My Weekend Crush: Flexines (our Fans!)

"Global internet access" by Notions Capital
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This time around you all get the honor! Without our readers, friends, and stretch/pole jam buddies Flexines would not be possible. Thank you to the founding members (that's a fun story, keep a look out for a post later), all the bloggers that have been a part of Flexines, and the friends and family that support us all.

I never cease to be amazed at how Flexines has been able to connect us all to each other. I have met so many inspiring people--and there furry family members too! I have gotten the chance to connect with some awesome pole blogs out there, including KiKi's Pole Blog, A Man Who Pole Dances, Flying Spinner (I am sure I am forgetting at least a few blogs too). 

Every time I get to virtually meet a new pole dancer it is just as new and amazing as the first time I connected   chat on StudioVeena. (I am so sad to see that go; they still have their awesome forum though :D) Last chat calipolepixie was motivating Divine with these awesome checklists. Cali makes herself--and sometimes friends--useful monthly checklists with reasonable goals. During another chat KiKi described how much a photo log has helped her progress. It goes to show that someone far enough away to be in a different time zone can jog your mind and give you new ideas. We keep each other in check by being accountable to show up and meet, but still have flexibility (no pun intended!) to miss a few days.

It is so neat to log on and see our views, Twitter followers, and Facebook likes. Hello world, we see you seeing us! And we love you, too! Thank you for your support--it's what keeps us going and challenges us to improve.

My Weekend Crush: Sheena LaShay

Photo (c) Glen Graham Photography

Do you live an authentic life?

 If you're Sheena, you can say yes, emphatically.

I first loved Sheena as the glue that holds the Pole Dancing Bloggers group together, along with the lovely Valentina. (Like so much pole awesomeness, I found out about this pole group from KiKi's Pole Blog.) If you aren't familiar with the Pole Dancing Bloggers group we do monthly themed posts and link up; it's a great way for the pole world to get more of what we love--to feed our pole addiction! (What else?) To have the kind of initiative and dedication it takes to keep the pole-blogiverse going, well, that's something special. So special it got me curious: who is this Sheena Lashay anyways?

Guys if you haven't clicked on over already, check her out. Unafraid to be sexy , unique, or to have her voice be heard, Sheena is a pole activist and more. She describes her two sirens and reminds us to be ourselves in a society that tells us to be everyone else. It is a message that is particularly important to us as pole dancers since we constantly find ourselves up against families and workplaces that say being a pole dancer is dirty. Sometimes we find ourselves stepping into a mold where we close off our sensuality to maintain that pole is athletic and artistic. Am I honest with myself when I write the "hello boys" trick off as "just not my thing," for example? I don't yet have an answer for myself in my internal dialogue.

Photo (c) Glen Graham Photography

Some of you may know this about me: my life experience includes sexual abuse and violence. I spent too many years trying to cover up for my mom so when I find someone who openly gives her views on sexual abuse I am glad. I am glad to hear the stories that make some people look away. We need to hear these conversations in our communities or how will we ever get past it and make a difference? We need to still be true to the sexy side. Sheena's right, being open with sensuality and changing what we think and say about it can help us take the "wrong" out of sexy. We can do this in our pole communities and our families and maybe then all of us that are not sure about our sexy side can figure out if and why we are shying away from it.

Sheena talks about having people in her life who can know the different sides of herself. I challenge you to think about the different sides of your own self and how to set them free. As pole dancers, we already have the unique advantage of a largely open-minded community to be parts of ourselves some of us can't be at work or maybe in our neighborhoods. Free your mind to who you are and live that authentic life.

Photo (c) Glen Graham Photography