Sara Blaze
Sara Blaze
Photo by When the Lights Go Out
Occupation: President and Chair of MVK Alternative Lifestyle Society
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
The Sex in My Business: MVK Alternative Lifestyle Society is the largest not-for-profit society in British Columbia and serves the alternative lifestyle community in Vancouver. Being involved in alternative lifestyles, "sex" tends to have a broad definition. We work on education around topics like safety when engaging in activities outside the norm, how to talk about and obtain consent in an ongoing fashion, and managing relationships ethically.
A Typical Day: No day is the same as the next. Overall, I spend a lot of time organizing educators and events. On a monthly basis, MVK hosts six lunches, two educational events, two skill-share events, and a monthly play party. Our annual event, Westcoast Bound, is a weekend-long hotel takeover event heading into its 11th year. As MVK’s president I find I am also often writing policies, guidelines, and official statements, and a large component of my work is in personal interactions with the community I serve and the general public.
The Best Part: The best part of my job is watching new people find what they have been missing or seeking. I watch nervous newcomers find themselves and their community, and eventually flourish and thrive. There is no reward better than that! I am also grateful this leadership role has provided the opportunity to deepen my understanding of topics I may not have sought out otherwise—in this position I learn constantly!
The Worst Part: My least favorite part is that it takes up a lot of my time and does not pay the bills. I have been in this role for ten years and at this stage of my life would like more time to work on my own projects. Additionally, a visible role like this tends to strip away your privacy. In communities built on reputations, you must be above reproach, which can be isolating.
How I Got Here: I got into this line of work by accident after I was asked to join the board by a friend. As the years passed and people moved on from MVK’s board of directors, I took on more and more responsibility to see the organization succeed.
What Society Thinks: I see social attitudes constantly shifting. Because my work focuses on education, it is mostly socially acceptable. But I still feel the need to hide my work with MVK from my day job, so all of my best accomplishments relating to Westcoast Bound and sex positivity cannot go on my resume. My family is aware of who I am and what I do, and I benefit from my close circle being aware of and/or involved in alternative sexuality communities. Because of this, I am able to raise my children in a sex-positive environment and have frank conversations about consent and sexuality.
When I’m Not At Work: Currently, I have so many passion projects it's hard to pinpoint my activities that are not considered work. I like to write, read, have sex, and sleep. There is never enough time for all of them!
For more about Sara, check out her website.
Published Sep 30, 2020
Updated Sep 16, 2022
Published in Issue VII: Art