From the category archives:

sexuality

Women’s Sexuality Workshop & Intro Night

by Viviane on 02/28/2011

in Events,sexuality

03/09/2011
7:00 PMto9:00 PM

Womens Sexuality Workshop & Intro Night

Spend an evening with queer sexuality educator Amy Jo Goddard to explore, discuss and assess your sexuality in a safe space with other women. The evening will include Amy Jo talking about what blocks women from feeling fully empowered sexually, a guided meditation and interactive discussion. You will also be able to ask questions of her and of  former participants of her Women’s Sexuality Empowerment Apprenticeship, a unique sexuality program for women.  Walk away with clarity and feeling supported in exploring your own sexuality.

Location:  Moonheart Healing Arts Center, 59 W. 19th St, 3rd Floor, (b/w 5th and 6th Aves)

Directions: F to 14th St/23rd St, or N, Q, R, 4, 5, 6, L to Union Square

Cost: FREE
718-974-6554

To sign up: http://womenssexuality.eventbrite.com/

Facilitated by sex educator and author Amy Jo Goddard

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Women’s Sexuality Empowerment Apprenticeship: Free Intro Night

by Viviane on 09/02/2010

in Events,sexuality

09/10/2010
6:30 PM

Are you ready to own your sexuality, to reclaim it, heal it and celebrate it? If you are ready to explore and transform your sexuality, join sexuality educator Amy Jo Goddard and some of the former participants of the Women’s Sexuality Empowerment Apprenticeship program for a free introductory night. Amy Jo will help women to assess where they are currently in their own sexuality and lead them in a guided meditation and interactive discussion. There is no obligation to take the program, and you will definitely walk away with some clarity and action steps about your own sexuality.

“I know there is a deep need for safe spaces where women can study and grow their sexuality, so I’ve carefully constructed a framework where women can learn experientially and share with each other aspects of their sexual selves that have been in hiding. I want to see women be truly empowered sexually. I want to see women support each other. I want women to have the intimate relationships they dream of. I want to support women to take the risks required to become their most authentic, fulfilled sexual selves.”

For more info or to sign up, go to:
http://womenssexualityintronight.eventbrite.com/

About Amy Jo Goddard: Amy Jo Goddard, M.A. is a sexuality educator & trainer, writer, performing artist and activist. She travels to colleges, universities, communities and conferences teaching workshops and speaking about sexuality and maintains a private sex coaching practice. She is co-author of Lesbian Sex Secrets for Men and is a contributing author of All About Sex: A Family Resource Guide on Sex and Sexuality. Her article about queer performance artists and activism was published in 2007 in the Social Justice Journal and she has been published in numerous other publications including LOFT and Bust Magazine. Amy Jo was host of cherrybomb.com‘s web stream program “Fresh Advice,” developing, researching, writing and performing over 60 episodes on women’s sexuality. A professional trainer of sexuality professionals, medical students, college students and youth for fifteen years, she has taught courses relating to sexuality at the City University of New York and the University of California at Santa Barbara. Amy Jo has taught breast and pelvic exams to medical/nursing students for 8 years and she is director/producer of the forthcoming documentary, At Your Cervix, a film that depicts this unusual work. She facilitates the Women’s Sexuality Empowerment Apprenticeship in New York City.

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Kink On Tap 53: How To Stay Safe When You See a Penis (GUN!)

by Viviane on 08/13/2010

in gay marriage,sex,sexuality

This is Kink On Tap episode 53, by maymay and Emma. Kink On Tap is licensed under a CC-BY-NC-ND 3.0 Unported License.

Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at KinkOnTap.com/about.

A U.S. federal court rules Proposition 8 is unconstitutional, which Arizona conservatives say “jeopardizes the democratic process,” so they’re really lucky gay couples will probably still opt to save their lives from burning buildings. Also, a high court in Mexico similarly upholds same-sex marriage, a 17 month old baby boy is punched to death for “acting like a girl,” an online survey shows even stereotyped beer-bellied men would take a male birth control pill, a CNN “investigative journalist” shows her panic-stricken bias over continued Craigslist sex trafficking scares, and Lisa Russ suggests sex education tips by taking a page from the National Rifle Association?

