Feminist Carnival of Sexual Freedom and Autonomy & Other Upcoming Madness

I’m curating the Fourth Edition of the Feminist Carnival of Sexual Freedom and Autonomy, started by the lovely Caroline at Uncool. It will go live here on Waking Vixen on June 2nd. I have a list of posts I’m planning on including, but feel free to nominate posts of your own or someone else’s as well: dacia[at]wakingvixen.com. Please have your suggestions to me by midnight EST on Sunday, June 1.

The Third Edition is up at Jaded Hippy at the moment - have a look if you’re curious to see what kind of posts get included. There’s no specific theme, just the best and most interesting posts about feminism and sexuality that have gone up over the last few weeks.

Though I’ve been lying low a bit in terms of doing events and traveling, I’ve got a few interesting things coming up. This coming Tuesday, June 3rd, I’m going to be on a panel called “The Positive Side” – Changing Sex-worker stereotypes through art and expression.” Referencing the “American Stripper” series of photographs currently on exhibit at Peer Gallery, Panelists Charise Isis, Audacia Ray and Dahlia will discuss the ways in which sex workers are viewed by culture, art and media. It’s taking place at Peer Gallery, 526 W.26th St. Suite 209 at 6.30 pm, and it’s free. Even if you’re over hearing me talk about this stuff, Charise’s photos are well worth seeing - I’ve covered her work in $pread as well as on Fleshbot, and it’s really exceptional. To RSVP, email rsvp@peergallery.com. [Photo shown at left is Joie, Gelatin Silver Print, 60″x40″, edition of 3]

Later in June, I’m headed for Amsterdam to present the following talk:
Making Sex Media for a Radical Future at Pinched: sex, love, and countercultures at Paradiso in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Saturday, June 21, 2008.
There are only a handful of companies that own the vast majority of media outlets. These media outlets treat real discussions and information about sexuality with kid gloves. At the same time, they aggressively pursue salacious scandal material and reinforce norms and taboos. Companies that focus on sexuality, like porn companies, also tend to reinforce cultural norms - yet there is a growing contingent of individuals, companies, and art collectives who are breaking the boundaries of sex and gender through sex media production and play. In this talk Audacia Ray, who is a producer and curator of sex media herself, will give a tour to some of these projects as they exist online, on DVD, in print, and in art spaces. The talk asks the questions: how can we challenge mainstream media representations of sex and gender? Is the feminist approach to these topics key? Are commercialism, personal expression, and art at odds with one another? What tools and communities are needed to create alternative sexual media cultures?

For those in the Bay Area, an abbreviated version of The Bi Apple will be screening at the Frameline LGBTQ Film Festival as part of a bisexual short film program called Bi Request at 9.30 pm on June 25th.

The other cool thing I’m up to over the next six weeks is that I’m co-teaching a course, Human Sexuality, at Rutgers University in Newark. It’s pretty awesome so far - tonight is my first solo lecture, on Gender and Sexual Orientation.

Anyway, send me some posts for the Carnival!