Tuppy Owens
Tuppy Owens |
Tuppy Owens |
Born |
Cambridge, England |
Occupation |
Writer, therapist, campaigner |
Years active |
1970–present |
Tuppy Owens (born 1944) is a British sex therapist, consultant, campaigner, and writer.[1][2] Tuppy Owens was born in Cambridge. She gained a degree in zoology from Exeter University, and then worked in ecology in Africa and Trinidad[1] during three years as a scientific administrator at the Natural Environment Research Council.[3] She settled in London, where at first she continued that work. Then, in the late 1960s, she established a sex education book publishing company, for which she wrote and published The Sex Maniac’s Diary[4] successfully between 1972 and 1995, and which she operated as a thriving and attention-grabbing business from her Mayfair flat[3] — for example, the 1975 Sex Maniac's Diary was launched in August 1974 with a reception at the Bristol Hotel in London which was reported on the following day in the Financial Times.[5]
From 1974, Owens also began lecturing on the subject of sex.[6]
In 1979, Tuppy Owens started Outsiders, for people with disabilities seeking new friends and partners.
From 1984, the diary was published as The Safer Sex Maniac's Diary and provided the first visual instructions to the public on how to put a condom on securely; it also reviewed condoms and offered safer sex advice, all at the beginning of the outbreak of HIV.[7]
Also in the 1980s, Owens trained as a sex therapist at St George's Hospital Medical School in London, where she gained a diploma in Human Sexuality in 1986.[2] She was also subsequently awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the Institute of Advanced Study of Human Sexuality in San Francisco.[2] In the 1990s, after more than 30 years living in London Dr Tuppy Owens moved away and has, since then, lived in a croft in the North of Scotland.[8]
In 2005, Tuppy Owens founded the Sexual Health and Disability Alliance (SHADA)[1] to bring together health professionals interested in sex and disability. In November 2009, a conference with the title "Disability: Sex, Relationships and Pleasure" was held by SHADA with the Royal Society of Medicine.[9]
Dr Tuppy Owens remains active in running Outsiders.[10] She also runs the Night of the Senses to fund Outsiders, and is the founder and a judge for another fundraiser, The Erotic Awards.[11] She is agony aunt for INSIDE, the magazine for Outsiders members, and Foreplay. She is the chair of the Sexual Freedom Coalition[12] also runs the Sex and Disability Helpline.
Publications
Owens was author of:
- Photographs of caterpillars in Trinidad Scientific American: August 1967
- Sexual Harmony. London: Highbury Press, 1969
- Love in the Open Air. London: Cand Haven Ltd., 1970
- The Sex Maniac's Diary. London: Cand Haven Ltd., 1972-1995 (from 1987 called The Safer Sex Maniac's Diary)
- Column in Club International. London: Paul Raymond Publications, 1975–6
- Take Me I'm Yours. Edinburgh: Paul Harris Publishing, 1978
- Mothercare Diary. London: Readers Digest, 1980
- Practical Suggestions. London: Outsiders Trust, from 1980 to present
- Emotions in Focus — catalogue of the Exhibition of the same name which opened at The Round House in 1983 (International Year of Disabled People). London: the Outsiders Trust, 1983
- INSIDE. London: the Outsiders Trust, 1984–1998 and 2002–present
- The Sex Maniac's Bible. London: Cand Haven Ltd., 1989
- The Sex Maniac's Address Book. London: Cand Haven Ltd., 1989
- Little Book of Delights (annually). London: the Leydig Trust, 1989–present
- The Organ monthly. London: Cand Haven Ltd., 1990–1993
- The Making of Sensations. New York: Rhinoceros, 1993
- Introduction to Half Dressed, She Obeyed. Stockport: Divine Press, 1993
- The Politically Correct Guide to Getting Laid. London: Cand Haven Ltd., 1995
- The Sexual Skills and Needs of Disabled Men — A Female Perspective Sexuality & Disability Journal. New York: Kluwer Academic/Human Sciences Press, 1996
- Planet Sex — The Handbook. London: Cand Haven Ltd, 1996
- Disabled People Make the Best Clients presented at the ICOP Conference, Los Angeles 1997 and then globally
- A column in Desire 2000–2008
- Contributions to The Sex Book. London: Cassells, 2002
- Foreword to Baby Oil and Ice. London: The Do-Not Press, 2002
- Columns in Forum and Erotic Review, 2005–2009
- Content for the Sex and Disability section of the Lovers' Guide website 2007
- Philip's Aspidistra: the Owens' Bequest in About Larkin, Journal of the Philip Larkin Society No 24, October 2007
- Sex and Disability, an article on TheSite.org, Youthnet, 2009
- Chapters in A Guide to Sexual Dysfunction in Men. Leicestershire: Troubador Publishing Ltd., 2010
- Ten Things to Know About Sex and Disability. London: Royal College of Art and Imperial College, 2010
Owens also:
- Edited and wrote much of Consenting Adults, a free newspaper. London: Sexual Freedom Coalition, 1998–1999
- Was European correspondent of [[Screw (magazine)|Screw magazine. Milky Way Productions, New York 1982–92
- Co-authored (with Linda Lewis) eight sets of Guidelines for Implementing a Policy on "Sexuality and Relationships for Disabled Adults" aimed at colleges; residential homes; nurses, social workers, case workers, occupational therapists and physiotherapists; disability agencies; consultants; GPs; spinal and other rehabilitation units. SHADA on www.shada.org.uk 2009
- Co-authored (with Linda Lewis) a policy on the Use of Sex Workers. SHADA on www.shada.org.uk 2009
- Serves as Agony Aunt for Foreplay magazine, 2010 to present.
References
(Web links retrieved 20 November 2010.)
- ^ a b c Sexis magazine & website, 18 November 2010: article Dr. Tuppy Owens: The Sensual Patron Saint of the Disabled
- ^ a b c The Skinny magazine 17 June 2008 article Tuppy Owens: Interview with a Love Doctor
- ^ a b The Observer Review, 24th September 1972: article by Pendennis Tuppyware
- ^ Excerpt at allmediaScotland, 2 October 2008 from memoirs of Scottish war correspondent Paul Harris More Thrills than Skills — A Half-life in Journalism, Part 68
- ^ The Financial Times, Thursday August 22nd 1974
- ^ The Evening Standard, Tuesday 9th April 1974, page 5: article by David Bentley Tuppy finds a way with the little red love book
- ^ The Sex Maniac's Diary and The Safer Sex Maniac's Diary published annually 1972–1995.
- ^ Highland News, 8 June 2008: article about Dr Owens
- ^ The Royal Society of Medicine website, event page: Disability: Sex, relationships and pleasure
- ^ The Realist, Number 136: article by David Steinberg The Hookers Convention
- ^ The Times 30 August 2006: article by Grayson PerryI'm all for good, clean dirty fun, me
- ^ Marie Claire March 2009: article Meet the Sex Professionals
External links
Persondata |
Name |
Owens, Tuppy |
Alternative names |
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Short description |
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Date of birth |
1944 |
Place of birth |
Cambridge, England |
Date of death |
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Place of death |
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