- Rules of Misbehavior – Benjamin J. Dueholm – Dan Savage, the brilliant and foul-mouthed sex columnist, has become one of the most important ethicists in America. Are we screwed?
- Trve West Coast Fiction: Spoiled (or why I sometimes feel like a rapist) | Danny Wylde – Having sex with beautiful women for a living is fun – except when it’s not.
- ‘Game of Thrones’: Making Sense of All the Sex – Atlantic – Ultimately, Game of Thrones is about power, and the consequences of sex—both immediately and years down the line—can mean the difference between gaining and losing it. Westeros is not a modern or progressive world, and sex and violence remain its primary trades. Viewers who find either untenable should steer clear.
- Getting Away with Murder on Long Island – Some of those 10 people might be alive today if it hadn’t been for the lackluster response of law enforcement and the press coverage of the case — much of it sensationalist and dehumanizing — all because of the first victims’ sex-worker status.
- The Perversions of Campus Sexual Culture – Brainstorm – The Chronicle of Higher Education – In other words, campus sexual culture in its dominant, heteronormative form is kinda f#%@ed up. Sexual desire is wrapped up in public humiliation, drunkenness, and yes, I’ll say the word, patriarchy. It’s not that I don’t get how such things can be sexy, how humiliation and domination in conditions of inequality can be turned into pleasure. But what is interesting is the very conflation of that pleasure with both profit and publicness, a visual pornification of power inequities so beautifully symbolized by the booty cam at Yale or the drunk college “chix” porn site.
Tagged as:
crime,
culture,
dan+savage,
danny+wylde,
health,
identity,
media,
porn,
sex,
sexwork,
women
- Bronx Teacher Reassigned After Article on Sex Job – NYTimes.com – A teacher at a Bronx elementary school has been reassigned after writing on a Web site about her past as a sex worker. In a short online article in The Huffington Post on Sept. 7, the teacher, Melissa Petro, criticized Craigslist for shutting down its “adult services” section, which carried sex-related advertising.
- Sex and The Male Psychology — Catherine| Gamasutra – It's been a while since I've seen sex in a game and been taken aback, but I was genuinely awed when I realized it was happening again as I watched this trailer. The topic of true sexuality was certainly being addressed here, focusing not only on Vincent's sexual orientation but also the world within his dreams. Whether Catherine is just a symbol or a flesh and blood woman, the scenario being portrayed so far suggests that we are about to participate in a journey through his psychosis to seek the answers — and that is something new indeed.
- The Dirty Little Secret of Feminine Desire… | Pamela Madsen | Psychology Today –
- Dan Savage Creates YouTube Channel to Help Gay Teens | Mashable – Sex advice columnist and gay rights activist Dan Savage has launched a YouTube channel called “It Gets Better.” He’s soliciting videos from fans who want to provide support and encouragement to gay teens who face adversity, discrimination and bullying in high school.
- Band Aids, Saving Face, and Endangering Sex Workers: The Craigslist Saga | Waking Vixen – Removing online spaces for this community building, which often starts with advertising, drives independent workers underground and forces them to rely on groups that do not have their best interests at heart.
- Five myths about prostitution | Washington Post – But as the Craigslist controversy proves, it's also one of the fastest changing. And as a result, most people's perceptions of the sex trade are wildly out of date.
Tagged as:
craigslist,
desire,
gaming,
gay,
lgbt,
media,
prostitution,
queer,
sex,
sexwork,
women,
youtube
- 11 years old, on the pill and sexually active? The media loses the news again | Dr. Petra – Through these conversations I discovered none of the journalists knew hormonal contraception had medical uses. All of them assumed hormonal contraception was simply used to prevent pregnancy. And because of this assumption it hadn’t occurred to them to find out what else hormonal contraceptives might be used for.
- News: Sex, Journalism and Censorship – Inside Higher Ed – College media are filling in the Grand Canyon-sized gap in this coverage – via sex columns, sex magazines, full-blown campus newspaper sex issues, and even a few high-profile sex blogs. They are rightfully proclaiming that sex is a worthy component of every news cycle. Sexual issues, behaviors, and trends are incredibly significant and relevant factors in our lives. They deserve more, and more responsible, news media attention. Student journalists have figured this out. Professional journalists should follow their lead.
- The Postmodern Hester Prynne | The New York Observer – Sex means just as much to women as to men, but secrecy is a more fundamental component of sexuality for women (Ms. Holmes said the female cheaters she knew had all successfully kept it from their husbands.)
