They say that stories are the best way to teach about the past, present and future. It's in the sharing that we grow to understand each other better with hopefully, respect and compassion. A new podcast in San Francisco, This American Whore, is attempting to use stories to educate people about sex work who are outside of the sex worker and kink communities. Siouxsie Q is the host and also a sex worker, ally, and advocate. The idea came to Q after listening to Kevin Smith's audio book, Tough Sh*t: Life Advice from a Fat, Lazy Slob Who Did Good, where he told his audience to speak up if you have something to say.
See also:
The Sweet Spot: Prostitution and Prop 35
Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers Is More than Grief and Death
By Agnes Teesdale
I had titillating images of a prim Victorian gal when I first heard about figging, a now somewhat popular BDSM practice that involves ginger used as a buttplug. It's likely that the name evolved from the old practice of gingering ("to feague"): sticking some ginger up a horse's ass to make it hold up its tail. Popular legend claims that Victorians used this technique to punish unruly pupils, but it's probably just as likely that those endearing sex-freaks appreciated it for its kinkiness.
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BDSM on a Budget: Sex Toys You Can Make at Home
The Sweet Spot: A Death in the Family Unveils Massive BDSM Archive
Many of us have had the vivid nightmare of being taken. Imagine a knife is placed to your throat, or a gun is pushed to your back, and you are told to go wherever your captor wants to take you. For most people, the thought of being abducted is truly terrifying. But for others, being kidnapped in a safe, controlled way is a turn on. January Seraph, a professional dominatrix and expert on abduction play, provides this service to would-be abductees.
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Study: Porn Stars Have Higher Self-Esteem
For Sex Week, Yale University Has to Borrow Several San Franciscans
On the surface, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Super Diaper Baby don't have much in common (aside from the promise of adventure!). But both are on the list of commonly challenged books -- that is, books that people have attempted to ban or withhold from the general public. Also high on the list are the Harry Potter series, for witchcraft and reverse muggle discrimination, we think; Judy Blume's Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret; and pretty much every book you can think of that vaguely or explicitly alludes to sex.
See also:
50 Sheds of Grey -- not the kind of tool you imagine
S.F. Library's new privacy screens help you watch porn more discreetly
See Also:
- 2012 Folsom Street Fair Photos
- 2011 Folsom Street Fair Photos
- 2010 Folsom Street Fair Photos
- 2009 Folsom Street Fair Photos
- 2008 Folsom Street Fair Photos
Fit to be tied after a long week? Experience rope bondage opening night at San Francisco Erotic Art Exhibition 2. Have you forgotten how to play? Rediscover your inner freaky child with Good Vibrations' adult toy demo Saturday. Copious activities are spread out over the three-day event, with over 400 pieces of art definitely NSFW. Sculptor cum curator Peter Keresztury of Erotic Art Events commingles the work of 25 artists, including photography from Eugene Frankel's traditional nudes to the holography of Ronnie Olson, and paintings from heavy metal cover artist Lorenzo Sperlonga to The Kinky Coloring Book's James Courtney.
See also
*Our coverage of the provocative ASKEW Film and Performance Festival
*Our interview with the porn performer who started the syphilis outbreak
Long before Fifty Shades of Grey made it kosher to read BDSM lit on BART, Anne Rice wrote her own best-selling erotica trilogy. Based on the fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty, Rice's version of the story begins with Beauty awakened from her sleep by a sexual encounter and proceeds into three books' worth of explicit scenarios from there.
You've probably seen a parody or two (or six) of Fifty Shades of Grey, the erotic novel by E.L. James. If not, allow us to violate your ocular chastity with Gilbert Gottfried's (safe for work!) rendition:
A parody we didn't see coming, however, is the Twitter feed @50ShedsOfGrey, which combines BDSM and gardening (and trips to the dentist and Jenga).