Last week was a big, big week in sexuality news and I was a guest, along with trans blogger and activist xMech on the Kink on Tap netcast, the smart netcast for the kinkily inclined, hosted by MayMay and Helio Girl.

If you enjoyed this podcast, support Kink On Tap by a donation or by leaving a positive review on iTunes.

A U.S. federal court rules Proposition 8 is unconstitutional, which Arizona conservatives say “jeopardizes the democratic process,” so they’re really lucky gay couples will probably still opt to save their lives from burning buildings. Also, a high court in Mexico similarly upholds same-sex marriage, a 17 month old baby boy is punched to death for “acting like a girl,” an online survey shows even stereotyped beer-bellied men would take a male birth control pill, a CNN “investigative journalist” shows her panic-stricken bias over continued Craigslist sex trafficking scares, and Lisa Russ suggests sex education tips by taking a page from the National Rifle Association?

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Intro Night: Women’s Sexuality Empowerment Apprenticeship (Free)

by Viviane on 06/22/2010

in Events,sex,sexuality

06/29/2010
7:00 PMto10:00 PM

Intro Night: Women’s Sexuality Empowerment Apprenticeship (Free)

Are you ready to own your sexuality, to reclaim it, heal it and celebrate it?

Amy Jo Goddard is launching the Women’s Sexuality Empowerment Apprenticeship on September 21, 2010 in New York City. This program is a serious commitment to your sexual self. It’s a program that fills a gap for women who are seeking a unique environment where they can study themselves intimately. There is no way it won’t transform the women who choose it.

Join Amy Jo and some of the former participants of the program for a free introductory night. Amy Jo will help women to assess where they are in their own sexuality and lead them in a guided meditation and interactive discussion. As an attendee, you will be able to ask questions of her and of the former participants to see whether the program feels right for you. There is no obligation to take the program, and you will definitely walk away with some clarity about your own sexuality.

“I know there is a deep need for safe spaces where women can study and grow their sexuality, so I’ve carefully constructed a framework where women can learn experientially and share with each other aspects of their sexual selves that have been in hiding. I want to see women be truly empowered sexually. I want to see women support each other. I want women to have the intimate relationships they dream of. I want to support women to take the risks required to become their most authentic, fulfilled sexual selves.”

Cost: FREE
Location: TRS, 44 East 32nd Street, 11th Floor, (bet.  Park and Madison), New York, NY 10016
To sign up: http://sexualityintronight.eventbrite.com/

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Yes, There Is a G-Spot (The Daily Beast)

by Viviane on 01/12/2010

in sexuality

by Rachel Kramer Bussel

This just in: The G-spot doesn’t exist! At least, according to British researchers who’ve made splashy headlines with this claim in a new study in The Journal of Sexual Medicine. According to the abstract, “1,804 unselected female twins aged 22–83 completed a questionnaire about their sexuality and G-spot knowledge” and the point of the study was to find “genetic variance component analysis of self-reported G-spot.” That alone should tell you this study was highly subjective.

Yet the very idea of there not being a G-spot sparked international headlines. One commenter on a science blog wrote, “The supposed ‘G-spot’ is probably an androcentric fabrication to support male penetration,” while many others rushed in to gleefully proclaim the spot nonexistent.

…All the experts I spoke to emphasized that there are no “shoulds” when it comes to the G-spot. On that point, they and researchers Tim Spector and Andrea Burri seem to agree: Women shouldn’t be pressured into locating or playing with their G-spots (or, I’d venture, any other body parts). But the vehemence which with the study’s authors attack the idea of the G-spot needs to be questioned. Whipple says, “I think it’s important to validate women’s experiences and not set up goals.” The media’s response to stories like this is perhaps more troubling than the study itself; a proper conclusion would be, perhaps, that many women don’t believe they have a G-spot, not that it doesn’t exist.

