Dylan Alcott may have been the man of the hour at the 2022 Australian of the Year ceremony, but girlfriend Chantelle Otten shone just as brightly that night.
The 31-year-old arrived at Dylan’s side in a stunning navy and white polka dot ensemble from her friend’s brand, Silk Laundry, that gave Dylan’s suit a run for its money.
“I don’t think I can ever steal Dylan’s thunder,” she laughs over the phone. “But I’ve always got some nice things to wear.”
Whilst her favourite velvet robes and lace numbers often appear on her Instagram, Chantelle wants to talk about what’s underneath her clothes.
Chantelle Otten stole the show when she arrived at the 2022 Australian of the Year ceremony with Dylan Alcott.
(Image: Getty).jpg?resize=380%2C285)
A popular sexologist, she spreads positivity and education around just about every facet of sexuality imaginable to her 155,000 Instagram followers – even when it gets her in trouble.
“People are craving it and I’m censored to the nth degree on Instagram … I’ve been shadow banned for literally my entire Instagram life,” she reveals, adding that people still find her content despite the blocks on her account.
From sharing snaps with Dylan, to informative posts about desire, Chantelle will tackle just about every topic, including one millions of Aussie women still shy away from: pubic hair.
Most women feel the need to wax, shave or laser off their hair downstairs because of beauty standards and stigma around female body hair, but Chantelle wants to put an end to a certain mindset.
“We have been growing up in a patriarchal society with a lot of misogyny and a lot of rules and regulations around who we are as women … how we’re meant to look, how we are meant to behave and what we’re meant to do,” she says.
“We need to really think, ‘it’s actually not anyone else’s concern what I should have down there’.”
Chantelle’s recent partnership with Gillette Venus, which has just launched a new pubic grooming range, opened her eyes to how much shame Aussie women still feel about their hair down there.
“It’s kind of like sex, it’s just a topic that you think you’re meant to know about. But no one ever teaches you, there’s no Bible, no one’s even saying pubic [hair],” Chantelle says.
“I think we really need to be looking at what makes us happy … and starting up a conversation with our friends, with people that matter.”
When asked if she regularly chats about pubic hair with her own friends, Chantelle laughs and admits “they get nudes of me all the time and we talk about it!”
But that should come as no surprise given how closely Chantelle’s work as a sexologist ties into breaking down taboos and stigmas about our bodies, pleasure and, of course, sex.
WATCH: Chantelle Otten talks about sex and disability on Dylan Alcott’s podcast. Story continues after video.
Though she’s encouraging women and men to be more open about everything from pubes to pleasure, sexologist Chantelle also understands that it can be easier said than done.
Women can often find it uncomfortable to talk to their partners about more intimate topics, especially when they’re dating men with old fashioned views about sex and female bodies.
Luckily Chantelle doesn’t have that particular issue – Dylan is incredibly supportive of her sexology work and activism – but she has some advice for women dealing with stubborn partners.
“It’s good to have open conversations, but also stand your ground,” she urges, adding that we shouldn’t back down the second our partners put up a fuss about our desires or bodies.
“Have more of an open conversation around ‘why is this a taboo?’ Why is it something that men have a say over?”
Dylan is Chantelle’s biggest supporter as she continues to spread education around sex and pleasure.
(Image: Instagram)As for her advice to the men, Chantelle says it’s all about “being open minded” and “definitely not throwing out too many opinions, but just having empathy and listening and learning.”
Dylan has clearly taken that lesson from her, as the couple couldn’t have looked more loved up at the Australian Open last month.
He’s now planning to retire from tennis, but we have a feeling Chantelle’s influence is only going to grow as she continues to spread education around everything to do with sex.
The new Venus for Pubic Hair & Skin Collection, which includes a razor, exfoliant, 2-in-1 cleanser +shave gel and serum, is designed specifically to address the unique needs of the pubic area. The range is dermatologist and gynaecologist tested, pH balanced and made without parabens, dyes, fragrances and silicones.