- Erotica–Fanning the Flames | Publisher’s Weekly – While the breakneck pace by which erotica publishers turned out titles as recently as two years ago may have slowed, the category's influence on culture—and on publishing—continues apace. The demand for explicit sexual writing is as strong as ever, and readers want characters with a range of desires and experiences, and stories that push the limits of their fantasies
- Cutting off your vagina to spite your Face(book) | Psychology Today – In the past week, Facebook deleted a number of pages from their website, ostensibly due to their concerns about the sexual nature of the material. Interestingly, the organization appears to have primarily targeted the pages of several women and female sexuality organizations with Facebook pages. It may be that there were male-run sites deleted that I haven't heard about, but at this point, I'm only aware of sites that were focused on the lovely vagina, and that focused on female sexual empowerment.
Tagged as:
censorship,
college,
erotica,
facebook,
infidelity,
journalism,
media,
medicine,
publishing,
sexed,
sexuality
- Samuel Steward’s Life in ‘Secret Historian’ – NYTimes.com – When the author Justin Spring finally tracked down the executor of Samuel Steward’s estate, he had no idea what this sexual outlaw and little-known literary figure had left behind after his death in 1993…So he was taken unawares by the 80 boxes full of drawings, letters, photographs, sexual paraphernalia, manuscripts and other items, including an autograph and reliquary with pubic hair from Rudolph Valentino, a thousand-page confessional journal Steward created at the request of the sex researcher Alfred Kinsey, and a green metal card catalog labeled “Stud File,” which contained a meticulously documented record on index cards of every sexual experience and partner — Rock Hudson, Thornton Wilder, “One-eyed Sadist” — that Steward said he had had over 50 years.
- Interrogating Sexual Intentions on Mad Men | Cory Silverberg – Whatever the season brings I plan to follow Don's lesson about sex to Peggy; "Sex doesn't sell. You are the product. You feeling something is what sells." Watching characters we know have sex, particularly the ones we think are hot, may be fun, but it's what the sex makes them feel, makes us feel, that's far more interesting.
- The Lesbians Who Love Male Gay Porn – The Daily Beast – “I wouldn’t have guessed lesbians would want to watch porn that didn’t have women,” said a straight woman who recently saw the Lisa Cholodenko comedy.
- Prohibitionists, where are the answers when comparing sex work and straight work « Bound, Not Gagged – I have been far more harmed by “straight jobs” than I ever was as either a stripper or an independent escort.
- GLAAD – Publications – Network Responsibility Index: 2009 – 2010 – The fourth annual GLAAD Network Responsibility Index is an evaluation of the quantity, quality and diversity of images of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people on television. It is intended to serve as a road map toward increasing fair, accurate and inclusive LGBT media representations.<br />
<br />
Primetime programming on the five broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, The CW, Fox and NBC) was evaluated as well as 10 highly-rated cable networks (A&E, ABC Family, FX, HBO, Lifetime, MTV, Showtime, TBS, TNT and USA). Based on the analysis, a grade was assigned to each network: Excellent, Good, Adequate, or Failing.
Tagged as:
bisexual,
gay,
lesbians,
lgbt,
MadMen,
media,
men,
porn,
sex,
sexwork,
television
- Grab Your Dick and Double Click : Librarian Hot – It should come as no surprise that I really enjoyed the Blue and Lust books, while I wanted to throw the Jensen and Paul books across the room (or out the window, or off of a really big cliff). I do agree with them about a few things: for one, that pornography addiction is real, and it can cause serious damage to relationships (as can, of course, any addiction or compulsive behavior). I also agree that most mainstream porn is indeed extremely misogynistic. But do you know what I find even more demeaning to women? Anti-porn crusaders’ tired gender essentialism arguments.
- How the Media Should Treat the Sexual Assault Allegations Against Al Gore | The Nation – A handful of feminist blogs, including Feministing, precede me in decrying the media's haste to impugn the credibility of the accuser. As they rightly observe, almost all other media coverage of the story has given the rest of us permission to giggle, when what we really need is a sober dose of reality: that these are credible charges against a very powerful and influential man. It's in our shared interest to take them seriously, evaluate them based on whatever information comes to light and demand answers and accountability.
- The New Abortion Providers – NYTimes.com – This abortion-rights campaign, led by physicians themselves, is trying to recast doctors, changing them from a weak link of abortion to a strong one. Its leaders have built residency programs and fellowships at university hospitals, with the hope that, eventually, more and more doctors will use their training to bring abortion into their practices. The bold idea at the heart of this effort is to integrate abortion so that it’s a seamless part of health care for women — embraced rather than shunned.
- For Women, Social Media is More Than "Girl Talk" | Mashable – It turns out that sociolinguists have found women to be innovators when it comes to communication, especially with new forms of languages. … The practical benefits that social media affords, combined with its emotionally fulfilling features make it likely that women will not only continue to engage with social media, but with future related innovations, as well.
