“I want to thank you for being athletic.”
-semi-regular client
Posted by Vixen as Quote Book at 10:50 PM CST
December 13th, 2008
Being In Shape
December 12th, 2008
Sex News Round Up
From the New York Times:
Bettie Page, Queen of Pinups, Dies at 85
“Bettie Page, a legendary pinup girl whose photographs in the nude, in bondage and in naughty-but-nice poses appeared in men’s magazines and private stashes across America in the 1950s and set the stage for the sexual revolution of the rebellious ’60s, died Thursday in Los Angeles. She was 85.
(snip)
In recent years, she had lived in Southern California on the proceeds of her revival. Occasionally, she gave interviews in her gentle Southern drawl, but largely stayed out of the public eye — and steadfastly refused to be photographed.
“I want to be remembered as I was when I was young and in my golden times,” she told The Los Angeles Times in 2006. “I want to be remembered as a woman who changed people’s perspectives concerning nudity in its natural form.””
Despite not wanting to be photographed in her old age there are some photos of Page. The one where she attended a Playboy anniversary party is my favorite. She looks cute and despite immersing herself in Bible study and Christianity she kept the hairstyle that helped make her famous.
—
From Salon:
Bush is back!
“Recently someone forwarded me an invitation to a cheeky Inauguration Day event called “Shave the Date.” As organizer Kristen Chase explains on her Web site, “Show your love for your country, and as you watch our new president take his oath and feel your satin undies against your smooth nether region, you can take pride in knowing you’ve rid your world of bush once and for all.”
Now, you’ll be hard-pressed to find anyone more eager than me to offer Junior a hearty farewell to wherever ex-president frat boys go. And the event is, indeed, a lovely act of unity. But I won’t be participating in this brilliant call to action. See, it ignores one thing: W. may be leaving the White House, but when it comes to our most private places, bush is back.
(snip)
These days, even Playboy — and it’s hard to find better experts on the matter — acknowledges a departure from a near-decade run of absolute clean living. Gary Cole, the Playboy photography director who has observed the region’s changing landscape since 1975, says, “It started [in the ’80s] with trimming and a landing strip, in part a reflection of the skimpier swimsuits. Then it went further to tiny patches, then to none at all. Now, the pendulum is swinging a little the other way.”"
As an all natural hippie I have a full bush. Often my older clients love this because they remember when women were furry. Younger men like it because it’s rare. So is 2009 going to become the year of public hair? CHANGE!
From Reuters:
Nude Virgin Mary cover prompts Playboy apology
“A nude model resembling the Virgin Mary on the cover of the Mexican edition of Playboy magazine, published only days before a major Mexican festival dedicated to the mother of Jesus, prompted the company’s U.S. headquarters on Friday to apologize.
The magazine, which hit newsstands on December 1 as ceremonies began leading to Friday’s pilgrimage to the Mexico City shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe, showed a model wearing nothing but a white cloth over her head and breasts.
(snip)
In a statement, Chicago-based Playboy Enterprises Inc said the Mexican edition of the magazine is published by a licensee, and the company did not approve or endorse the cover.”
Well that was a quick apology. I figured it would take a few more days of outrage to generate the apologetic press release. I don’t find it offensive though.
Most links didn’t have photos but I found two here.
—
From XBiz:
Hard2Find Videos Owner Sentenced to 33 Months for Obscenity
“Hard2Find Videos owner Loren Jay Adams today was sentenced to 33 months in prison for violating federal obscenity laws. Adams was convicted Sept. 30, in U.S. District Court in Martinsburg, W. Va., on six counts of transporting obscene material through the mail.
U.S. District Chief Judge John Bailey also ordered Adams to serve three years supervised release and to forfeit his domain name and all copies of the indicted movies.
