Well, you guys, it’s been a week since we got a new president, and six days since the AVN Awards in Las Vegas. It’s been a weird ride so far and I am just not sure what to do with myself. I’m afraid for my country and for the rest of the world. Things look so gloomy right now. And there is SO MUCH to comb through, so many things all happening at once and in such a short span of time. It can feel really overwhelming. So I want to let you know that, if you’re also feeling blue, or smothered by what’s happening: You are not alone. It is not just acceptable to feel emotionally affected by what’s happening out there—it’s basically mandatory if you want to be a real human being. Because things are getting scary for immigrants, LGBTQ+ folks, people who can get pregnant around the world, environmentalists, scientists, journalists, those who need low-cost health care, indigenous people, minorities…the list goes on and on.
But there are also so many glimmers of sparkly hope from so many places that I’m fighting with myself to stay positive. And in that spirit, I’m presenting you with some links, some thoughts, and some tips on resistance.
- Bad news: Hugely popular kinky networking site FetLife has just slashed huge swathes of its content in an effort to keep its merchant accounts active. It’s no surprise that online payment processing presents a problem for the sexually oriented site, but the quiet and sudden removal of so much of the website—including groups, fetishes, and literally the entire backbone of the BDSM community—is astonishing. Together with the recent announcement that Kink.com is leaving the Armory in San Francisco, it seems that kink in America is under attack.
- Innnnteresting news for tech geeks: This may seem neither here nor there, but it’s fascinating. There’s a recent piece on sex robots from CBC that you should really check out.
- Thinky thoughts for history geeks: An Examination of Gender in Viking Age Scandinavia.
- I don’t know how many of you are aware of what’s happening with the GOP and porn right now, but to put quite a fine a point on it:
- Republicans across America seem to be dead set on further distracting us from important issues like our personal freedoms, the deterioration of democracy, the dismantling of the free press, the suppression of science, and the crumbling natural environment in favor of pointing and yelling at things that make them uncomfortable, like vaginas and now pornography, which the GOP has declared a “public health crisis” in its platform as of 2016.
- Six states have so far passed legislative resolutions in support of this idea, for some absurd reason, and the porn industry is taking notice.
- Even if you’re not a porn fan, take this movement very seriously, folks: Our First Amendment Freedoms are very much in play.
- Porn stars are pissed off about what’s happening in Washington and jessica drake, for one, is not keeping quiet about it. I love her.
- So let’s talk about resistance, folks. There is so much happening that is so bad that it can feel difficult to know which direction to turn in. Here are my thoughts:
- When you are able, attend direct actions like protests and sit-ins and marches. They send a message.
- If you’re not able to do these things, or if there aren’t any happening at the moment, contact your local government and the people who represent you in the House and the Senate.
- The best way to do this is to call. That’s scary, but it’s the most effective way to get yourself heard. Here is a cheat sheet for how to call a government official and make your thoughts known.
- If calling isn’t a great option for you, write a letter! Actual physical letters that you put in the mail may feel anachronistic, but they make a statement when they show up at your representative’s office: You took the time to write an original letter, print it, put in an envelope, address it, and pay money to mail it. You clearly give several shits about this issue.
- If you don’t have the time to write real letters, e-mail the crap out of people. I’ve been writing letters and e-mails to my representatives almost every day about pipelines, renewable energy, health insurance, reproductive rights, and so on. It takes a ton of time but it feels worth it. I may start posting some of my letters as open letters online so that people can use them as templates. I’ll keep you posted.
- Also? E-mail the White House. Every day. Tell them what you’re upset about. Do it in rational terms, in reasonable words. Be smart. Be un-argue-with-able.
- Also, can I just say how freaking amazing it was to watch the Women’s March unfold last weekend? I stayed home, sadly, due to a mid-day meeting and a lot of work looming over my head, but I kept my eye on the Interwebz and was so inspired to see millions of people standing up for what they believe in. And it made me feel so wonderful to know that they believe in justice for all of us.
- And, just for a chuckle: Bad Lip Reading did the inauguration. You need this.