This week we return to our latest series, the (Not So) Secret Lives of Our Sex Educators! One of the things that we feel makes Lotus Blooms really special is that we have a staff of educators who also do a wide variety of other sex-positive work outside the store. When you come into the store, no matter who’s working there that day, you’re getting the benefit of someone for whom this isn’t just a job but rather a calling. With this series, we wanted to share some of their perspectives and insights, to give you an inside look at the wide range of sex-positive work they do, and to find out how it affects their work at Lotus Blooms!
Our blog this week highlights Alyssa Seidorf, one of our managers, who creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere whether through beautiful displays and windows or through her exceptional product knowledge and put-you-at-ease demeanor. She also curates most of the highly shareable content on our social media channels.
What’s your favorite part of working at Lotus Blooms?
I love creating a warm and welcoming space. Our mission as a sex-positive and body-positive boutique is to provide our community an inclusive safe space to practice self-care, explore what brings them pleasure, and seek out resources to heal. My favorite part of being on the Lotus Blooms team is helping people feel comfortable enough to find what they are looking for. From decorating the window and other displays, helping a customer try on lingerie that they feel fantastic in, or assisting a couple in finding the tools and resources to bring a fantasy to life; I feel honored to help create a space on King St. for people to feel safe enough to be vulnerable, excited, and curious.
What made you want to work in sex ed?
I think bodies are amazing! I firmly believe that the more we know how our bodies work, the more confidently we can advocate and make decisions for ourselves that make us feel good. This passion was sparked in high school when my sex ed teacher invited me to serve as the student representative on my School Board’s Family Life Education Advisory Committee. Thanks to that I experience, I dove head first into feminist activism in college, which included advocating for sex positivity, body positivity, and reproductive rights. I feel super lucky to have had these experiences that shaped my journey into work as a community organizer, educator, and doula!
Before LB– What did you think you’d be doing/where you’d be working?
I landed my dream job out of college working as an organizer at a national nonprofit on feminist issues and reproductive rights. The funny things about dream jobs is that the reality of them isn’t always the best fit. I loved the work, but I quickly learned that the environment wasn’t sustainable for me. I need to connect with others on a more personal level. It was around this time that I learned what a doula was and started my training to support families. I started working at Lotus Blooms to help bridge the transition into full-spectrum doula work – little did I know that my role as a sex educator would be exactly what I was looking for and become one of my very favorite hats to wear. I’ve definitely found my home at Lotus Blooms.
What do you do outside of Lotus Blooms?
My professional life consists of part-time sex educator, part-time full-spectrum doula, full-time enthusiast for helping people feel empowered and confident in their own skin and role as new parents. When I’m not at the store, I support families while they navigate pregnancy, abortion, labor, and the postpartum period. Doulas provide educational, emotional, and physical support to their clients. Now don’t get me wrong, I think all bodies are amazing, but I’m in total awe of what it takes to literally grow and raise other humans. From childbirth education resources, to comfort techniques, to feeding and sleep support; I help my clients figure out what makes the most sense for their body, baby, and family. Parenthood is raw, vulnerable, brave, and one of the biggest transitions a person can go through. It is an honor to help in any way I can.
How does it connect to your work at Lotus Blooms?
To me, the work I do with new and expecting parents is so similar to the work I do with customers in the store. Both consist of normalizing frank conversations about the body, helping people understand how their body works, and creating an environment that feels safe enough to be vulnerable. That means a space that’s free of judgement, with help navigating resources, validating experiences and concerns, reminding them that there is no “right way” do any of this… the list goes on and on! We are talking about the same body parts, the same hormones, and the same isolating, sex-negative culture that has left many of us unsupported, scared, and unsure of ourselves. No matter what hat I’m wearing, my goal is to help others feel comfortable, heard, and celebrated in their body.
What’s the best part your work inside or outside the store?
Team support. My coworkers are some of my best friends. There are seriously some amazing humans here!
Thanks to Alyssa for giving us a look inside your life and work! Over the next several weeks, look for more posts like this one about the places our educators’ work takes us outside the doors of Lotus Blooms, and what it brings to the guidance and help we offer you inside them. Check out our other staff posts about Hancie and Lauren.