(snip)
“Unfortunately, this case is another in a line of victories for the government in recent obscenity cases,” First Amendment lawyer Lawrence G. Walters told XBIZ after Adams’ conviction. “The nature of the content was not widely publicized, but apparently included some fisting material. That activity, on its own, has not been the focus of obscenity prosecution for a number of years now. However, West Virginia is generally a conservative Bible Belt area, so federal obscenity cases can be difficult to defend in that kind of jurisdiction. Since this case involved the mailing of DVDs, it does not appear that this conviction will be tremendously precedential for the adult Internet industry.” ”
Bah! I completely disagree with this conviction. If I ever have to do jury duty may the porn gods get me on an obscenity case.
—
Also from XBiz:
Right to Shoot Porn Upheld in N.H.
“The state Supreme Court has ruled that a former district court bailiff who offered a couple $50 an hour to videotape them having sex was not guilty of prostitution, because there was no evidence he was satisfying his own sexual pleasure.
The court ruled that the opposite finding would illegally criminalize the production of a sexually explicit but not obscene movie, which is protected as free speech under the state constitution.
(snip)
” “It seems like New Hampshire has their own Freeman case now,” adult industry attorney Michael Fattorosi told XBIZ. “It’s nice to see that civil liberties and rights are still important in New Hampshire. There’s a lot of people filming around the U.S., so this bodes well for people being prosecuted in other states for filming content.
“I’m sure this case will have a spillover effect to neighboring states and other states throughout the union,” he said.”
Let’s hope Fattorosi is right.
Posted by Vixen as News at 11:42 PM CST
December 11th, 2008
Sugasm #154
The best of this week’s blogs by the bloggers who blog them. Highlighting the top 3 posts as chosen by Sugasm participants. Want in Sugasm #155? Submit a link to your best post of the week by emailing me directly at radicalvixenatgmaildotcom Participants, repost the link list within a week and you’re all set.
This Week’s Picks
Watching
“My heart raced as I watched him stare at me, wondering if he knew I was awake. ”
Hot and Handy Part 2: Handjobs for the Ladies in Our Lives
“Getting her wet has two big benefits when it comes to getting her off.”
Sales Report
“I’m the only woman in the room.”
Sugasm Editor
Sex Work And Compassion: Death In A Client’s Family
Editor’s Choice
Crying
See also: Fleshbot’s Sex Blog Roundup each Tuesday and Friday.
Posted by Vixen as Sugasm at 9:29 PM CST
December 9th, 2008
DC Madam News
From Tampa Bay Online:
Judge: Public Can See, Not Publish ‘D.C. Madam’ Photos
“A judge ruled today that it’s OK for the public to see but not publish crime scene photos from the Tarpon Springs mobile park where the woman known as the “D.C. Madam” hanged herself.
“While the photographs are public record and should be able to be reviewed … they should not be able to be duplicated or published,” Circuit Judge Linda R. Allen said in her ruling.
The decision followed a hearing on a motion by the mother of Deborah Jeane Palfrey to prevent release of the photos to news organizations. Palfrey committed suicide May 1 in a shed at the Tarpon Springs mobile home park where her mother lived.”
(snip)
“Testifying earlier today, Palfrey said, “This is the last thing I can do for my daughter. Please don’t let these pictures get out in public.”
Allen instructed Tarpon Springs police to allow anyone who requests a viewing to see and touch the photos but not to copy, publish or broadcast them. They will be available once the investigation into the death is complete.”
I completely disagree with Judge Allen’s decision and the actions of Palfrey’s mother. From all my reading about Palfrey and from talking to her I get the impression that she would have wanted the public to see these photos. Repeatedly she said that if it appeared that she committed suicide then people should assume she was murdered. These photos could give important clues to her death so therefore they should be open for viewing and publishing.
In related DC Madam news the story below comes from WTOP News:
Prosecutors ‘quite anguished’ over D.C. Madam’s suicide
“For the first time, D.C.’s top prosecutor is talking about what went on behind the scenes before Deborah Jeane Palfrey’s trial and about the D.C. Madam’s eventual suicide.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeff Taylor spoke on WTOP’s Ask the Chief program Thursday.
