Page 53 - AVN December 2015

2015’s SEX BUMMERS
On the surface, 2015 looks great. Our culture is moving towards equality on multiple
fronts, and people finally seem to understand that classic idiom “Live and Let Live
(as long as consent is involved).” But change up your search settings just slightly, and
you get a different picture—one that showcases little change to the cultural ground on
which our society is built.
2015 saw a staggeringly high of number of anti-abortion laws and restrictions,
highlighting major steps backwards for women’s reproductive rights. Voters rejected
an ordinance that would have established nondiscrimination protections in Houston,
Texas—the fourth largest city in the U.S. And the Mormon Church sharpened its stance
on homosexuality, now requiring children of gay parents to outwardly reject their fami-
lies in order to remain active members.
Our social world is not nearly as progressive as we may think. Here are a few more
sex bummers that occurred in 2015.
Hollywood’s Anti-Sex League
Though Amnesty International recommended
the decriminalization of sex work, a handful of
Hollywood leading ladies—some of whom have
played a sex worker in the movies—felt compelled to
object.
Why do we care? It’s easy to dismiss people who
fancy themselves experts simply because they’ve
engaged sex work-related narratives as part of their
creative processes, but this is not to be ignored.
Hollywood voices are very powerful. And our culture
tends to listen to them far more keenly than it does
to sex workers themselves.
Rentboy Raided and Routed
Started by 1997, Rentboy.com was a commercial
social networking site intended to connect sex
workers with potential clients. The site also
sponsored a number of community events including
parties, an annual awards show, and a “Love What
I Do” worker visibility campaign. In August, federal
agents from the Department of Homeland Security
and NYPD officers raided Rentboy’s headquarters
in New York. The site is currently seized, and legal
proceedings are pending.
Why do we care? Rentboy operated seamlessly for
almost 20 years, and then one day—blammo! The
feds’ calculated surprise attack of Rentboy is not
unique (recall the HotMovies raid of 2010), and it
could happen to any aspect of the adult business
operating in a legal gray area.
Mandatory Condoms in Porn (Part 84,000)
It’s starting to feel like that, right? Yet another
outlandish, misleading proposal from AIDS
Healthcare Foundation and another narrow save
by tireless efforts from the Free Speech Coalition.
It’s hard to keep paying attention … But the news
as of November 2015 should make everyone in
the adult industry join the united front. The most
recent iteration of the “mandatory condom” bill has
qualified for the 2016 ballot.
life’s short.
Why do we care? California voters get to vote
on workplace regulations that, in addition to
requiring performers to wear condoms, would
require producers to pay for vaccinations and
testing for STIs, among other stipulations.
California voters have proven before that
they are 1) easily misled and 2) apply civilian
understandings of private sex practice to
occupational sex work.
Life’s Short. Hack an Affair
In August, stolen customer information
from AshleyMadison.com was released to
the public. User account details and log-ins,
as well as seven years worth of credit card
information and other payment transaction
data, were all included in the data dump.
Why do we care? I love a good Hypocrites
Exposed! story as much as the next person
and truly enjoyed reading that conservative
politicians and businesspeople and that
Christian vlogger guy all enjoyed a little
action on the side. But what AshleyMadison
tells us about the quality of our culture is not
nearly as fun. Rather than considering the
interpersonal relationship issues that may be
at play when one partner decides to engage
in clandestine behaviors, society is still quick
to point the finger at porn and other adult
services.
RUNNING HOT
& COLD
Most things are both good and bad, hot and cold. Here
are a few stories that go both ways.
‘Female Viagra’ Approved by the FDA
Flibanserin (street name: Addyi) has been approved by the
federal drug agency for treatment of women’s hypoactive sexual
desire disorder (HSDD), a condition characterized by low sexual
desire.
Why do we care? Science is paying attention to (read: dollars are
getting spent on) women’s sexualities and desire! And certainly
“female Viagra” has the potential to help some women. But
rather than work in a localized manner akin to “male Viagra,”
Addyi manipulates brain chemistry, essentially treating HSDD
in a manner similar to a mood disorder. Presumptions about
what women should want from sex are overwhelming here. You
should be DTF, ladies—no matter why you’re not too into it
otherwise.
The Playboy Bunny Is Keeping Her Tail ON
After over 60 years, Playboy announced they will no longer
feature nudes in their magazine pictorials.
Why do we care? In a world overrun with easy access sexy
media, perhaps Playboy’s decision is attempting to change the
standards bar. People will read, hopefully, even without pictures
of celebrity boobs. But this decision also speaks to sex media
saturation. Where is the space in erotic imagery if even the
most legendary brand has had to pull out of the game?
Equal Internet Access, For Now
In late 2014, the United Kingdom passed a litany of production
regulations—from no spanking to no squirting—that would
severely limit sexual expression, particularly of women’s sexual
pleasure. Then recently, the European Union adopted rules
stating Internet service providers must treat all Internet traffic
“without discrimination, restriction, or interference,” regardless
of content.
Why do we care? Even though the U.K.’s production regulations
are disconcerting, the EU’s commitment to accessibility is
encouraging.
hack
an affair
>>>>
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