“The ability to distinguish between fiction and reality is, I think, an important indicator of sanity, perhaps the most important. And it looks like the Australian legal system has failed on that score.”

-Neil Gaiman (“The word ‘person’ included fictional or imaginary characters…”)

The world is becoming more dangerous for fiction. No, scratch that–more dangerous for ideas.

Australia, I’m talking about you. While those in adult industry production, and those involved in protecting sexual free speech, know Australia has never been a porn haven (although they do produce an awful lot of the best), this one made even my jaded activist jaw drop:

An Australian Supreme Court judge convicted a man of possessing child pornography. The images in question were stored on his hard drive: explicit cartoon images modeled after Bart, Lisa, and Maggie, child characters from long-running cartoon The Simpsons, apparently having sex with their parents (also cartoon characters). Google “free hentai” a few times and I’m sure you’ll come across the same type of image–I know I have.

This type of image–a parody–is actually considered protected fair use under U.S. copyright law. In this case it would probably also be at risk of being found obscene.

“If the persons were real, such depictions could never be permitted,” Justice Adams said in his judgment. “Their creation would constitute crimes at the very highest end of the criminal calendar.” Let’s back that one up. “If the persons were real.” I’d say that’s an important distinction.

If the persons were real, every episode of South Park would be considered a snuff film. If the persons were real, Homer Simpson would be guilty of child abuse. If the persons were real…

“But Justice Adams agreed with the magistrate, finding that while The Simpsons characters had hands with four fingers and their faces were ‘markedly and deliberately different to those of any possible human being,’ the mere fact that they were not realistic representations of human beings did not mean that they could not be considered people.”

(Did you catch that one? Everyone gets to be considered people nowadays; zygotes, Republicans, even cartoon characters. Everyone but those gosh darn sex workers.)

“Justice Adams said the purpose of the legislation was to stop sexual exploitation and child abuse where images are depicted of ‘real’ children.

However it was also to deter the production of other material, including cartoons, that could ‘fuel demand for material that does involve the abuse of children.’”

(“Simpsons rip-off is child porn: judge”)

Okay. Let’s put our niche porn marketing hats on here and shine the red light of reason upon this logic. Someone who is looking for cartoon photos of The Simpsons characters is probably not fueling the demand for genuine child porn that does involve the abuse of children. Shock-value cartoon porn simply doesn’t tend to cross over to the screams and pain of gory reality. Many–most I’ve talked to–viewers of cartoon porn and hentai prefer it because they’re trying to get away from the gray areas of gory reality. Let’s ignore, for a moment, the obvious slippery-slope leap of logic used here and assume, for a moment, that it’s possible for fiction to inspire its viewers to enact crimes portrayed therein.

“Wow, Bart is having sex with Marge! Hm, maybe I should coerce my nine-year-old son into sex. Or talk some guy or gal on the internet into sending me some pictures of their kid in the same situation.”

Let’s ignore the patently ridiculous nature of this idea…

“Carrie set a school on fire with her brain! That must mean it’s okay for me to use pyromania as a valid way to express my righteous rage against bullying and alienation.”

Let’s ignore the fact that repeat viewings of tentacle rape pornography have left me strangely unlikely to force an octopus into a nubile, big-eyed young woman’s hoo-hah. Or, to be more realistic: that repeat viewings of fictional depictions of cartoon violence and force–including sexual violence and force–still have not caused me to molest schoolgirls on the train, rape extremely tan blonde women at gunpoint, attempt to coerce my male friends into reluctant yet strangely arousing “forced” bisexuality… Okay, that last one I have attempted, but in all fairness I was buying the drinks.

As the good Mr. Gaiman says, sane people can distinguish between fiction and reality. They know what is appropriate in real life and what is only a thoroughly twisted fantasy.

“Dreaming permits each and every one of us to be quietly and safely insane every night of our lives.”

-Charles William Dement

I’m very lucky. I get paid to spin tales of my twisted fantasies. (Much like authors and artists, but with slightly more pay and slightly less social acceptability. It’s a tradeoff. Which begs the question–are all our attempts toward sex worker rights contributing to flooding of the market and erosion of stigma-inflated wages? I digress…) My id is healthy and well-exercised. It makes a difference. A properly (and safely) “fed” sadist is much nicer to be around.

Ideas and their fictional expression must never become illegal. We all need a place to be quietly and safely insane.

More on this censorship case (and related):

• “Put down that pencil, you’re under arrest…” (Renegade Evolution)
• “Can comics be pornography?” (Daisy’s Dead Air)
• “Why defend freedom of icky speech?” (Neil Gaiman’s Journal)

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Up Your Bum
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Things Every Man Should Own/Know/Hear
�??You can also give the controller to her, or use it yourself, and play with the power of the vibrations.�??

Mr. Sugasm Himself (one from the vaults)
The New York Times�?? Best Porn Articles

Editor�??s Choice
Feminist Carnival of Sexual Freedom and Autonomy #1

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See also: Fleshbot�??s Sex Blog Roundup each Tuesday and Friday.

(Sugasm participants should re-post all the links above within a week. The following links may be excluded as long as you include all the above links.)