He says he and other prosecutors wanted to settle the case before it went to trial. He says they tried to do so repeatedly, without success.
(snip)
Taylor says Palfrey’s suicide was a shock.
“Prosecutors in the office who handled the case were quite anguished about how that turned out. Nobody was happy with that result,” he said.
Asked by a listener why the men who used the escort service weren’t prosecuted, Taylor says it was a judgment call.
“That’s always a tough issue. It’s a judgment call. We try to do what’s right and what’s fair and exercise our discretion in a responsible way.”"
So it was fair to prosecute Palfrey but it wouldn’t be fair to prosecute the male clients? I don’t think so.
Posted by Vixen as News, Sex Workers at 11:20 PM CST
December 8th, 2008
Live Nude Girls Unite! Documentary
From Live Nude Girls Unite:
“This first person documentary follows Julia Query, lesbian/stand-up comedian/peepshow-stripper, and daughter of a feminist activist, on her raucous journey to help organize the only union of strippers in the United States. Shot on a variety of formats, Live Nude Girls Unite! weaves backstage and dancing footage with labor organizing, street protests, stand-up comedy and comic-book style “animation” making an intelligent and dramatic cutting-edge film.”
(snip)
“So begins a battle that rocks the sex industry with street protests, lock-outs, and confrontations. Then Julia gets a call from the producers of the First International Conference on Prostitution inviting her to both present about the union and perform her comedy routine. After accepting the invitation, Julia discovers that her mother, Dr. Joyce Wallace, well-known for her pioneering work with prostitutes and AIDS, is also scheduled to present at the conference. In an amazing and painful “coming out” sequence, Julia reveals to her mother that she is a sex-worker fighting to help sex workers, similar to her mother’s efforts to save street-working prostitutes. But Julia’s mother sees them as on the opposite sides of the sex war debates that have rocked the feminist movement for decades. While Dr. Wallace ardently speaks about the victimization of the women she helps, an equally impassioned Julia jokes that as a professional dominatrix she is working for social justice. But Julia’s joking around barely covers up the cracks occurring in the world around her. The union drive is far more difficult and complicated than imagined, spirits are low, and her mother, furious at Julia not only for being a stripper, but also for tainting her professional reputation with the stigma of a sex-worker daughter, is not speaking to her. Live Nude Girls UNITE! brings the parallel stories of unionizing and Julia’s relationship with her mother through to their poignant resolution.”
—
Mr. Radical and I recently watched Live Nude Girls Unite! This came out back in 2000 but I hadn’t heard about it until this year. If you haven’t seen this movie I highly recommend it.
After hearing about the working conditions I completely understand why they fought back. The women organized a day of protest at work that results in one of them getting fired. What did they do? They went on strike outside the club until the woman got her job back. The solidarity shown in those scenes got me all teared up.
During the strike the workers hold protest signs and chant protest slogans. My favorite was “Stripper rights are under attack! What do we do? Get dressed, fight back!” Another good one was “Two, four, six, eight, don’t come here to masturbate!”
The scene where Julia confesses to her mother that she’s a sex worker was very powerful. The scene feels tense, emotional and raw. My parents don’t know that I’m a sex worker so I completely understand why she wanted to stay closeted.
The film shows the strippers backstage getting dressed for work. I always get a kick watching sex workers transform into their work personas. It’s fun to see how a tattooed, pierced punk chick turns herself into an ‘all American/girl next door/centerfold’ type.
The film was very inspiring and really showed the power sex workers have when we stick together.
(And for the knitters out there-when the women are waiting in a negotiation room one of them is knitting a scarf. I recognized the pattern and have myself made a scarf using it.)
Posted by Vixen as Activism, Reviews, Sex Workers at 10:10 PM CST
December 7th, 2008
Funny And Sexy
December 5th, 2008
Stolen Sex Toys
From LoveHoney:
Thieves Steal LoveHoney’s Used Sex Toys
“If you live in Bath (where LoveHoney is based) and someone offers to sell you a cheap sex toy, don’t buy - we’ve had a load of used ones stolen.