Tagged as:
communication,
crime,
feminism,
health,
media,
politics,
porn,
research,
socialmedia,
society,
women
- Making a Hot Mess out of “Feminist” TV | where is your line? – My experience in the hot seat of Hot Mess reminded me – like a slap in the face- a few basic media principles. As a filmmaker and producer, respect your subjects. They are not objects or props to be used or humiliated. Honor them. And as a subject and author of your life, remember – your story is your story. It is sacred, precious and individually yours. Find and maintain your boundaries about how and with whom you share your story. Call the shots and don’t forget you’re in control.
- Federal Judge In Boston Rules Gay Marriage Ban Unconstitutional – The federal law banning gay marriage is unconstitutional because it interferes with the right of a state to define the institution and therefore denies married gay couples some federal benefits, a federal judge ruled Thursday in Boston.
- Sex and Infertility – How infertility makes sex more difficult | Cory Silverberg – The impact of infertility (real or suspected) on your sex life can be enormous. Sex that is timed and filled with anxiety about the outcome quickly becomes mechanical and forced. What was once an intense expression of love, desire, and commitment can feel like an obligation, an expectation — and practically coercive.
Tagged as:
feminism,
fertility,
gay,
gender,
legal,
marriage,
media,
rape,
samesex,
sex
- FDA advisory panel rejects Flibanserin | Dr. Petra Boynton – We also need to be careful to avoid getting into debates about whether a pill is needed or whether women have sexual problems, as has been the case in the current coverage of Flibanserin. This has missed the wider aspects of marketing, poor trial design and other research questions that really needed to be talked about. Instead we’re often left with an argument that in questioning medicalisation of female sexual functioning we’re somehow denying women have problems.
- Wonder Woman, 69, Has Style and Mythos Makeover – NYTimes.com – Wednesday is a good day for Wonder Woman. This 69-year-old superheroine, published by DC Comics, will don a new — and less revealing — costume and enjoy the publication of Issue No. 600 of her monthly series.
- 10th Annual Trafficking in Persons Report & Redlight World Premiere – The U.S. Department of State’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons has released its 10th annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report. For the first time, the report is introspective to the extent that human trafficking within the United States is also covered by the report.
- How to Receive Pleasure Without Feeling Guilty (Part 1) | Joy Davidson, Ph.D – In my experience as a sex therapist, I’ve found that one of the most common reasons women feel awkward in sexual situations is that they don’t know how to ask for pleasure without feeling that horrid, creeping sense of guilt, almost as if they are undeserving of erotic joy.
- The State of LGBT Health—Minus the “T” – The Sexist – Washington City Paper – This is the District’s first report to address the health of lesbians, gays, and bisexuals in the District. But as the report’s title makes clear, the transgender community has yet again been excluded from the official conversation on health.
Tagged as:
district+of+columbia,
femdom,
health,
media,
medicalization,
medicine,
pleasure,
research,
trafficking,
transgender,
women
- Facebook Users Like Sex | Mashable – As the chart below depicts, Facebook users are extremely fascinated with sex, as sex links are 90% more likely to be shared than other types of content. Links that are positive in nature and/or related to learning rank second and third in terms of shares, respectively.
- Amy Jo Goddard | CarnalNation – Abby Ehmann's profile of Amy Jo Goddard and her Women's Sexuality Empowerment Apprenticeship workshop.
- ya ya | Youth Activists – Youth Allies – The Ya-Ya Network is a citywide anti-racist, anti-sexist organization and allies with the LGBTQ community. Ya-Ya is staffed by young activists ages 15-19. We work with other youth, adult allies, youth programs & activist organizations. We help groups & individuals connect. We share information & resources & we support the work that other groups are doing. All to build a stronger voice for young people in the movement for social & economic justice.
- Mississippi school purges top student from yearbook for being lesbian – Boing Boing – Ceara Sturgis, a top student at Wesson Attendance Center in Mississipi, has been purged from the yearbook. She attended the school for 12 years, but she's also a lesbian, and so they made her an un-person.
- Transgender Controversy at Tribeca Film Fest – WNYC Culture – The Tribeca Film Festival lists the film Ticked Off Trannies With Knives as a "revenge fantasy flick that brews up a concoction of camp, slasher horror, and power-chick flick to create a radical new genre: Transploitation!"<br />
<br />
The film's director Israel Luna stated he intended the film to be empowering, members of New York's transgender community, along with GLAAD, certainly don't think so. They asked the film festival to pull the film from its lineup.
- Illinois’ teen sexting bill aims to educate, not criminalize | Ars Technica – Illinois is moving forward with legislation that would educate (and punish) teenagers who forward around nude images of their peers, but not treat them as sex offenders. The bill, which has moved to Governor Pat Quinn's desk for signature, aims to take a more modern and realistic approach to teens making stupid decisions, though the door is still open for harsher punishments if needed.
