Exploring Celibacy
I have been having sex since I was 14 years old. As you read this, please understand two things about that: 1. That is not something I am flexing about. 2. That is something I no longer live in shame about either.
It is just a fact. And like most facts, mine come with a story. The story goes like this: It was never my idea to begin having sex so early. But, I had a boyfriend at the time who was older than me. He wanted to have sex. I wanted to please him.
The rest was history.
I've been trying to find the words to describe what the last 11 years have been like for me. Outside of therapy, I never took the time to process the years of recurring trauma and how it impacted me. I guess you can say that I am unpacking it here with you. If you're still reading this, then I should be transparent and let you know that the last 11 years has left me with I've experienced:
- Countless heartbreaks.
- A couple trips to the clinic because chlamydia is real, and not being safe sexually is real too.
- 2 pregnancies followed by 2 abortions 2 years apart.
- Being treated like a sex object.
- Being summed up by my sexual ability.
- My discernment just not being used.
Still reading? Alright, let's keep going.
Back in May of this year, I started therapy again. What brought me back in there was a combination of things, namely the emotionally draining interactions I was having with men and how I was worried that I would break. If you know me, you know that I am an advocate for mental health and I know myself well enough to know when things ain't right. May was a crazy ass month in itself, but I knew something was going to happen. And lo and behold, I missed a period and I was pregnant for the second time.
Then it was like a domino effect of inconvenient shit happening, a lot of poor decisions on my behalf.
After deciding to terminate this pregnancy as well, I found myself back in my therapist's office, processing things. The beginning of the summer was difficult on ALL levels, but a source of my unhappiness was definitely my choices in men. While I won't place all blame on them, always remember that you have the power to choose.
And I kept choosing wrong. I noticed a pattern. While every guy I've been with was NOT emotionally draining or toxic, I particularly found myself attached to the guys who were emotionally unavailable. Or the guys who only liked fucking me, but never wanted to BE with me. It was crazy, because how could me, Ms. #WriteYourselfALoveLetterChallenge be so.... adamant in not loving myself? In choosing wrong? For a while, I felt fraudulent as fuck, because:
I was choosing chaos over the peace that I rightfully deserved.
It was as if self-sabotage was my middle name. I couldn't take it anymore.
I needed a reset. I wanted to reset my mind, my body, and most importantly my spirit. Because whether it was self-inflicted or not, how sane would you be if you kept experiencing recurring trauma?
It was per my therapist's recommendation that I "be still" and not date. At first I was resistant to it, because I ALWAYS had someone to talk to. Go out on dates with. Have different forms of intimacy with. And yes, have sex with. So when she recommended it, at first I was like
Like girl what do you even mean?! For 11 years, damn near my WHOLE identity was wrapped up into who I was dating, and now I gotta be by myself?????? I stared at her for what seemed like an eternity, and agreed.
It was me who decided to take it a step further and be celibate.
While the words celibate and abstinence are used interchangeably, my definition of celibacy is when you intentionally decide not to engage in sexual acts with other people.
A special note to add is that celibacy is NOT when you simply don't have someone to have sex with. Celibacy is more deliberate and intentional. Not a lil dry spell.
The interesting thing about all of this is that I'm not even a person who has a "high" sex drive (whatever that means to you), but I can seriously go for months at a time without it. In fact the longest I've been without sex was this one time for 9 months in high school.
In fact, a lot of guys I've been sexual with always complained that I never wanted to have sex as frequently as they would like. There's reasons behind that.
What's interesting to me, is that many religious people would say that me enduring all this shit is probably my "punishment" for engaging in sex so early. I'm not sure about all that, but I will say that I've learned from every decision I've ever made.
Anyway, another reason I am choosing to intentionally pursue celibacy is because I wanna snatch my power back. As I said earlier, I ain't NEVER not had someone. I may not be big on sex but I am big on intimacy and companionship. And while I'll always be big on intimacy and companionship, I am curious to know who I am and learn what I can accomplish when the focus is 100% on me.
Ask yourself, who are you when you remove distractions and pour energy into yourself? Get to know that person. Get to know them well.
Many are curious about how I am able to survive, and with 2 months in, I can say so far so good. This is partly due to me:
- Not having a high sex drive in the first place
- Intentionally setting boundaries, cutting off, or simply blocking ALL the guys I was dealing with. When it ain't no prospects, it makes things a lot easier, lol. And at this point, if you got a crush on me... just keep it to yourself lol.
I've even become vocal with guys I meet at social functions who seem interested in getting to know me further: I am single and celibate and I won't be changing that any time soon. That usually keeps them away lol. But I don't mind.
The part that has been hard for me thus far, is definitely the lack of companionship and intimacy. I've had a lot of lonely days and nights (which I'm sure I'll have more of) but this piece of mind is wayyyyy better than the bullshit I USED to be on.
I look at celibacy in a positive way. It's not that I can't get laid. The problem is, I nor majority of the men I chose to lay with valued me...like ALL of me.
While the decisions that led me to be celibate for at minimum of a year was dramatic, I do believe that things had to happen in the way that they did for me to get it. I also knew I had some areas in my life where I wanted to have more discipline. When I put my mind to it, I can be pretty impulsive and I knew I had to control my impulses in order to clear my mind.
Keep in mind, I don't think sex is bad, it's just that for me, sex was a distraction. Sex was a crutch. I was using sex as a tool to get some niggas to like me. Sex gotta go. At least for right now.
I think denying yourself of that instant gratification you get from busting a nut clears up a lot of things for you emotionally and mentally.
Now that I am intentionally taking a year long hiatus, I am amazed at the things I've accomplished and the clarity I've gained in these short 8 weeks. I'm excited about my growth a year from now.
What's funny is that ever since I've declared my celibacy, things instantly started changing around me. First off, I never knew there were so many rules surrounding celibacy. Just because I am celibate doesn't mean that:
- I don't think about sex, because I definitely still do. In fact, I had a flashback the other day that made me wanna -- nevermind!
- My celibacy exploration is me trying to convince YOU to be celibate too. Have enough sex for the both of us if you can, we ain't all gotta be dry out here like me lol I just hope that you are being safe, intentional, and laying with someone who cares about you.
- I'm not gone masturbate when and if I please, because I am. I personally believe that bringing myself to orgasm is one of the most powerful things I've ever done AND it stops me from making terrible decisions, which is the reason why I'm here in the first place lol.
In true Kia fashion, I like to go on journeys in my own special way.
Understand this: just because I am single and celibate now does not that I don't want that romantic love, because I definitely do. But this time around it HAS to be healthy. I want a love where I don't have endure suffering first, and those desires start with me. Searching for those things through sex ain't it and hopping from person to person ain't it either it. Remember ya'll, I don't think sex is bad I am just in a space where I have to be more discerning and careful with it. Plus, piece of mind and clarity are better, right?
As much time and energy I've spent these last 11 years pleasing others, it's time to pour that into me. And while I don't expect this journey to be easy, I do know that it will be worth it.
Send me some good luck and good vibes as I try this thang out!
Love,
Kia
Here's some questions I posed to my Instagram followers a couple days ago. Feel free to answer in the comments below:
- Have you ever been celibate?
- If you are currently celibate, what influenced you to do it?
- What's the longest you've been without sex?
- If you've never been celibate, what's stopping you?
- Do you think there is a difference between being celibate and just not having someone to have sex with?
- What have you learned about yourself in your time of celibacy?
- What advice would you give someone who is currently practicing or thinking about practicing celibacy?