What happens when impressionable young minds see glamorous sexy images as a woman’s path to acceptance, admiration, and love? A former scientist turned stripper illustrates how marketing and cultural obsessions with women’s sexual bodies encouraged her into working in a strip club. Using her training to dissect her beliefs, develop personal responsibility, and empower other women with self-permission to feel beautiful and sensual, she advocates for personal and early, smart, respectful education so people will own, find safety, and have real choice within their pleasurable bodies.

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Susan Bremer O’Neill, author, coach and Self Appeal® founder, took an unconventional journey to self-respect and self-love. At thirty five she got sober, left her science career and became an exotic dancer. Her unique experience is chronicled in her memoir, From Sex Appeal to Self Appeal.

Since then, for twenty years, she’s been a champion for women to build greater confidence and esteem and produced the woman-friendly DVD, Striptease for Real Women, to help them embody playful sensuality. Susan has spoken at San Francisco Bay Area universities, women’s groups, retreats, and recovery facilities. She’s been interviewed on Fox News and local media. Her writing has been featured in Flesh for Fantasy, Men’s Health, Gauntlet, and a SFSU course reader. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx