The Bilerico Project

Making Sense of Sex - A Fabulous Collaboration

Ricci Levy — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 16:00:00 -0500

Woodhull is pleased and excited to announce the launch of "MAKING SENSE OF SEX" - a series of interviews with experts in the sex industry, including performers, educators and activists.

These videos, to be aired weekly, have been created as part of the cinematic-theatre show, Sex Crimes Cabaret, which navigates amazing but true sexual legislation, taboos and history. The show is comprised of sketches, music segments, documentary pieces and random performance art fueled by carefully researched laws and their effects on people.

The documentary portion in the show only features short clips of these interviews. However, they proved so interesting that they have now spawned a series of complete conversations. MAKING SENSE OF SEX is now a separate collaboration between The Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance and Sex Crimes Cabaret.

We'll remind you to come back each week as a new interview is aired, and they'll be archived right on the Woodhull site!

As Woodhull envisions "a world that recognizes sexual freedom as the fundamental human right of all individuals" in their mission statement, Sex Crimes Cabaret sets out to increase awareness of this ideal via theatrical devices. Working together simply makes sense.

In a world where sexuality as a basic human right is deeply in question, the series often touches on "why is sex considered so dangerous?" especially when it's such a normal, biological function. Our experts share their perspectives in these candid talks and make sense of much of the confusion.

The interviewer, Diana Adams, is an attorney advocating for non-traditional families. In her New York practice as an LGBT lawyer mediator, she assists in the creation of stable intentional family agreements, and represents parents who are polyamorous, kinky or otherwise non-traditional in child custody disputes. She's a legal activist for alternatives to marriage and the rights of sexual minorities, and serves on the Advisory Council of the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance. As someone who specializes in sexual civil rights, she is especially suited for the task as our correspondent in the field.

The creator of Sex Crimes Cabaret is Gabrielle Penabaz, multi-media artist, writer and performer.

Don't forget to check back each week to see Diana's next guest!

The State of Sexual Freedom 2011

Ricci Levy — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 15:30:00 -0500

The Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance has just released The State of Sexual Freedom in the United States 2011 Report, an in-depth look at some of America's sexual freedom, health, politics, identity, and policy issues. The annual report is Woodhull's capstone project, and was released during a daylong conference on Sexual Freedom Day, September 23.

"America's discussions about sexuality tend to focus on its risks and alleged dangers rather than on its benefits, advantages or opportunities for growth, intimacy, and pleasure," asserts psychologist Dr. Marty Klein, one of the report's contributors. "Narratives that support the restriction of sexual rights, of course, undermine fundamental American freedoms - and are the ultimate targets of the work of the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance."

Contributors include some of America's best-known researchers, writers, activists, academics and legal experts. Reflecting Woodhull's mission to affirm sexual freedom as a fundamental human right, the report's chapters cover relationships and family; sexual speech; sexuality education; sexual health; and the freedom of sexual expression

We are living in a very fluid time for personal rights and liberties. A broad range of observers suggest that America is in the grip of a 'sex panic', not unusual when so many people are anxious about our country's direction and their own future. This report is intended to inform discussions about sexual freedom from statehouses to houses of worship to the house next door. It is a clarion call for vigilance against invasion into the intimate lives of all of us, regardless of political position.

(Full disclosure: I am the Executive Director of Woodhull.)

9/11: Ten Years After

Ricci Levy — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 16:00:00 -0500

Today we commemorate the 10th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001. It's a time to mourn the thousands of victims of that day's unfathomable violence and the millions around the globe who have suffered in its aftermath.

Children born in the aftermath of that nightmare day are now in middle school. Others, living lives without parents or siblings lost in the attacks, have reached what we define as adulthood. And for the empty spaces in each child's life, for the empty seats at the table in homes and for the lives of the families left behind - forever changed by that day - we mourn. We commemorate the suffering of these families and friends and their bravery in finding ways to go forward.

Today is a good time, too, to renew our commitment to the ongoing battle to secure the values of liberty, freedom and democracy that have been crushed in the response to the tragedy of 9/11. It is a time to declare our fundamental human rights and claim them again. It is a time to look back to the personal rights we had when 9/11 happened and to stop and look at the losses, beyond life itself, that are the aftermath of that tragic day. And it's time to look at the rights we've lost - not visibly in response to the day, like the right to personal choice about our health and our bodies, or the right to freedom of sexual speech and expression, but in the social climate created by fear and terrorism.

That's a climate where we find comfort in controlling whatever we can control; a response to discovering we are no longer safe and that there is nothing we can really do about that. And personal freedoms are the easiest thing to control.

Continue reading "9/11: Ten Years After"...

Florida's Sexting Bill: A More Measured Approach

Ricci Levy — Thu, 05 May 2011 15:00:00 -0500

While I don't believe sexting ought to be a crime in all instances, I am pleased to see that Florida is taking a more measured approach than most states. Florida's SB 888 creates the crime of "sexting", the transmission of sexually explicit pictures, often by cell phone. But this bill is different from legislation in other states because it imposes a series of rational penalties that increase with each occurrence, beginning with a fine and community service. In other states, penalties include registration on the sex offender registry, ruining young lives over a relatively innocent exchange of personal pictures.

In an unusual bipartisan effort, Senator Charlie Dean and Representative Joe Abruzzo worked together to pass this bill. Senator Dean is a retired Sheriff from Citrus County, Florida and a Republican. During my last trip to Tallahassee, where I was supporting the ACLU of FL by testifying against shackling of incarcerated pregnant women, I took the time to meet with the staff of Representative Abruzzo, a Democrat, to discuss this bill and ensure that there was no sex offender registry information included.

The passage of this bill is a big win for sexual freedom - recognizing that certain activities (like "sexting") are going to happen and if punishment has to happen (and that's a debate for another post), it's not a punishment that would ruin a young person's life.

Congratulations to Senator Dean and Representative Abruzzo and to all the individuals who helped to pass this bill. The bill has gone to Governor Rick Scott who can, of course, veto it, sign it, or let it become law without his signature.

I'll keep you posted. (imgsrc)

Woodhull: Stepping Up & Speaking Out with a Brand New Name!

Ricci Levy — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:30:00 -0500

Today is a big day for Woodhull as we put aside the name we've had since 2003 and adopt our new name - a name that better reflects who and what we are at Woodhull and the work that we do.

It is with great pride and excitement that we introduce you to the "new" Woodhull - the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance!

Our mission remains the same - to affirm sexual freedom as a fundamental human right. And now our new name says it loud and clear! Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance reflects our core values and our belief that embracing sexuality and sexual expression is a fundamental part of being human.

Continue reading "Woodhull: Stepping Up & Speaking Out with a Brand New Name!"...

Fixing the problem - not the blame

Ricci Levy — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 11:30:00 -0500

Enough. Seriously. Enough.

An insane young man walked into a store and attacked human beings. Each of the human beings, those wounded physically, those wounded emotionally, and those who died, are (and were) individuals with individual stories, but first - human beings.

This is an opportunity to stop the hate speech and inflammatory reporting but instead of any attempt in the blogosphere to do that what I'm reading is just as inflammatory as the speech being blamed for the shooting.

You don't teach a child that violence isn't the answer by beating them. You don't teach them that biting isn't tolerated by biting them to show them how it feels. That's kind of basic knowledge.

We can't screamingly point fingers at Sarah Palin and yell about how she caused it with her hate speech and gun sights because we're being just as inflammatory. Are our motives more pure than hers because we have righteous indignation?

Righteous indignation is dangerous. We've seen it recently lead to the murder of George Tiller by a man filled with righteous anger at Dr. Tiller's obstetrical practice that included abortion.

Continue reading "Fixing the problem - not the blame"...

Georgetown, symbols and the media

Ricci Levy — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:00:00 -0500

I'm sitting here shaking my head over the "situation" at Georgetown University. You know the one - it's been on the news cycle and in lots and lots of online media - about how the university covered up the symbol that represented the name of Jesus. [Here's Media Matters on the issue, contrasting with Fox News. -Ed.]

Here's my issue. How many people know what Obama said when he spoke at Georgetown? I had to actually Google the speech to find out because all I got from the media was the issue of the covered symbol.

I understand all about the 24/7 news cycle and how they have to fill air time. And I understood, under Bush, why people got so invested in minutia rather than the really big issues of the day. When you feel helpless and afraid it's not unusual to focus on something over which you can safely be upset. But now??

And what's our role in this? Is there anything we can do, as consumers, to alert the media that we want news of substance? Is the covered symbol really worth this much air time?

And before someone blasts me for this post in the context of some religious issue, I've already considered how I would feel if the symbol of my religion was covered. And my conclusion is that I would take a rational look at the situation and then make a decision about whether it was important enough to make an issue. I understand that Georgetown did this exact same thing last time a President spoke there - so - that takes me back to my original issue. What's the big deal?

So what's so wrong about a little bit of unpaid taxes?

Ricci Levy — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:30:00 -0500

I mean, clearly, this is not an usual situation. Lots of folks don't pay their taxes - or pay them, but not quite all of them - or even have liens against them for back taxes due for 16 years.

I have to admit that I'm feeling a little silly because I, personally, am not one of those people. I pay my taxes every single year. I'm never happy about it, but I do it. It always bothers me to see how much of my pay has gone to fund programs over which I have little to no control or wars for which I didn't vote and don't support. But still, I pay my taxes.

And now I'm feeling kind of silly that I've paid everything I owed every year.

Continue reading "So what's so wrong about a little bit of unpaid taxes?"...

Ak-scent-tu-ate the Positive

Ricci Levy — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:30:00 -0500

That phrase is from a (probably very) old song - "Accentuate the Positive," by Johnny Mercer. Well, that's what I feel like doing this morning from here in (really cold!) Denver at Creating Change. Yesterday when I arrived at the Denver airport, I followed the crowd to the escalators, moved with them onto the train, spent time scrolling through my blackberry and, finally, exited at that main terminal.