Randy covers a remote sex worker’s bad night at work in a way that makes you wonder how many of his good friends have worked the lines. He deals with the whore-shaming double standard, the lovesick client, the long hours—and he shows it for what it is: a bad night at work. Anyone who’s ever worked customer service or done freelance work for clients can relate to the sentiments, if not the particulars.

Kudos to you again Randy. I’ve said it before privately and I’ll say it publicly: you’re damn good at what you do. Thank you.

(Of course, as a webcomic creator who bathes in caustic sarcasm, he’s turned the poison pen on sex workers a time or two. It wouldn’t be Something Positive if he didn’t insult everyone at some point. But I’ve been reading for years, and the overall thread is one that’s very sex-positive, and—and this heartens me—sex worker supportive. Sharp-eyed readers will also have caught his recent Isobel Wren Easter egg.)

Anyone else have any unexpected shows of sex worker support? I’d love to link to them here. Just shoot me an email at sabrina morgan at gmail dot com and I’ll give you credit or anonymity, your choice. Thanks!

In response to “Career Lessons from Eliott Spitzer�??s Call Girl, Ashley Dupre,” Sakoro writes:

The only problem with her career is that prostitutes tend to have much higher rates of depression and other mental health disorders. It sucks having to behave sexually for people you aren�??t attracted to and who probably don�??t respect you.

Penelope Trunk’s reply:

I am not sure it�??s fair to lump depression statistics of high end prostitutes and crack-addict prostitutes and everyone in between. Not really informative. And, as a side note, lawyers have a very high rate of depression and I think if you compared lawyers and prostitutes with similar yearly incomes, the lawyers might be more depressed, on average, than the prostitutes.

I�??m not saying prostitution is a great career choice, I�??m just saying that it�??s a complicated discussion.

And in response to the madam talking point:

Also, I want to point out that even as a supposedly self-employed business owner, I work for someone else �?? I mean, I have investors, and they will make a lot of money off of me (hopefully) for doing much less day-to-day work than I�??m doing. And I actually feel lucky to have the investors.

So (to Matt�??s point) it�??s not like the issues of prostitution are all completely unique to prostitution. [emphasis mine -Ed.]

She may not be much for nude modeling but it’s still nice to see a respected mainstream female career blogger sticking up for the agency of women to choose sex work. Thanks, Penelope.

Originally thought of by Dr. Annie Sprinkle and started by the Sex Workers Outreach Project USA in 2003 as a memorial and vigil for the victims of the Green River Killer in Seattle Washington, International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers has empowered workers from over 30 cities around the world to come together and organize against discrimination and remember victims of violence.

During the week of December 17, 2007, sex worker rights organizations will be staging actions and vigils to raise awareness about violence that is commonly committed against sex workers. The assault, battery, rape and murder of sex workers must end. Existing laws prevent sex workers from reporting violence. The stigma and discrimination that is perpetuated by prohibitionist laws has made violence against sex workers acceptable. Please join in drawing attention to this injustice around the world with the 5th annual International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers.

Please check out the new DEC 17 web site.

If you or your organization are holding an event, please email your info.

If your organization would like to help sponsor an event in your local area, please send your contact info.

Please go to the web site for Dr. Annie Sprinkle�??s �??10 Things You Can Do for International Day to end Violence Against Sex Workers.�??

We encourage participants to carry red umbrellas on December 17 as a symbol of international solidarity for sex workers�?? rights!

***Please post widely***

(source: Being Amber Rhea)

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Ride to the Cabin (http://eroticawriter.blogspot.com)
�??As he pulled into a dark lane that led into a grove of trees, I reached over to stroke him.�??

Mr. Sugasm Himself
Loveland (http://sugarbank.com)

Editor�??s Choice
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The bad news: For the past two years, conservative anti-porn organization Morality in Media had $150,000 in Congressional funding.

From the Morality in Media announcement list:

Dear Friend of Morality In Media,

You can�??t save the world if you can�??t pay the bills.

It�??s a sad truth. Many a fine project has disappeared into the dustbin of history because of a lack of funding.

And now Morality In Media is facing a financial crisis. The Congress has changed hands, and MIM has lost vital congressional funding for one of our most important projects.

Which means that, in months ahead, MIM will have to raise $150,000 from other sources to keep this project operating!

If you want us to keep up our battle against pornography, please click here to donate your most generous possible emergency contribution!

Let me explain how this happened.

You see, for the past two years, Congressional appropriations for the U.S. Department of Justice have included critical funding for MIM�??s obscenity-fighting website.

That website, www.obscenitycrimes.org, supplies vital information that federal investigators and U.S. Attorneys can use to investigate and prosecute internet obscenity.

I�??ve told you in the past of the important role this website plays in our nation�??s fight against internet obscenity.

In fact, since its inception, MIM�??s website has received over 60,000 reports of internet obscenity!

But we are now facing what is for us a major crisis.

You see, for the past two years MIM has received an annual grant of $150,000 for our website. That money was contained in an Appropriations Bill that was passed by Congress.

But, this past November, Congress changed hands.

