It’s a new year, folks! It’s a new decade! Today there’s a full moon! And Uranus turns direct after years in retrograde. It’s four years today since David Bowie left this realm for another.
In other words…things are getting REAL. The earth is literally shaking, systems are collapsing, war is being mongered… Whew. Basically, it’s time to move onward and upward, so let’s take a look at some brand-new, refreshing, world-shaking links!
TQ V2: Dangerous Experiments—Cover Artist Needed
But first…I’m looking for a cover artist for the second volume of my mind-bending, badass, sex-positive, LGBTQ+, sci-fi, gonzo, feminist graphic novel, Tracy Queen! If you’re an artist who’s into all of the above and looking for a paid gig, hit me up! Or, if you know someone who checks off all those boxes, give them my info! Learn about Tracy and the graphic novel at her website, her Facebook page, or by reading Volume 1! Then message me on social media or send me an e-mail or comment on this blog post or, you know, just contact me. Send me a link to your portfolio, tell me some ideas you’ve got for a cover, and give me a few days to a week to make up my mind.
Okay! Now…on to the links!
The Fun Stuff
- I have found the single best ringing-in-the-new-year video of them all. One of my favorite sex-positive feminist badasses, Jacq the Stripper, counts down the Top 11 Human Sexuality Trends of 2019—ranging from the film Hustlers to Harry Styles’s bisexuality to Merriam-Webster embracing the nonbinary singular pronoun “they.” And she does it all while drinking champagne and riding a MotorBunny sex saddle. You’re welcome.
- I just really love this letter to men who think they want to be with a “strong, independent woman.” Basically, writes Dr. Jessica Taylor, think real hard about just what that means before you go for it. Keep in mind that independent women don’t need you, don’t want to fix you, have their own lives, and generally might not do for your ego what you hope they will. “If you truly are attracted to strong, independent women—nothing in this blog will offend you or make you uncomfortable. Remember that,” she writes.
The Political Stuff
- New data is backing up what sex workers and other data have been saying for years: Decriminalizing sex work seriously, fundamentally, drastically reduces violence against women. “As the data overwhelmingly suggest, full decriminalization makes sex work less dangerous. Public officials who want to reduce violence against women should embrace it,” writes Karl W. Smith, a former assistant professor of economics at the University of North Carolina and vice president for federal policy at the Tax Foundation.
- Meanwhile, a sex worker here in the US raised a huge amount of money for the Australian bushfires by sending nude photos to people who proved they’d made donatons. Kaylen Ward, a social media influencer and OnlyFans nude model, rebranded herself as “The Naked Philanthropist” when her Twitter post went viral. Of course, her effort was dogged by nay-saying, slut-shaming, leaks of her nudes, and other internet-shit-show favorites. But still. Girl did a lot of good. Numbers seem to vary from $300K to $3 million, but whatever the true tally is—it’s a lot more than you’ve raised to help Australia. The Australian wildfires are raging out of control for the fourth straight month, with millions of acres destroyed, dozens of human lives lost, and nearly a billion animals killed.
- (Speaking of raising money for Australia, my publishing company, Oneshi Press, is donating 50% of all profits from digital book sales this week to help relief efforts down there! Go buy Tracy Queen, V. 1 as a PDF and we’ll give half of your money to save some koalas!)
The Brain-Teasing Stuff
- There must be a thousand articles out there called something like “The Secret Life of a Professional Dominatrix.” But they seriously. Never. Stop. Being. Fascinating. Based on what I’ve read and the people I’ve known who have done this type of work, pro domming seems to be a window into the human condition and the souls of clients that I just cannot get enough of. This one, in PULP Mag, is written by Demeter deLune, and it’s a great read. A nibble: “This was not human trafficking. This was by choice. These were women who chose to go into a profession where they made the rules, provide a service that men were searching for, and allow themselves significant financial freedom in the process.
- And since we’re talking about power… Last but certainly not least, from Dr. Justin Lehmiller’s ever-brilliant blog: “Why Rough Sex is Arousing to So Many People.” There are a ton of great links and tidbits here, and a lot of food for thought, including the following: “When asked to compare their rough sex experiences to “typical sex,” men and women alike reported that it tended to be more arousing and that their orgasms were more intense.” Makes you think, doesn’t it?
Come back next month for more new links! And come back next week for a totally new blog post!
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