About SheSays Amsterdam
SheSays is an award-winning organization running free mentorship and events for women and non-binary people in the creative industry. They want to see more women and non-binary people at the top.
SheSays believes if they use our collective voices, permanent change in gender leadership is within reach.
What they do:
- Run monthly events in cities around the world – like this event
- Facilitate a free mentorship scheme called ‘who’s your momma?’ in selected cities
- Drive key global events throughout the year (awards, screenings, meetups and conferences)
- Co-create activism for gender parity with members
FROM HUSHED TO HEARD: Breaking Taboos About Our Sexuality
She Says Amsterdam hosts a shame-busting sexuality evening called FROM HUSHED TO HEARD: Breaking Taboos About Our Sexuality” with four erotic craftspeople – including Jennifer.
Shame dies when stories are told in safe spaces. That is our goal for this evening. Our individual (or collective) self exploration should bring joy, freedom, confidence and power regardless of where you are on the spectrum of tame to kinky.
From SheSays Amsterdam:
SheSays AMS invites you to an evening dedicated to exploring the boundless future of female sexuality. Join us as we venture beyond the confines of societal norms and embrace the liberating power of our own desires – from taboo delights of kink without shame, to sextech secrets and women-friendly porn. What better time to embark on this journey than in Masturbation May?
Leading women from our creative community share their personal odysseys of sexual discovery: Jennifer Lyon Bell (Blue Artichoke Films), Jessica van der Berg (Human.Nature), Sarah Massey (FreeQ/Massey Media) and Jessica Stahl (VanillaCoolDance) discuss how we can continue to drive progress in people’s perceptions of sexuality today and tomorrow.
Speakers at From Hushed To Heard
About Jessica van der Berg
Professionally, personally and proudly NSFW | Pleasure champion | Unrelenting hedonist. Jess is a recent graduate of Sextech School and one of the organisers of Porn Film Festival Amsterdam. From 9-5 she’s a copywriter at Human.Nature and from 5-9, she focuses on sex and intimacy based projects with After Dark. Jess is a fierce advocate for the right to self-centred exploration as an expression of autonomy and intention. She’s driven to curate and contribute to safe spaces that dismantle shame, one story at a time.
About Sarah Massey
Sarah Massey is a performance artist, author, and serial entrepreneur on a mission to spread queer joy. With her online events platform, freeQ, and her BDSM novel, Goddess Gold: A Domme’s First Love, Sarah Massey reaches new audiences with the message that the world is a better place when you express your authentic self and have fun doing it!
As a leader in community organizing, BDSM, and sexuality, Sarah Massey has hosted hundreds of kinky events and workshops. Her new project, Amsterdomme.com, brings the art of feminine domination out of the dungeon and into the penthouse. You too can have the confidence of a Goddess and attract all your desires.
About Jessica Stahl
Jessica, a taboo-breaking creative director and cartoonist, thrives on shattering societal norms with humour and authenticity. She is the founder of Vanillacooldance, a vibrant community of over 60,000. Through bold cartoons about sexuality, relationships, and the body, she sparks global conversations and creates a safe space to embrace your shameless self.
As a freelancer she weaves social missions into culturally relevant campaigns for maximum impact. Cannes Lions selected her as one of 19 global female creative leaders for their 2024 See It Be It program. With viral street art, empowering workshops, and brand collaborations she further amplifies her message.
About Jennifer Lyon Bell
Jennifer is an award-winning international erotic filmmaker who embraces realism, awkwardness, and intimacy in her feminist ethical porn movies. The founder of Blue Artichoke Films in Amsterdam, her work bridges the divide between adult and art film. She evangelizes for thoughtful and creative sexual representation in media, teaching about sex scenes at the Nederlandse Filmacademie, Raindance, Harvard, SXSW, and TedXYouth. She provides sexuality consulting for brands and TV/film, and became an intimacy coordinator to insure the comfort and safety of actors. She teaches her self-empowering workshop “From Fantasy To Film: Design Your Own Erotic Film” worldwide. www.blueartichokefilms.com
Organizers of SheSays Amsterdam
About Lisa Hogg (moderator)
Lisa Hogg is a bravery advocate and both the founder of BRAVE Amsterdam and the Bad Ass Beautiful Brave podcast. As a natural innovator she aims to bring bravery to people and businesses when it’s required most. An impactful motivator and speaker who is driven by making businesses of tomorrow not only successful, but impactful and brave.
About Nicolette Lazarus (facilitator)
With over 30 years in the creative industries, Nicolette founded Womanship to reduce stress and enhance well-being for women. This marketplace will connect women with wellness professionals, in a safe anonymous community to share concerns and access services. It also supports professionals by enhancing business efficiency and generating leads through shared events and content. Her goal is for Womanship to become a global hub for women and wellness experts to “Share More, Worry Less” and thrive together.
All genders and orientations welcome to attend! The stage belongs to those who identify as women, non-binary, agender, and gender non-conforming.