Orgasm for Peace: December 21

Want to help promote peace, reduce global levels of violence, hatred and fear? Have an orgasm. More specifically, have an orgasm on December 21st.

According to a group of “scientists, engineers and artists” that coordinate the Global Consciousness Project, you too can bring peace to the earth by participating in the Global Orgasm for Peace. According to the group’s website, “by concentrating our thoughts before, during and after orgasm on peace and loving-kindness, the synergy of high orgasmic physical energy combined with the power of positive visualization could help reduce global levels of violence, hatred and fear.”

Apparently, the group can measure the uh-uh-outcomes and last year the correlations were subtle. They’re hoping for a much more satisfying climax this time around. Read about the so-called science.

This effort reminds me of a Politics Daily blog entry I read recently called “Saving the World One Pair of Panties at a Time.” It talked about T-shirts and “message panties” that bear pro-peace phrases such as “Stop Genocide” and promise profits to charity. “Fashion statements that promise political action with no more effort than getting dressed in the morning?”

At least with the global orgasm doesn’t require you to even get dressed.

Do I believe the answer to global violence is a miniscule raise in positive energy? Absolutely not. Do I believe it’s worth knocking boots the 21st? Ain’t nothing wrong with that.

Violet Blue Defines Erotica, Oprah November 2009

Oprah forged some new territory by providing an episode dedicated completely to women's take on porn and erotica. Lisa Ling went behind the scenes at a porn filming, Jenna Jameson appeared...View a couple of clips and a transcript online at Oprah.com

One of my fav editors, Violet Blue, appeared b/c she has written "The Smart Girl's Guide to Porn." Here's her take on the difference between porn and erotica:

"Porn is something that is a graphic sexual image that conjures up an animalistic reaction in you. You like it or you don't," she says. "Erotica also is graphic sexual imagery, but it has an extra component or several extra components that resonate with the viewer—be it artistic, be it passionate, be it something that emotionally engages you, be it something that parlays into a fantasy that you have about sexuality or the way that you relate to the people on screen."

Vampires Equal Sex

After months and months of defiance, my friend has finally convinced me to read the Twilight series, if only to provide her someone to talk about it with. I’m pushing it to the weekend.

However, it’s worth exploring our society’s most recent (and yet historical) obsession, mostly because vampires equal sex.

Why do we find vampires sexy? Read msnbc.com’s take on the topic.

Don’t feel like theorizing? Then just watch the sexiness. The Daily Beast put together a media gallery of the 16 sexiest vampires. Video clips and all. May I recommend the sex on the ceiling in number 10?

Great news!

exciting news! Just heard from Rachel Kramer Bussel that she plans to include one of my stories in her next print anthology, which will be published by Cleis Press. Cleis Press is the most reputable publisher in the field. Cleis has final say, so I'll know in March, but this is a very, good start!!

On Hiatus

I'm going on blog hiatus. Will be working on some new pieces, but disappearing from the blogosphere for awhile. Cheers!

Does Lack of Condom Use in Porn Encourage Unprotected Sex?

In July, an AIDS advocacy group filed complaints against 16 production companies that show unprotected sex in porn movies stating they would not stop until there is a policy of requiring condoms to be used in porn.

I found this statement from the foundation’s rep to be unnecessarily harsh: "Our elected officials and our government are treating the young people who are performing in these films as trash that don't deserve protection.”

To protect actors and actresses from disease, regulations already exist that require routine health and STD testing of all production company porn players.

Most porn fans that I know greatly dislike seeing condoms in their. I guess the question is: how much influence does pornography have on real-life sex practices of its viewers. A question with a complicated answer I would imagine.

Take this into consideration. In a 1996 Journal of Psychology and Human Sexuality study, 168 male and 149 female undergraduates enrolled in a psychology course were asked to read one of the following types of stories: erotic with condom placement described, erotic without condom use, or non-erotic with a model for discussing condoms. The men and women who read the non-erotic stories were most positive about condoms and reported the strongest intentions to use condoms in the future. These findings suggest that erotica is not necessary to produce positive attitudes toward condoms.

I wonder if studies with porn would produce similar results…

Spread Sex Virally. Safe Sex, That Is…

Apparently, Boston teens need to have protected sex and the public health system is using Facebook, YouTube and MTV to tell them that.

There has been a 70 percent increase in Chlamydia cases in Boston since 1999. Understanding that adolescents would rather hear from their peers than be told by some old woman about safe sex (sorry Sue Johanson), the Boston Public Health Commission held the “Get Reel: Check Yourself” contest. The winning PSA features teenagers in a classroom learning about condoms and other safe sex practices from a teen instructor. Teens can also interact on a Facebook page and ask questions anonymously.

