In terms of gay rights, the 2012 election showed significant progress. In three states – Maryland, Maine, and Washington – citizens voted to allow gay marriage. Minnesota lagged a little behind, voting against a ban on gay marriage (which is not quite the same thing as legalizing it), but hey, progress is progress. Additionally, Tammy Baldwin is the first openly lesbian senator to serve in U.S. history, and Kyrsten Sinema is the first openly bi member of Congress. Hopefully more will follow in their footsteps. Continue Reading →
Sex In the News
Recent posts
Sarah Silverman Can Turn Your Mouth Into A Vulva
Sarah Silverman thinks that “being comfortable and vocal with your body” is a good thing – and I can’t say I disagree. Yet Silverman, who has never let ideas about “appropriateness” sway her, once again takes this comfort to the next level. Last week on Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Silverman shared her favorite new camera trick with the audience. Bound to entertain pubescent boys (and perhaps the occasional adult who dabbles in the “dirty”) for decades to come, the trick involves photographing someone’s mouth in such a way that it resembles a vulva. Check out the video for a full how-to: Sarah Silverman’s iPhone Vulva Craft (thanks to Gizmodo for the tip). Continue Reading →
2012 Election Results: Women’s Issues
The 2012 U.S. elections were important for a number of reasons. From a women’s issues perspective, one of the most significant occurrences was the election of 20 female senators to Congress, the most who have ever served. Also notable is the fact that of these female officials, one is Buddhist and another is Hindu (both are the first elected senators of their religion in the U.S.). Further, some of the most notorious rape-commenting Republicans (such as Todd Akin and Richard Mourdock) have been defeated in their races. From a feminist perspective, it’s wonderful that there are more elected female officials, representing more diverse women’s experiences, and that ignorant remarks about rape are not going unnoticed. Continue Reading →
Change is a Beautiful Thing
Change can be a beautiful thing. When I first met Liv, my partner, I couldn’t help but think he was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen. He’s tall, with soft blue eyes and the impish charm of a schoolboy, and dresses the part, too. He’s covered in some serious ink, and dons heavy, colorful stone gauges. Basically, he was my dream boi. Continue Reading →
MSP interviews Jason Ball, Activist and Gay Football Player
Australians will often tell overseas visitors that Aussie Rules Football, or simply ‘footy,’ is like a religion. It’s rare to find an Aussie who doesn’t passionately support an AFL (Australian Football League) team and team rivalries are deeply entrenched in family and footy culture alike. As with most sports, the professional teams are all male and reflect and reinforce traditional male gender roles. When I read that an Aussie Rules Football player – Jason Ball – had come out publicly as gay (the first ever to do so), I was thrilled to see how it would affect change in this traditional institution. Not only has he come out, he’s also become a passionate spokesperson for eliminating homophobia in the AFL. Continue Reading →
Confusion About Whether Pregnant Women Can Die
Republican Representative Joe Walsh has said that abortion is never necessary to save the life of a mother because “with modern technology and science, you can’t find one instance” of a pregnant woman dying. Um, no, sorry, that’s not the case. Medical advances have certainly aided women in surviving pregnancy and childbirth, but it’s not been an absolute triumph. For instance, The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have stated in this article: “Abortions are necessary in a number of circumstances to save the life of a woman or to preserve her health. Unfortunately, pregnancy is not a risk-free life event.” Continue Reading →
Kissing As Protest
Kissing is one of my favorite things ever. A good make out session can make me feel like a giggly teenager, with butterflies in my stomach and a smile on my face for the rest of the day. Kissing can have lots of positive effects, but I hadn’t ever thought of using kissing as a form of protest. Sure, I’ve heard of sit-ins, but a kiss-in? My friend Kelli sent me a link to an article about people participating in same sex kiss-ins to protest Chick-Fil-A. Continue Reading →
Colleges Should Support Male Sexual Violence Survivors
This Chronicle report advises universities to include men in their sexual violence support and prevention services, reasoning that sexual violence against men is often underreported, and that universities are obligated to provide safe environments for all their students. Due to the prevalence of worldwide sexual violence against men, and situations showing that discussing gender roles with boys helps them think outside ingrained sexist behaviors (such as those that sustain rape culture), it seems like directing sexual assault prevention messages at college men as well as women is the next logical step in campus safety programs. Continue Reading →
Wedding Season Reflection Part 1: The Power Vested in Us
This summer was an epic one for weddings. Many people I knew tied the knot this summer (including two of my favorite sex bloggers. Congrats, Jeana and Emily!). My partner and I attended six from May to September, and I thought I would share a few stories and lessons in the next few blog posts that I learned from the half-dozen ceremonies, receptions, and the one crazy carnival I experienced. Today I would like to contribute a story from one of my favorite wedding moments thus far. Continue Reading →
Reflections On Coming Out
October 11th was National Coming Out Day, which was established after the 1987 March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights. This celebration of identity is intended to promote equality, safety, and tolerance for all, regardless of sexual identity. People’s willingness to share their coming-out stories is a significant part of this movement. As someone who studies storytelling, I can tell you that stories are a powerful expression of the cultural and individual aspects of our identities. It makes sense that collecting coming-out stories would yield a great many insights about the commonalities of both oppression and acceptance. Continue Reading →