Link

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Sex, Sex, and More Sex by Sue Johanson

by Domina Doll on 09/05/2009

in abortion,abstinence,abuse,aids,book,books,sex,sexuality,STDs,teen

Sex, Sex, and More Sex by Sue Johanson

Who doesn’t love Sue Johanson?  I grew up listening to the grandmotherly sexpert talk about every sexual taboo imaginable on CBC Radio, and later tuned into late night TV to watch her Sunday Night Sex Show.  Mostly, I tuned in to laugh, because she is quite a character and very funny.  But, I always learned quite a bit from her shows and perhaps because of her, aspired to study sexology and teach people about the positive aspects of their sexuality as well.

I was hoping Sue’s book “Sex, Sex, and More Sex” was going to teach me something new, and leave off where her shows ended.  The book doesn’t do that however.  It is more of a digest of all her Q & A’s on the shows, written down and explained, with a few resources.  This would be a valuable resource for someone who has never watched Sue’s shows, or for young people who don’t have all the answers.  But, I mainly found it repetitive as didn’t offer me anything new or unique.

The book is easily navigated by topic, put in alphabetical order, with a listing as well in the index.  Each topic has a Q & A format, which Sue answers.  Being a registered nurse, many of the topics pertain to STDs, Aids, celibacy, condoms and safety, which is great.  Sue also demystifies many subjects, which, in her day were much more taboo than they are now such as anal sex, bondage and discipline, abortion, hairiness and vaginal farts. (Well, maybe vagina farts didn’t need to be demystified?)  Sue’s focus is always on safety and health, be it physical, or mental.  She also addresses issues that aren’t necessarily sexual like Anorexia, battering and abuse, Osteoporosis, and body image issues.

The information provided in this book is very useful, especially for teens who want the straight facts and I would recommend it for anyone’s daughter, son, niece, nephew, or grandchild who is becoming curious about their own sexuality and asking questions.  Much of what you will find in the book is the type of info that you’d get from places like Planned Parenthood.  Some of it is a bit dated, and I wonder if Sue has ever used some of the toys she recommends, but overall, useful and accurate information.

I guess I was disappointed in the book because I am no longer a teenager, so much of the information I already know.  And, also, the book cannot capture Sue’s witty, no-nonsense personality that she portrayed on her shows, which was one of the best things about watching them.

Obviously, the intended audience is not myself, or other savvy sexperts, but young people who want to know more about sex but are afraid to ask.  I do highly recommend this book for teens and for parents who don’t quite know all the answers either, or aren’t sure how to approach the subject with their kids.

Sex, Sex, and More Sex | Sex Toys | Anal Toys

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Iconic Pocket by Jimmyjane

by Domina Doll on 08/06/2009

in sex toys,sexuality

iconicpocket Iconic Pocket by Jimmyjane

For the past three weeks I’ve been on the search for the perfect rocket and have been reviewing Pocket Rocket-style vibrators.  No series of reviews on pocket pockets would be complete without including the Iconic Pocket by Jimmyjane which I have had the pleasure to test out.

First a bit of history about the Pocket Rockets and how the Iconic Pocket came to be.

“Pocket Vibrators were first produced in Japan over 25 years ago.  Their compact all-in-one design made them the most portable vibrators available at the time…  While Pocket Vibrators were designed to be compact, they were also engineered to be powerful.  The four hemispheres on the tip of the vibrator help intensify sensation by varying the contact pressure as they are moved across the body.”—From the Iconic Pocket package by Jimmyjane

Jimmyjane realized that the Pocket Rocket had become a sex toy icon, and like “the rabbit” and “vibrating ring” were “ubiquitous mainstays of popular culture”.  So they teamed up with Japanese company Vibratex, creators of the original Pocket Rocket and Rabbit Habit, to offer the curated Usual Suspects Iconic Vibrator Collection.  The Iconic Pocket is a part of that line.

So, is the Iconic Rocket just a knock-off of the original, or something more?  Well, it looks much like the original, but as with everything Jimmyjane does, they have improved upon that design and made it better than ever.

The Iconic Pocket is pure white and looks like it belongs in a minimalist art gallery sitting all by itself on a pristine white pillar.  Like their other sexy innovations, the Iconic meets their “stringent material quality and safety standards, and is backed by our one-year limited warranty – the first of its kind for these types of vibrators.”  It is waterproof, uses one AA battery and neatly packaged in a environmentally sustainable little cardboard box that is also perfect for storage.