On a side note: I was talking to a nurse a couple of months ago about weird baby names and she said that when she worked in labor and delivery, one of the mothers wanted to name her daughter Chlamydia because it sounded pretty. They strongly encouraged her to reconsider.

The Winning PSA

Women are Born to Steal Men? New Research Suggests that Woman are Subconsciously Drawn to Other Attached Men

New research out from the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology suggests that single seek attached men. The study shows that single women were significantly more interested in the male when he was attached. The researchers suggest that it may be because an attached man has demonstrated his ability to commit and in some ways his qualities have already been pre-screened by another woman.

You can add your comments to this story on a NY Times blog page.

How the Study was Done:
To investigate, the researchers quizzed male and female undergraduates — some involved in romantic relationships, some unattached — about their ideal romantic partner.
Next, each of the experimental subjects was told that he or she had been matched by a computer with a like-minded partner, and each was shown a photo of an attractive person of the opposite sex. (All the women saw the same photo, as did all the men.) Half of the subjects were told that their match was already romantically involved with someone else, while the other half were told that their match was unattached. Then the subjects were all asked how interested they were in their match.
To the men in the experiment, and to the women who were already in relationships, it didn’t make a significant difference whether their match was single or attached. But single women showed a distinct preference for mate poaching. When the man was described as unattached, 59 percent of the single women were interested in pursuing him. When that same man was described as being in a committed relationship, 90 percent were interested.

My Latest Piece: This Week's Fiction Cover Story at CleanSheets.com

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Eight Words and Phrases to Avoid in LGBT Communications

Check out this post to the “Out Front Blog,” a blog dedicated to stimulating discussion on gay and lesbian communication issues. Bryan Blaise suggests eight words and phrases that marketers and communicators should avoid using and why.

Read the whole post

• Lifestyle or “the gay lifestyle”
• Sexual preference or preference
• Choice, choose or “choose to be gay”
• Homosexual
• Alternative
• Tolerance
• Special rights
• Friend

Who is to lead sex talk now that Sue Johanson and Dr. Ruth have quieted?

In the 80’s, men and women seeking answers to common and outrageously personal sex questions knew to turn to the famed Dr. Ruth Westheimer, a “psychosexual therapist who helped to pioneer the field of media psychology with her radio program, Sexually Speaking, which began in September of 1980. Her popularity inspired parodies mocking her signature German accent, but her advice was yet valued and undeniable.

Dr. Ruth’s media monopoly faded away by the turn of the century and from 2002 to 2008, American viewers turned to the straight-talking, Canadian grandmother, Sue Johanson and her live phone-in show Talk Sex with Sue Johanson.

With both of these elderly educators shying away from their television, radio and web presences, where are we to turn?

A friend of mine suggested Dr. Drew Pinsky, longtime host of the radio call-in show “Love Line,” but Dr. Drew’s intended audience is much younger. According to the shows web site, it has the primary goal of “helping youth and young adults with relationship, sexuality and drug addiction problems.” Not to say that it isn’t important for adolescents to discuss the embarrassment of being caught having sex at school, but what about more “adult” questions.

To whom are we to turn to for sexual guidance? Who is our new fornication figurehead?

Here are some Sue and Dr. Ruth clips to remind us of times when sex educators were front and center.

This “buzzworthy” toy has gone mainstream and is sold at Wal-Mart?

A recent New York Times article revealed two “shocking truths” about vibrators.

One: that more than ever, men and women of the “mainstream” consider this “hummmdinger” of a sex toy to be part of a healthy sex life.

And two: that vibrators are sold at Wal-Mart!

First, to the less shocking point, number one: The article cites findings from an Indiana University study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine finding that fifty-three percent of women and nearly half of all men reporting used a vibrator. Eighty-one percent of women and 91 percent of men who’ve used one report having done so with a partner.

The Times writer then points out that in a 1974 edition of The Journal of Popular Culture, the vibrator was dismissed as a “masturbatory machine” for “sexually dysfunctional females.”

Now on to the more shocking revelation: The article also notes that “vibrators are now sold at Wal-Mart, 7-Eleven and CVS.”

Really?! Indeed, search for the term “vibrator” on Walmart.com and you’ll get Durex’s “Play” Waterproof vibrator. And yes, my friends, shoppers provided a 5-star rating and personal testimonies.

I find it interesting that this mega chain won’t sell music that contains profanity, but will sell a sex toy.

I think I’ve just found a reason to shop at Wal-Mart.