And with the change in Congress, the Appropriations Committees changed. As a result, the 2007 Appropriations Bill contains no funding for MIM�??s obscenity-fighting project.

Yes, we can and will apply directly to the Justice Department for a new grant. But when we do so, we will be competing with thousands of other applicants.

MIM won�??t know for months whether we will get a new grant from Justice. But one thing is certain �?? THIS PROJECT SHOULD AND WILL CONTINUE IF WE CAN RAISE THE ADDITIONAL $150,000!

That�??s why I�??m writing you today with this appeal.

You know, fighting obscenity and indecency is tough work. But there are also great rewards.

And I want you to know that there is one reward that all of us at MIM find very encouraging.

It is the realization that so many Americans are willing to sacrifice to help us in our battle against pornography.

Yes, the generous and faithful support of Morality in Media�??s donors gives us great inspiration in our work.

But the job also has its hard parts. And today MIM is facing a potential deficit of $150,000. And today I am asking you to make a truly sacrificial gift to Morality In Media.
So here�??s what I�??m asking you to do…

First, we need your fervent prayers in support of our work. We simply couldn�??t survive without them.

Second, we need your most generous support possible, right now. I know from what MIM president Bob Peters tells me that MIM depends a great deal on gifts of between $100 and $1,000.

Some of our donors can make donations of much more than $1000. And others of very limited means give us $10 or $25, with their enthusiastic and prayerful support.

Can you help Morality In Media at this critical time?

Please click here to make a truly sacrificial contribution! Can you support our work with a $250 donation? I know it�??s a lot, but this situation is crucial.

Your critical donation today will assure that Morality In Media can continue its vital work to combat illegal obscenity and indecency in every facet of American life.

And let me assure you, with your indispensable help, we will continue that battle on all fronts.

In recent months, MIM lawyers submitted amicus briefs in two federal court cases involving the broadcast indecency law.

Both cases were filed by broadcast TV networks that are unhappy about specific indecency fines they received for polluting the public airwaves with vulgarity and nudity.

But the networks aren�??t just asking the courts to reverse the fines for specific programs. They are asking the courts to declare the broadcast indecency law unconstitutional!

And by suing in both New York and Philadelphia, they think they have a better chance of finding friendly judges.

Yes, these are critical battles, and MIM needs your most generous possible help to win them!

Thank you, and may God bless you.

Sincerely,

Christopher Manion
Vice President

If that lengthy fundraising letter has you fumbling for your wallet, I’m sure the Free Speech Coalition (adult entertainment advocacy group) will be more than happy to take your money.

You can find out more about Morality in Media through their official website and through ObscenityCrimes.org.

Today, March 9, is the last day to comment on the proposed .XXX domain extension.

• .XXX domains would cost $60 per URL per year
• The new extension would be voluntary, punishing businesses that choose to self-regulate and not addressing the vast majority of adult webmasters using .com, .net, or international extensions
• Defining adult content, commercial or noncommercial, is very subjective
• The extension would likely become mandatory or pseudo-mandatory through credit card processor regulations; this would financially penalize the adult industry in a way that no other industry is subject to as well as open the industry up for censorship

From the Free Speech Coalition:

It is imperative that ICANN hear from the industry in a BIG way! Please send an e-mail to ICANN and simply state �??I am in the adult entertainment industry and I oppose .XXX�??. If you are a webmaster, state that you are a webmaster in your e-mail as well as how many websites you manage.

E-mail your comments to: xxx-icm-agreement@icann.org.

Public comments can be viewed at: http://forum.icann.org/lists/xxx-icm-agreement/. Comments received on or before March 9, 2007 will be considered at the next scheduled Special Meeting of the ICANN Board.

“Oppose .XXX,” Free Speech Coalition

Act now and make your voice heard.

(Thanks to Madame for the reminder.)

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�??I walked out the door, saw a man standing there and almost puked.�??

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Playboy Soldiers (http://sugarbank.com)

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Sexy lace panties courtesy of How About Now?

Only one nomination per IP address (duplicates will be deleted). Make sure to include the blog site address (i.e.-http://your-site.com) in the ballot form.

The following categories are open for nomination:

• Best Overall Sex Blog (Any sex blog, by a man, a woman, a group, gay/lesbian, etc.) - Winner to appear with Meme on the radio and receive a copy of Rachel Kramer Bussel�??s new book �??Caught Looking: Erotic Tales of Voyeurs and Exhbitionists.�??
• Best Female Sex Blog (Limited to blogs written by a woman, that means she�??s gotta have a vagina)
• Best Male Sex Blog (Limited to blogs written by a man, yes, with a penis)
• Best Couple/Group Sex Blog (This can be a blog written by a couple or group, but has to have at least 2 writers - Not a blog about group sex) Winner to receive a 2 DVD set of The L Word, Season 4 (Catch the premiere on Showtime Jan. 7, 2007 at 10pm)
• Sexiest Sex Blogger (Based on pictures of the blog writer) Winner to receive a copy of �??The Ethical Slut: A Guide to Infinite Sexual Possibilities�??

If you’d like to submit Full Frontal Politics for nomination, please use http://fullfrontalpolitics.com/ as the address. Thank you!