Unlike the original Pocket Rocket, this vibe kicks ass.  Although it is not as quiet as Jimmyjane’s Form 6 [my review] it is an uber powerful little vibe. I don’t know how they did it, but the Iconic Pocket has more power than any of the other 1 speed rockets I have tested that take 1 AA battery.  It actually has the same power as the 3 speed Pocket Rocket Plus and Pocket Booster [my review] on their highest settings, each of which takes 2 AA batteries or more.  All this power in a minimalist compact package makes the Iconic Pocket one of the best pocket rocket-style vibrators on the market.  Am I surprised?  Not really.  Knowing the quality and attention to detail that goes into Jimmyjane’s designs, it was easy to guess that they would settle for nothing less than perfection.

But will it get you off?  You bet-cha!  Unless you have a clit of steel, this rocket will shoot you to the stars.

You can purchase the Iconic Pocket along with all the other Usual Suspects at WWW.JIMMYJANE.COM.

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Tantra for Erotic Empowerment

by Domina Doll on 04/12/2009

in book,books,sacred sex,sacred sexuality,sexuality,tantra

Tantra for Erotic Empowerment: The Key to Enriching Your Sexual Life
by Mark A. Michaels (Author), Patricia Johnson (Author), Tristan Taormino (Foreword)

tantra for erotic empowerment Tantra for Erotic Empowerment

Tantra for Erotic Empowerment is an instructional book that focuses on the erotic possibilities of  Tantric Sex, written by life partners Mark A. Michaels and Patricia Johnson, a “devoted married couple who have been teaching Tantra and Kriya yoga together since 1999″ .  Unlike many other books I have read on the subject of Tantra, this book teaches the spiritual quest for enlightenment in its most ancient form, rather than the watered-down versions you normally see for Western culture.  This doesn’t mean that the book is overly esoteric or the concepts difficult to grasp, as Michaels and Johnson explain the aspects of Tantra in the most elementary terms.  It is however, a healthy tome, with a wealth of information on sexuality, sexual spirituality, pleasure, desire, meditation, energy, bliss, transformation and union: basically everything your need to begin your Tantric journey as a novice, or expand upon the teachings you have already learned as an experienced practitioner.  In other words, this is not a quick study guide.  In fact, it has taken me many weeks to read from cover to cover, a rewarding experience that was well worth every word.  The authors actually recommend using the book by reading one chapter per week and then practicing what you have learned, which is the best way to approach this book.

The text features a foreword by Tristan Taormino, fifty-two exercises to do yourself solo or with your partner, multiple illustrations and photographs of Michaels and Johnson showing the various positions, as well as a complete glossary to help you understand all the terminology.  It is also written to be inclusive to all genders and sexual persuasions.

What is best about this book is that the authors use many of their own experiences as a practical guide to inform the reader and guide you on your spiritual quest of sexual enlightenment and pleasure.  It covers all aspects of sexual spirituality and has information both valuable to novices and those already knowledgeable in the art of Tantra.

“Tantra for Erotic Empowerment is a book for those who want to get a taste of Tantric sexuality firsthand, for those who wish to understand their own sexuality more deeply, enhance the sexual component of their relationships, or explore some simple meditation techniques that embrace sexuality as a tool for spiritual growth…  At the same time, Tantra for Erotic Empowerment is not solely for beginners, since it explores both the theoretical and practical aspects of Tantra in some depth and includes exercises that even readers who are familiar with contemporary Tantra and Neo-Tantra should find both challenging and original…  We focus on consciousness, an experimental attitude, and, above all, pleasure…” –From the Introduction of the book.

This is certainly one of the best and most thorough books I have read on  Tantra, which is sure to help anyone interested in these topics enhance their sexual pleasure and intimacy together, as well as guide them on the path to their own sexual and spiritual awakening.

You can purchase Tantra for Erotic Empowerment at Amazon.com.  Thank you to the authors for allowing me the pleasure to review their book and to Viviane for suggesting it to me.