Tagged as:
Advocacy,
discrimination,
facebook,
lbgt,
legislation,
lesbian,
media,
movies,
nyc,
sex,
sexuality,
teen,
transgender,
women,
youth
Tagged as:
Blogging,
checklist,
erotica,
gay,
legislation,
media,
passwords,
plugins,
porn,
privacy,
security,
seo,
society,
tools,
Twitter,
video,
violet blue,
website,
wordpress
| 09/23/2009 |
| 6:15 PM | to | 8:15 PM |
WHERE: Michelson Theatre, Tisch School of the Arts, 721 Broadway, Room 648
Department of Cinema Studies
Tisch School of the Arts, New York University
A Film Studies Center Special Event
The world is awash in sexualized imagery, but that imagery rarely speaks to or captures the pleasurable reality of sex. Award-winning filmmaker Tony Comstock takes us into the legal and business realities that shape and often warp the sexual imagery we see. Drawing on examples from Hollywood’s history of self-censorship, landmark obscenity cases, and the collision of technology and image-making, Comstock offers an expanded framework for understanding of how what we do and do not see in cinema affects our understanding of our own sexuality
This event is FREE and open to the public.
Tagged as:
media,
movies,
nyc,
sex,
Tony Comstock,
video
Sarah Seltzer:
The last time a doctor was murdered in cold blood for providing abortion care to women, we were not in the digital age. While the pro-choice community in the 90s reacted to Dr. Bernard Slepian’s murder with the same outrage and hurt as it has this week to Dr. George Tiller’s, the Internet has provided us with tools that have enabled us to more effectively shape the discourse.
Yes, many TV shows and mainstream pundits (ahem! Chris Matthews and Will Saletan, popular offenders) have trotted out the expected all-male panels and high-minded philosophical musings in the wake of an unspeakable tragedy. But a strong counter movement calling the incident “terrorism” and pointing out the the far-right “pro-life” movement’s rampant hypocrisy has emerged online. We owe this to an engaged, savvy and active blogosphere and twittersphere of feminists that have been able to launch accurate, appropriate language into circulation and gather evidence that this assassination was part of a larger pattern of purposeful hate and intimidation.
Link
Tagged as:
abortion,
internet,
media
. . .On my way to meet her that Saturday, my mind wandered back over our long relationship. We were both about six when I received her as a gift one holiday morning. I loved her instantly, with her perfect, dancer’s figure, dainty feet, luscious red lips and coy expression. My affection for high-heeled mules persists to this day. So young and innocent then, who could have known we would both end up as Rorschach tests for society’s changing notions of femininity, alternately blamed for everything from anorexia to promiscuity and hailed as icons of sexual liberation. It’s not easy being blonde and from California.
More. . ..
Tagged as:
Barbie,
media,
Nina Hartley,
women
. . .Which isn’t to say there haven’t been noticeable changes, beginning in the late ’80s, when k.d. lang became an icon of lesbian chic. Nor is it to minimize the impact of ‘‘The L Word,’’ a tribute to the high testosterone level of gay babes, or to ignore hip same-sex Hollywood couples, like Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson. It is to say rather that Sapphic archetypes tend to raise questions more than answer them, since both categories (butch and femme) borrow from gender-influenced dichotomies of beauty. There have, that is, always been women known for a sort of arrant handsomeness — like Gertrude Stein, who always struck me as resembling no one so much as Hadrian VII— or for their arresting exoticism, like the painter Romaine Brooks. And then there are the gay women, known as ‘‘lipstick lesbians,’’ who look like any other pretty young thing. Indeed, the power of lipstick lesbians relies precisely on the fact that theirs is an exclusively inner ‘‘outing’’; outside they are all mascara, blush and, yes, lipstick. Their allure is in their ability to mimic the normative language of sexual discourse while at the same time poking it in the eye.
Well, look again. Lesbianism has finally come into a glamour of its own, an appeal that goes beyond butch and femme archetypes into a more universal seduction. Her name is Rachel Maddow, the polished-looking, self-declared gay newscaster who stares out from the MSNBC studio every weekday night and makes love to her audience.
.
Tagged as:
lesbian,
media,
Rachel Maddow
Posted at the request of Alana Lowe, who’s developing a documentary style, reality TV show for a major cable network about a group of friends, some of whom are part of the lifestyle:
Real swingers on TV?! The media portrays the lifestyle as a bunch of old, unattractive weirdos – but we all know the truth! I am developing a documentary-style reality series for a major cable network, that will open America’s eyes to what it really means to be in the lifestyle today.
I am looking for a group of friends that already exists, anywhere in the US, that includes some vanillas and some swingers, who are comfortable being ‘out’ about their lifestyle. Couples who go out and party, who hang out with their friends, who go out to dinner, who gossip about what happened last night, and, of course, who are sexy.
If this sounds like something you and your sweetheart are interested in or if you know anyone who might be, please pass this information along. Contact me for more information. alana DOT research AT gmail dot com. Credentials available upon request.
Tagged as:
media,
swinging
Gallery Carre
