Naked Attraction, a British Television dating game show, garnered attention on social media this week after it had on a contestant who claimed that she is an "ecosexual."
The show's host, Anna Richardson appeared confused as to what exactly this term meant at the time.
"I’d say I'm more an ecosexual," explained the contestant.
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Richardson, who seemingly hadn't heard this term before, asked "What is an ecosexual?"
The contestant responded, "Someone who finds nature sexy."
Following this interaction on the show, Richardson offered a voiceover to explain what the term refers to.
“This is a growing movement that treats nature as a sensual partner and over 100,000 people now, identify as ecosexual worldwide," she explained.
Coined by sexologist Annie Sprinkle, the term encompasses a spectrum of sentiments, ranging from finding nature aesthetically pleasing to considering Earth as a romantic partner.
Sprinkle herself made headlines in 2008 when she conducted a wedding ceremony, symbolically "marrying" the Earth. Partnering with Elizabeth Stephens, a professor at the University of California Santa Cruz, the two laid the groundwork for the "ecosex manifesto," which states, “We shamelessly hug trees, massage the earth with our feet, and talk erotically to plants. We are skinny dippers, sun worshippers, and stargazers. We caress rocks, are pleasured by waterfalls, and admire the Earth’s curves. We make love with the Earth through our senses. We celebrate our E-spots. We are very dirty.”
More recently, individuals like Sonja Semyonova from British Columbia have gained attention for their intimate relationships with nature. Semyonova, an intimacy coach, revealed her profound connection with an oak tree rooted near her home. Describing her bond as "erotic," Semyonova explained that the tree had stability, protection, and support, which were the qualities she looked for in a person.
“I was walking a path near the tree five days a week for the whole winter. I noticed a connection with the tree,” she explained. “'I would lie against it. There was an eroticism with something so big and so old holding my back.”
Semyonova did clarify that while her relationship with the oak tree is deeply meaningful, it does not extend to physical interactions.
“A big misconception is that ecosexuality means sex between people and nature, it's a different way to explore the erotic,” she clarified.
While the term “ecosexual” likely only applies to a small number of individuals, its presence on social media appears to be growing.
According to the Daily Mail, the “ecosexuality” tag on TikTok has been viewed nearly half a million times and includes videos of people “taking freezing cold plunges in creeks, caressing lemons, and rubbing themselves against trees.”
