Sex In The Public Square - Comments

a quick note on the pinking of things

Elizabeth — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:27:46 -0700

I think I should say up front that I am not generally a supporter of the "buy this product to contribute to cause X" approach to research or activism, and I think that in the case of breast cancer the "pinking" of so many companies that may in fact sell products that detract from women's health is especially problematic. But, I do not think that Candida Royale's Natural Contours company falls in that category. Candida has been supporting women's sexual health for a long time and that she is making a contribution of profits to breast cancer research is very much in line with her overall woman-centered approach to so many things. I do not think that purchasing a product is the best way to contribute to a cause, and I think we tend to over-consume as it is. But if you were in the market for a vibrator anyway.... ;)

Sold!

outis1970 — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 00:01:15 -0700

Well, all right then! Hard to resist your sales pitch.

Give it time

Spaced Out — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 22:19:35 -0700

Someday we will be so overpopulated they will be giving them out like Smarties at an Easter egg hunt.

I was totally unaware of

Diva — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 05:31:43 -0700

I was totally unaware of these types of issues until I set up the Paypal account for the NYC Sex Bloggers Calendar recently. Within a few days of doing that I received a phone call from Paypal questioning what exactly it was we were selling all because of the word "Sex" that was both in the title and our email address.

I then found myself defending what was in our calendar to Paypal thinking how our poses would be less revealing than the annual Sports Illustrated calendar has. All of this only because I had put the word sex in there. To me that seems a little over the top when just using that word triggers that type of reaction from Paypal.

Oh you won't be disappointed....

Elizabeth — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 19:36:10 -0700

Outis, I have seen my proofs. I have sneaked a peek at the proofs of a few other bloggers (well, okay, it wasn't so sneaky - we were helping each other decide). Let me say that you need several new calendars. You need calendars for you and for each and every one of your friends. These are not to be missed. Not only are the bloggers stunning but the photographer is amazingly skilled and we all look better for the incredible talents of our stylists. They are all thanked above, but further kudos can't hurt, right? They were:

Stacie Joy, photographer

Danny K, hair stylist

Stormy, aka Jo Boy, makeup artist (username: mkp2418 email service: yahoo)

Jezebel Express, burlesque stylist and prop mistress extraordinaire

darren Mayhem, photographer's assistant (and man did she keep things moving!)

and Kenball from the Slipper Room who kept us all in line and made sure we had lights and music and no intruders :)

Outis1970, yes, you need this calendar. Trust me.

;)

Elizabeth

now this is excellent news

outis1970 — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:16:09 -0700

I'll be needing a new calendar anyway.

Government funding for poor research?

Elizabeth — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 15:16:32 -0700

Another issue, aside from the poor quality of the research and the over-reaching of the write-up is that in this case the sponsor of the research, The Poppy Project, gets its funding from the Office of Criminal Justice. If government funds are going to pay for research then the public ought to be assured that the research is carefully reviewed for ethics and methodology before it is conducted.

Sexies

Lolita — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:28:55 -0700

We're still looking for voluinteers. So if anybody wants to help for only an hour, we can give free admission and a guaranteed goodie bag. Email wrightnyc at aol dot com

Just Wow.

Lou FCD — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 11:10:45 -0700

I so can't wait. That's quite a teaser there, Elizabeth...

proofs

Elizabeth — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:24:00 -0700

This will sound ridiculous to those who know me in my non-glamourous-everyday-life self: OMG!! I just saw the proofs and I am SO excited about the photos and the calendar and is that really me in those shots?!? :) Even more kudos to Stormy, Danny K, Jezebel Express, Stacie Joy and darren Mayhem. I wouldn't believe it was me if I hadn't been there myself!

Exciting

Elizabeth — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 17:44:14 -0700

Mina, Amber, Ellie, thank you so much for your enthusiasm! I think it's going to be a gorgeous calendar and I'm incredibly excited to be a part of it. Not only was it flattering to be included and fun to dress up but I feel like I peeled away a layer covering up a part of myself that I barely knew existed. The public affirmation of that is wonderful. Can't wait to see the results!

Awesome!

Ellie — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 06:52:42 -0700

It was so great reading your version of this, Elizabeth. What a wonderful day that you get to have immortalized!

This is such an exciting and

Amber Rhea — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 06:36:35 -0700

This is such an exciting and inspiring project. The preview photo you posted is great; can't wait to see the rest!

I love when this type of grassroots organizing happens and produces something really amazing.

You Rock. :)

MinaMeow — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 22:50:35 -0700

Simply put, you rock... I'm so excited for you! ;) I remember you telling me in your office about the tux- gosh, you were so excited about it. :) I can't wait to see the pics! I bet you looked simply stunning!

And I'm really glad you got to feel like the beautiful glamorous femme fatale... I can recall the first time I felt I was actually femme. I had been convinced I was butch. Ha. Little did I know... LOL

Secondary effects of sexually-oriented businesses

Elizabeth — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 08:33:39 -0700

The assertion that sex-oriented businesses are linked to such problems as property crime, drug dealing and other illegal activities is often made as support for isolating such businesses away from downtowns and high traffic areas. The problem with this strategy is that it is the isolation away from Main Streets and downtowns that facilitates the illegal activity that is used to justify their isolation. Examples of sexually oriented business that are integrated into neighborhoods and mainstream commercial districts do not in fact find such effects. In other words it is the isolation and not the sex that is the problem.

Strip clubs and sex clubs that serve alcohol may be associated with fighting and rowdiness and public nuisance offenses but that is also not a product of the sexual nature of the business. Rather it is typical of bars and clubs more broadly, especially those that attract large numbers of younger people who are more likely to fight than are older drinkers. Cluster enough such establishments together away from other kinds of businesses and of course you have a recipe for all kinds of trouble. Again, not because of the sex but because of the combination of alcohol and the isolation of the businesses away from where others are watching.

I've written at some length about this problem before. You can find some of that writing here and here.