The Female Condition
That's when I really realized that if i wanted to take a position in the world where my life's mission was to empower women that I was really going to have to face an up hill battle. When I realized that, I began to build the strength to be able to do this.
Taking the title of Feminist and wearing it like a crown, Jazmine Duke, the founder of the blog The Female Condition, is fighting to bring normalcy to a topic some would see as taboo. To quote the infamous Madonna, "lets talk about sex." Well more specifically women and they're sexual health.
Jazmine's unapologetic and insanely honest look into female sexuality make her articles entertaining but also knowledgeable. And lets be honest you would much rather read article about what will make your vagina happy then a clinical one that will have your mind spinning in circles.
If you're not intrigued yet just wait because it's coming. We had the chance to speak with Jazmine about TheFemaleCondition.com, aka FemCon, and this is what she had to say.
WHAT BROUGHT ABOUT THE FEMALE CONDITION?
So after my 30th birthday I really got serious about this and thought you know what I'm gonna start a media company and I'm gonna go in 100% not just on female empowerment but female sexual empowerment. And that's really how I got to The Female Condition. I very firmly believe that women need to be sexually empowered and not just in health care, not just in period product options, but also a community of women and people where we can say the word vagina in public without having everyone lose their f*cking minds. And beyond that orgasms are great, why aren't women having more of them?
WHEN DID YOU FIRST START TO TAKE ON THE TITLE OF FEMINIST?
First of all I've had a very deep feeling about women being empowered for a very long time. And I was actually raised, shockingly, by a single black father. I had a very empowerment based up bringing. He really raised me like I was a man and had the entitlement and opportunities of a man. Which I think benefited me and allowed me to acknowledge how many positions in the world where women are actually secondary or has to fight hard to get the same things a man would.
WHAT ARE SOME MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT BEING A FEMINIST?
First thing we don't hate men. I actually love men and I'm a heterosexual female. I'm very close with my father. I actually talked with him this morning. I date men and in the context of dating men I'm not dominant I'm very much a submissive partner. But people assume because I am dominant, I am dominant sexually and I'm not- I am submissive on a sexual level. People automatically think that because I'm a feminist I hate men, or I want to do bad things to them but that's not me at all.
The other thing I get a lot of lately, especially as a Black woman is that I have this anti establishment vendetta. That what I'm trying to do is tear down the government, and that I'm an anarchist. Which is not true.
IF YOU COULD GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF SOME ADVISE WHAT WOULD IT BE?
I would probably tell myself to worry less about other people. (laughing) I think I spent a lot of my life looking for acceptance and approval and it hasn't done me any good. To be really honest I've lost friends. I've gotten pretty critically judged by my family for this I mean I've really taken a hit to step out and say the things I believe in. But every step I lose a friend, I gain friends and when I have people shunning me I will also have people that reach out and say thank you for saying this.
YOU ARE A STRONG AND SEXUALLY EMPOWERED WOMAN. WHAT ARE YOUR HOPES FOR THE FUTURE IN WHEN IT COMES TO THESE TOPICS?
To be specific, I would love to normalize the word "vagina." (laughing) It's a travesty that we can't say the word vagina in places without people losing their minds. I physically have a vagina so why we can't talk about it like we would a penis or an arm or any other body part just seems ridiculous. And also too, vaginas aren't just used for sexual pleasure. (laughing) Vagina's are a human body part that have their own functions. And further, bigger, broader I would love to see a world that is more supportive of women. But also a place where women are their own sexual beings that have nothing to do with a partner. And where women can be beautiful, sexy, and run businesses.
To learn more about The Female Condition stop by their blog and Instagram page. If you want to see what other juice topics Jazmine and I talked about take at our video below, "Sh*t No One Tells You About Being A Girl Boss."