual health and wellness. It is open to all people even if you aren't practicing sex.

Sextember schedule

Tuesday 3 September

Wednesday 4 September

Thursday 5 September

11:00am to 12:00pm

Social Event

Speed Friendship: Focus on Communication and Consent

Function Room below Ubar

10:30am to 12:45pm

Workshop

Full Stop: Responding with Compassion

Function Room below Ubar

10:30am to 1:30pm

Workshop

Full Stop: Ethical Bystander

Function Room below Ubar

1:00pm to 2:00pm

Speaker Series

Relationships and Private Stuff

Liz Dore

Function Room below Ubar

12:00pm to 2:00pm

Social Event

Pinot and Picasso: "Empowerment" Barbie

Jannawi Pavilion - Walanga Muru

11:00am to 12:00pm

Speaker Series

Sextortion

NSW Police

17WW, Function Rooms 330     and 331

2:00pm to 3:00pm

Get Active

Zumba

Poolside Studio, Macquarie University Sports and Aquatic Centre

2:00pm to 3:00pm

Get Active

Zumba

Poolside Studio, Macquarie University Sports and Aquatic Centre

12:00pm to 1:00pm

Workshop

Bi-Plus Event

17WW, Function Rooms 330 and 331

5:30pm to 7:30pm

Social Event

Drag Trivia at Ubar

Ubar

 

1:00pm to 2:00pm

Workshop

Sexual Wellness Workshop

Georgia Grace

17WW, Function Rooms 330 and 331

  

2:00pm to 3:00pm

Workshop

Erotic Writing Class

Georgia Grace

17WW, Function Rooms 330 and 331

  

5:00pm to 9:00pm

Social Event

Queer Disco

Function Room below Ubar

Detailed program information

Social Event: Speed Friendship – Focus on Romantic Communication
11:00am to 12:00pm

There’s almost nothing more unsettling on a date than moments of awkward silence. If you’re getting ready to go out with someone new and want to make sure that things go as smoothly as possible, come along to Speed Friendship prepared to learn some handy romantic icebreakers to avoid those awkward silences!

Speaker Series: Liz Dore – Relationships and Private Stuff
1:00pm to 2:00pm

Liz Dore is a Relationships and Sexuality Counsellor.  She passionate about supporting people achieve their friendship, relationship, and sexuality goals.  Liz has 15 years’ experience providing dating tips, relationships information and aiming to increase people’s sexuality knowledge and awareness.

Liz believes in respecting the rights, identity, abilities, sexuality, and values of each individual. The success of a relationship is dependent on people communicating and respecting each other’s choices.

Get Active: Zumba
2:00pm to 3:00pm

Working out and feeling confident doesn't have to be a chore!  Feel sexy and have loads of fun with our free 1-hour Zumba dance class. Everyone is welcome to join in!

Workshop: Full Stop: Responding with Compassion
10:30am to 1:00pm

Full Stop Australia’s Responding with Compassion course is designed to assist anyone who may receive disclosures of trauma. The program supports individuals to form a framework to provide a compassionate and supportive response to survivors of trauma.

In this workshop, participants will:

  • Gain a deeper understanding of sexual, domestic and family violence in Australia (through statistics and key definitions)
  • Discuss the myths and realities of this violence and understand how these act as barriers for reporting
  • Identify how perpetrators use power and control
  • Understand the societal and individual impacts of sexual assault and domestic/family violence
  • Learn how to support someone who has experienced violence
  • Receive information about state-based support services and vicarious trauma

The workshop includes complex case studies that focus on developing solutions based on the needs of the person experiencing violence.

Social Event: Pinot and Picasso "Empowerment" Barbie
12:00pm to 2:00pm

Grab your favourite paint smock and head over to Pinot and Picasso Paint and Sip to create your very own "empowerment" Barbie masterpiece! Places are strictly limited to 25, so get in quick while spots last.

Get Active: Zumba
2:00pm to 3:00pm

Working out and feeling confident doesn't have to be a chore!  Feel sexy and have loads of fun with our free 1-hour Zumba dance class. Everyone is welcome to join in!

Workshop Full Stop: Ethical Bystander Workshop
10:30am to 2:00pm

We all have a role in preventing sexual, domestic and family violence and sexual harassment in the workplace. Learn to be an ethical bystander and intervene in ways that positively impact the event and its outcome.

This workshop can help individuals overcome the factors which can stop someone from ethically intervening. Participants will also learn how to engage in safe methods of intervention.

Speaker Series: Sextortion with NSW Police
11:00am to 12:00pm

NSW Police will join us on campus to teach us how to stay safe from Sextortion, an insidious form of blackmail where someone threatens to share intimate personal images of you online.

Workshop: Bi-Plus
12:00pm to 1:00pm

Ever wondered what’s up with B in LGBTQIA+? Or had a question about pansexuality that you were too afraid to ask?

Join Sydney Bi+ Network in a one-hour workshop exploring the unique experiences of bi+ people. We’ll chat about what bi+ actually means, the challenges that bi+ people face, and how you can disrupt stigma and discrimination against bi+ people. Through this workshop, you’ll learn skills that contribute to creating safe communities for bi+ people.

This workshop is open to bi+ people and allies.

Facilitated by Sydney Bi+ Network, a grassroots volunteer-run organisation dedicated to improving the wellbeing of bi+ people through community building, education, and advocacy.

Workshop: Sexual Wellness Workshop Georgia Grace
1:00pm to 2:00pm

Join sex coach, Georgia Grace, for the sex and relationship education you never got but always wanted. In a fun, safe, inclusive and open session, we'll cover the foundations of sex to support you in feeling comfortable, confident and equipped for a fulfilling sex life. Consider this sex ed 101, you'll have the opportunity to engage with new ideas, learn actually useful info, ask questions (anonymously if you wish!) and even win a few prizes from our friends and event partner NORMAL!

Areas of discussion:

  • Sexual confidence
  • Sexuality, identity and relationships
  • Anatomy, orgasm and pleasure
  • Navigating dating in different contexts
  • Sexual health
  • Consent and communication
  • Anonymous Q&A - have all you're questions answered!

Workshop: Erotic Writing Class with Georgia Grace
2:00pm to 3:00pm

Learn how to write steamy romance novels!

Step aside Fabio, ‘cos your outdated ideas of what’s sexy are in the bin, and we are here to write our own tales of lust and pleasure.

Join sex & relationship practitioner and writer, Georgia Grace, in an immersive, creative, inspiring (and often hilarious) workshop that explores sex, sensuality and a deepening awareness of pleasure. You can expect to have fun and learn about the creative process of sex while flirting with your words and stories and develop fundamental writing skills by engaging your erotic mind.

  • Introduction: getting started as an erotic writer
  • You are supported to find your own path, overcome obstacles like fear, and start writing by putting pen to paper
  • Learn creative processes and how it applies to eroticism
  • Understand eroticism, sexual themes and desires

Find out more about sexual health and wellbeing at Macquarie University.