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Elements of Sex-Positivity (Carol Queen; CarnalNation)

by Viviane on 02/25/2009

in sex,sexuality

. . .Here’s the deal: Sex positivity means you acknowledge that sex is, or could be under the right circumstances, a positive, healthy force in anyone’s life… even if it isn’t right now. Those circumstances may not be the same for everyone (though some may be universal, like consent), but they include things like access to information, support, condoms (if relevant), a loving (or at least friendly) partner, healing from past negative sexual experiences like rape or abuse, privacy, enhanced self-esteem, etc. This list could be very long and, again, it won’t contain the same exact elements for everyone. This leads to the rest of what sex-positivity is, namely, the acknowledgement that not everyone’s sexuality, including sexual needs and desires, is the same, such that one person’s optimum, positive sexuality may not look anything like another person’s. That is, sex-positivity includes the acceptance of sexual diversity, and acknowledges that optimum sexual wellbeing for you might look different than it does for me.

more . . .

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The Map of Human Sexuality: Pre Order

by Viviane on 01/19/2009

in sexuality

sexmap10 300x290 The Map of Human Sexuality: Pre Order

Land of Human Sexuality (click to view full size)

postergauge The Map of Human Sexuality: Pre Order

Franklin Veaux, creator of the Land of Human Sexuality map, is now taking print orders for printed copies you can post on your wall. He needs a minimum number of orders before he can print, so go order yours.

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Annie Sprinkle’s Amazing World of Orgasm

by Domina Doll on 01/09/2009

in annie sprinkle,movies,orgasm,sacred sex,sacred sexuality,sexuality

amazing orgasm front cover Annie Sprinkles Amazing World of Orgasm

Annie Sprinkle has been exploring sexuality and orgasm for over thirty six years, from her early years as a porn star and prostitute, to her current incarnation as a sex activist, filmmaker, performance artist, AIDS educator, and Ph.D. sexologist. One of the first women to inspire the term “sex positive feminist”, Annie describes herself as “metamorphosexual”, and brings her years of sensuous experience and knowledge of the pleasures and diversity of orgasm to this film.

In Annie Sprinkles Amazing World of Orgasm, Annie plays host to 26 “sexperts” on the topic of orgasm, inviting them to share their experiences and theories on orgasm as an introduction to this vast topic with the viewer. There is one type of orgasm that most people encounter, the tension/release type, but, according to these sexperts, there are, in fact, multiple (if not hundreds) of ways to experience orgasm. For women, these include clitoral and inter-vaginal orgasms, dream-gasms, microgasms, breath and energy orgasms, and Annie’s favorite megagasm (she experiences her famous 5 minute orgasm on screen). Other sexperts describe laugh-gasms, fake orgasms, outer-body experiences, orgasms that are experienced giving birth and upon death, spiritual orgasm, fusion orgasms, full body orgasms that run through the charkas, g-spot orgasms, tantra orgasms, multiple orgasms, hour long expanded orgasms that take one to different levels of consciousness, cosmic orgasms, orga-bumps orgasms that transfer orgasm energy all over the body, and fear-gasms. The film shows a diverse range of people experiencing orgasm through masturbation, GLBT and hetero sex, sadomasochism, and disability. Other experts talk about the physiology of orgasm and the stages of arousal.

The film is structured into segmented interviews with the various sexperts describing their experience as they talk to the camera, montaged and super-imposed over archival footage of orgasm (often their own) with swirling new-age backgrounds. These special effects are sometime dizzying and distracting, and often kitschy, and although it was the filmmaker’s intent to make the subject playful and less clinical, it also serves to show the sexperts in a less credible light. Still, this film is an amazing and fascinating introduction into the world of orgasm and a must see for sex educators and orgasm enthusiasts.

Buy the film through Amazon.com

Annie Sprinkle’s Amazing World of Orgasm Annie Sprinkles Amazing World of Orgasm

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My queerdoes, come to EqualityCamp (Melissa Gira)

by Viviane on 12/01/2008

in sexuality

. . . The fifteen year old part of me, that’s still a riot grrrl, and really wishes she’d had the courage and foresight to start a band called Ramona and the Quimbys? She’s definitely a queerdo.

