Ella LeBlanc says, “I am an exotic dancer, I just started dancing professionally a little over a year ago. Plus I am a part of the Sex Positive Portland Community which is a local community and is a part of the larger Sex-Positive World Community. In this community, we are of a like mind that believes that sex should be normalized and the stigmas and shame around it should be dropped and discussions around sexuality should be a lot less taboo. I consider myself a sexuality advocate and activist, I have been blogging and writing about sexuality, sensuality and creating intimacy since 2012 and I am a facilitator of sex-positive events and classes.”

WHERE DO YOU LIVE?

Portland, Oregon

AGE?

49

TELL US WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE YOUR AGE?

It’s really interesting because I can’t believe that I am almost 50, I will be 50 in June! It’s funny because when you are younger you can’t seem to wait to grow up and then when you become an adult you wish you were a kid again, I know it sounds so cliche’ but it really is so true. I think it is great to be almost 50, I have girls half my age telling me, “I want to be you when I grow up!” I got to meet the SuicideGirls when they came to Portland last June for their Black Heart Burlesque Show and I was dressed very elegant and they fawned all over me and then they asked me what I did for a living I told them that I was a dancer and that I was almost 50 and they went wild over that, they told me I was such an awesome inspiration and role model to them (I was tickled pink to think that I inspired the SuicideGirls)! One of the girls was actually from Portland and got her start in dancing at the same club I started dancing at which is the Kit Kat Club which is a burlesque style strip club.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE NOW THAT YOU DIDN’T HAVE AT 25?

Confidence, a sense of direction and purpose. I have done a lot of personal growth work around finding my purpose and I wish I started out a lot sooner on this path of figuring it all out but I believe everything happens the way it does for a reason.

WHAT ABOUT SEX?

As often and as much as possible! I am sure you have gathered by now that sexuality and sensuality is a big thing in my life and it is very true it really is. I had so much shame regarding sexuality for most of my life that I decided to let go of the shame and to fully embrace being a sexual and sensual human being. I went through a sexual awakening several years ago where I full allowed myself to explore whatever I wanted without fear or shame.

AND RELATIONSHIPS?

I consider myself a relationship anarchist which is the belief that relationships should not be bound by rules aside from what the people involved mutually agree upon. If a relationship anarchist has multiple intimate partners, it might be considered as a form of polyamory, but distinguishes itself by postulating that there need not be a formal distinction between sexual, romantic, or platonic relationships.

Relationship anarchists look at each relationship (romantic or otherwise) individually, as opposed to categorizing them according to societal norms such as ‘just friends’, ‘in a relationship’, or ‘in an open relationship’.

HOW FREE DO YOU FEEL?

I feel pretty free for the most part, it also helps that I have been doing personal growth work for many years now which is very helpful with letting go of the old baggage in life and dropping the many masks that I have worn over the years and being able to truly be my authentic self more and more every day which is very freeing.

WHAT ARE YOU PROUD OF?

That even though I had been through four decades of abusive relationships and situations in my life, I was able to break through that cycle of abuse, to step away from the victim stories and turn my mess into my message and a mission, then in turn help other’s with my own personal message/mission.

WHAT KEEPS YOU INSPIRED?

Being a part of the sex-positive community keeps me inspired along with all of the spiritual leaders I have had the opportunity to connect and meet online, along with many of the women’s groups that I am a part of. I love to hang out with strong like-minded people, especially women.

WHEN ARE YOU HAPPIEST?

I am happiest when the sun is shining and it is warm out. I love the sun and being outdoors, adventures in the woods, hiking, road trips, travelling, cities, countrysides, beaches, mountains, forests, oceans, rivers, streams and seeing new places. I love all of it.

AND WHERE DOES YOUR CREATIVITY GO?

My creativity goes into my blog and writing, creating and teaching classes, creating new events, storytelling events and my dancing. I love being on stage and I love performing.

WHAT’S YOUR PHILOSOPHY OF LIVING?

Life is just a big adventure, I believe that a person should live life to the fullest each and everyday.

AND DYING?

I have no fear of dying, I never have even from a very young age, it is something that happens to all of us sooner or later and it’s better to just embrace it rather than to be afraid of it and try to run from it because there is no stopping it.

ARE YOU STILL DREAMING?

Yes, absolutely I am still dreaming! I have big huge dreams and goals, it is all so exciting.

WHAT WAS A RECENT OUTRAGEOUS ACTION OF YOURS?

Telling a personal and true story about sexuality in front of an audience of 400 people at The Mystery Box Show (this is actually the second time I had been on the show). This is a live storytelling event here in Portland Oregon, this show is a night of sexy storytelling which happens every other month in front of a live audience, there are 5 storytellers in a night and the hosts of the show work with us on helping us polish and perfect our stories to get us and our stories ready for the stage. Sometimes it takes weeks to get a story ready but it is so worth it. It is a very vulnerable yet exhilarating thing to be able to bare your soul and stand up on stage in front of hundreds of people and telling a personal story about your own sexuality, it is actually both scary and liberating at the same time (scary when you are up on stage wondering what are people going to think yet liberating when you are all done when people are congratulating you letting you know what a great job you did and how they can relate).