freddy: intimacy breaks down barriers
Freddy is one of those people that makes us feel like the humankind will be okay. He has the most positive energy and lucky for us and you, he shares it with the world through his work at Highsnobiety’s flagship store in Berlin, his YouTube channel and Instagram. For him, sexual wellness isn’t something complex as such - it’s something that brings joy to life just as a nice book or a great outfit. So it’s only natural to him that sex oils and lubricants should be found in Highsnobiety’s curation of incredible lifestyle objects. We’re thankful for this conversation and Freddy - make sure to follow him here on Instagram and here on YouTube.
Hi Freddy, could you start by telling our readers a bit about yourself and what you're up to at the moment?
Hi sitre! My name’s Freddy, I am a 29 year old Libra who grew up in the states with a Danish background. I moved to Denmark to study but ended up falling in love with Berlin where I studied fashion design and currently work as a Showroom Consultant at Highsnobiety. In my free time I film vlogs for my Youtube channel and love to read (currently obsessed with Frank Herbert’s Dune).
We have connected because you work in Highsnobiety's incredible flagship store in Berlin - and we love that sitre is a part of your beautiful world. How do you feel about seeing sex wellness products standing side by side with other incredible wellness & skincare brands?
I think of living a positive life as a circle; It’s symbiotic. You read nice books, hang out with nice people, travel to nice places, wear nice fabrics, smell nice, eat well, have great sex. Everything fits together. It’s exciting to see sex wellness being offered next to local Berlin skincare brands as well as larger perfume powerhouses. The response has been really positive! Pleasure is not feared in Berlin and we love to see it.
How do you think intimacy contributes to someone's overall well-being, both mentally and physically?
It’s the age old mantra for me, if you don’t love yourself you can’t love somebody else. Intimacy breaks down barriers between people and even within ourselves. Feeling comfortable to express your intimate and vulnerable emotions really makes you more confident and makes you more yourself. Knowing yourself and being proud of being vulnerable and imperfect is really a key to well-being. I’m still on the journey so I’ll let you know how it goes 🙂.
In what way do you feel mainstream media representations of sex, pleasure and the body have impacted your own perceptions and expectations of intimate relationships?
In the world of gay men I think it’s easy for people to push perceptions of heteronormative gender roles onto our sexual relationships. The concepts of top and bottom, active and passive. The media and culture around us have really created boxes for everyone to fit in, and I feel like sex and pleasure does not fit into a binary. We are all able to embody a larger spectrum when it comes to sex and pleasure and it’s really about discovering what is pleasurable and what feels good for you as an individual.
What impact do you believe inclusive and diverse representations of bodies and identities in fashion have on individuals' perceptions of their own sexuality?
I believe we are a mirror of the types of media we consume. Representation is crucial to feel like we belong. When we feel like we are valued and free to express ourselves no matter who we are, I feel we have access to all of life’s wonderful experiences! Sexuality, sensuality, and confidence come with freedom, and I feel thankful and lucky to live in a place like Berlin where I can express myself. Unfortunately there are so many people in the world who can’t express their sexuality.
What changes would you like to see in the world of sex wellness?
I would love to see people experiment more and not be afraid or ashamed. There’s a lot of shame and guilt built into attitudes about sexuality and expressing yourself sexually. Sex should be nice and fun and can take many different forms. Spending time and energy on our skin wellness and our mental health is already a standard, and it should be the same for taking care of our sexual wellness because they are all connected.
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