I’m a bad gay myself. I keep sleeping with boys. I’m a bad straight. I keep on fucking, and not getting married. I don’t think I’ll ever get married, even though I almost did when I was 23. I don’t think I’ll ever be gay or straight. Bisexual is a term that barely even fits. I gave up on this notion that I’d only ever want to sleep with or love someone of “my gender” or its “opposite” a long time ago. I don’t even know what the “opposite” of my sex is anymore. I forgot before I even moved to San Francisco.

So for lack of a better word, queerdo will do.

And if I have a generation — I barely have one of those, straddling X and Y as my birthday does — we’re the queerdoes. We don’t fit. We grew up with the internet. We barely had to come out. We’re hyper and more likely to get our community organizing chops from teaching our baby queer friends how to have safer sex with a latex glove, how to sneak into a dyke bar, how to cruise boys on the subway, than how to organize a rally. We learned what we know about politics from fucking and keeping our communities together amidst all the fucking. We’re spastic and driven and can do eight things at once.

more . . .

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No More Palin Porn, Please (Violet Blue; SFGate)

by Viviane on 10/24/2008

in sexuality,women

But the unending tide of Palin porn seems to me to be much more than pointing at a candidate and saying, heh, I saw her play flute in a bikini. Sexist? Too simple an answer — Palin’s platforms are sex-negative, and they were made for walking all over your rape kits, gay marriage and science-based sex education in public schools. She hunts and makes a lot of babies; this bitch is a fertile dominatrix. She’s a powerful woman because of her virility, so you can’t take it away by making her more sexual. The porning of Palin is more than attempts to strip a female politician of power by sexualizing her; in fact, it’s had the opposite effect and her party hasn’t backed away from the oozing MILFiness, something we noticed when watching the debates at The Hat Factory and everyone remarked that Palin was indeed showing some cleavage for the first time as a nominee.

Link

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Elizabeth Wood: Sex Blogging and the Creation of a Feminist Sex Commons

by Viviane on 10/21/2008

in sex,sex blogs,sexuality

Congratulations to Elizabeth Wood on the publication of her article about sex blogging and the need for a “sex commons”!!

Consciousness-raising 2.0: Sex Blogging and the Creation of a Feminist Sex Commons

Abstract: In this article, I develop the notion of a `sex commons’ on the internet as one way to help women build more satisfying sex lives. While women have not historically controlled their own sexuality, they have tended to control the dissemination of information about sexuality, first through oral traditions and traditional social networks, and later through media such as advice columns. Medicalization and the culture of expertise removed much of that control, but the consciousness-raising movement of the second wave of feminism used social networks to reclaim it. This article describes the ways that women’s internet sex blogs help develop vocabularies of desire, reduce shame, and build community, enabling women to continue this process of regaining control over information about sexuality. I argue that a commons model is useful for protecting access to that information, especially in the face of continuing medicalization of sexuality and corporate control of the internet, and conclude with suggestions for maintaining the sex commons and building feminist pathways to navigate it.

Citation: Feminism & Psychology, Vol. 18, No. 4, 480-487 (2008)

This was a paper first presented at the first Sex 2.0 in Atlanta (organized by Amber Rhea).

You can read more on what’s in the issue, on the article and how you can help her expand the article at Sex in the Public Square:

http://tinyurl.com/637xxt

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The Sexual Politics of Meat (Carol J. Adams)

by Viviane on 09/17/2008

in sexuality,women

slideshow5 205x300 The Sexual Politics of Meat (Carol J. Adams)

Sexual Politics of Meat Carol J. Adams

An evolving 1 and 1/4 hour dynamic and challenging presentation that discusses the images of women and animals in contemporary popular culture by drawing upon the ideas found in The Sexual Politics of Meat and Neither Man nor Beast. It introduces the concept of the absent referent through autobiography and then systematically applies an analysis of how it functions to explain the animalizing of women in contemporary cultural images and the sexualizing of animals used for food. It draws upon images that have been sent from around the world and is constantly being updated as it tracks changes in popular culture.

Link

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