Looking around for where I should go to get a shuttle I came to a dead halt and suddenly was fully "in the moment." There - stretched across a large railing facing everyone getting off the train was a banner from Creating Change welcoming us and announcing the conference. US! Right there! Proud as anything and big as life!

Continue reading "Ak-scent-tu-ate the Positive "...

Activism and Change

Ricci Levy — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 10:00:00 -0500

A comment I wrote on AlterNet in response to a post about Obama's recovery plan got me started on a line of thought about how we approach advocacy and activism. I guess, since my flame-retardant garments are at the cleaners, that I should begin by saying "not all of us" and "no, I don't mean you!"

Continue reading "Activism and Change"...

Palin rumor that could cost Dems the election!

Ricci Levy — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 12:00:00 -0500

I was at a dinner last night with someone who has, in the past, had access to private information about candidates that later proved correct. This person shared with us that the devastating rumor is around Palin's statement of her official position on abortion.

[RUMOR] When Palin announces her official position it will be that she, personally, does not believe in abortion and believes, based on her faith (is this sounding like Biden's comment to anyone else?) that life begins at conception, but she does not believe that there should be any laws restricting the rights of other women to make their own decisions. [/RUMOR]

I bracketed that with the word RUMOR because that's just what it is - a RUMOR. But I wanted to share it so everyone else I know would feel as frightened as I.

Palin: A serious dose of reality

Ricci Levy — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:00:00 -0500

This morning I had one of those ah-ha moments that leaves you slightly ill and trembling as you confront a reality of which you were aware but had somehow managed to avoid.

In so many places, on lists and on blogs, from pundits to activists, a kind of celebration of Palin's candidacy as a gift from above for the Obama campaign. There is a special delight in her lack of experience. There are intelligent discussions of her possible ethics violation. There have been days of discussions of her family's decisions around her unmarried, pregnant 17 year old. All of these no-brainer "we win" discussions have had me nodding my head while holding my breath.

There's no question in my mind that choosing Palin was a serious mistake. I mean, what was he thinking? How could anyone put her up there a heartbeat away from that phone that could ring in the middle of the night? No brainer. Obama wins the election.

Until this morning and a phone call from someone close to me....

Continue reading "Palin: A serious dose of reality"...

Palin and the GOP: Making the accidental case for sex ed

Ricci Levy — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 09:00:00 -0500

I am following all of the rumors about Palin's daughter being the real birth mother of Trig, followed by the release of information that her 17 year old unmarried daughter, Bristol, is pregnant.

McCain's own staff said they released this information in an effort to stop the rumors about the baby, Trig, being Bristol's.

Enter - comprehensive sexuality education that would have taught those folks that having one child doesn't preclude having another, and that lots of women get pregnant when their first child is only three or four months old.

But it seems to me that this is all family stuff, not the meat of a political campaign when we have so very much on the line politically. If Palin did lie to protect her daughter from a scandal, it wasn't when she was a candidate for VP and it has little to do with her qualifications (or lack thereof) for that position.

Continue reading "Palin and the GOP: Making the accidental case for sex ed"...

Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get you!

Ricci Levy — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 16:30:00 -0500

...but it also doesn't necessarily mean they are.

It's not always about the fact that we're gay or lesbian, into bdsm, too fat or too thin, heterosexual, gender neutral, gender queer, two-spirit, transgendered, a cross-dresser, a person of color, etc., etc.

I know someone who is x. They are rude, angry, miserable and aggressive in their insistence that no one likes them because they are x. It is this person's firm belief - their absolute 100% insistence too - that no one wants to be with them, listen to them, act on whatever they want done, not because of them as a person but, rather, because they are x.

I think that there is often a fine-line we have to walk when we cry "foul" over behavior or media coverage (or lack thereof). Sometimes we're simply not a likable person. Sometimes our behavior makes us someone others might want to avoid. Sometimes someone doesn't want to be with us not because we're x, y or z but, rather, because they simply don't like us.

Continue reading "Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get you!"...

How these things happen...

Ricci Levy — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 13:30:00 -0500

This is not from one article but, rather, a series of articles. It's a perfect illustration of how the radical right will seize on something (anything!) and, with no research, without even reading the readily available facts, make it into an issue to "prove" their rhetoric in some way.

An article appeared yesterday in the paper: Gay Sets U.S. Record in 100 Meter Dash at U.S. Olympic Trials

Tyson Gay set a new U.S. record in the 100 meters at the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials, beating Maurice Green's nine-year-old mark by .02 seconds.

Gay, the defending world champion in the 100 and 200 meters, covered the distance in 9.77 seconds at the trials in Eugene, Oregon

A "pro family" group titled the AP version of the news on their site: "Homosexual eases into 100 final at Olympic trials"

Continue reading "How these things happen..."...