The toys were stored in a locked external container, ready to be sent for recycling under our Rabbit Amnesty sex toy recycling scheme.
They were stolen at some point between Sunday 23 November and the morning of Monday 24 November 2008, and have an estimated retail value of £750.”
—
Stealing used sex toys? Eww. LoveHoney’s recycling program for sex toys is cool though. I blogged about it here.
December 4th, 2008
I Believe Him
“My addiction is calling you.”
-a regular who calls for long chunks of time
Posted by Vixen as Quote Book at 11:11 PM CST
December 3rd, 2008
Sex News Round Up
Ashley Dupre gave her first interview to Diane Sawyer. The video is Java so I can’t get a direct link to it. However, you can watch it by going to ABC News and searching for “Dupre”.
Bound, not Gagged live blogged the show. A comment on the post sums up my feelings:
“Yes, Karly, Ashley was working, and Diane was her client. Diane requested a special dress for her to wear, looking prim and proper. She wore it. And you can tell by the expressions on Diane’s face that she was REALLY enjoying her time with Ashley. It’s probably been a while since Diane role-played out her rescue-fetish, and Ashley did her very best. And you’ll notice that she would only go so far in doing this, that is, no “tearful breakdown/prostitution ruined me” thing. She’s a professional, and has boundaries.
I rather admire Ashley for this, in a way. But it doesn’t do anything for sex worker activism or sex worker rights.”
Diane Sawyer asked such judgemental questions. I wish a better reporter had interviewed her because I think Dupre has an interesting story. She just didn’t get a chance to share it.
—
From Express Buzz:
From the fringes to the mainstream
“Ashodaya, a trust formed by the sex workers, is trying to create a change in the lives of the people in this profession, and the way they are perceived by society.
They have started a restaurant — ‘Hotel Ashodaya’ — that is providing them an alternative source of income.
The hotel serves food prepared by the sex workers, who are trained in cooking.
“I have been trained to cook South Indian dishes. This restaurant has come as a blessing for us as we can earn our living with respect.
Initially, people were a little hesitant to visit the restaurant but now that they have realised that these are our efforts to come into the mainstream, we are getting more support,” said Prakash, a male sex worker.”
—
From Eyewitness News:
Homicide Victim Identified as Transgendered Person, Duanna Johnson
“Duanna Johnson was found shot to death in North Memphis, according to her lawyer.
Memphis police say it happened just before midnight at Hollywood near Staten Avenue, Sunday, November 9, 2008.
According to detectives, when officers arrived at the scene, they found the body lying in the street. Police say a witness heard gunfire and then saw three people running away from the scene. Investigators do not have any suspects at this time.”
From Memphis Flyer:
Transgender Beating Victim Found Dead in North Memphis
“Johnson was the victim of a Memphis police brutality case this summer when a video of former officer Bridges McRae beating her in a jail holding area was released to the media.
The video led to the eventual firing of McRae and Officer James Swain. It also led to the formation of a Stop Police Brutality Memphis, a coalition of human rights activists who lobbied the city council for more sensitivity training for Memphis Police officers.”
—
From the Los Angeles Times:
Bra for the boys an online bestseller in Japan
“Who said bras are only for women? A Japanese online lingerie retailer is selling bras for cross-dressing men and they’ve quickly become one of its most popular items.
Since launching two weeks ago on Rakuten, a major Japanese web shopping mall, the Wishroom shop has sold over 300 men’s bras for 2,800 yen ($30) each. The shop also stocks men’s panties, as well as lingerie for women.
(snip)
Wishroom Executive Director Akiko Okunomiya said she was surprised at the number of men who were looking for their inner woman.
“I think more and more men are becoming interested in bras. Since we launched the men’s bra, we’ve been getting feedback from customers saying ‘wow, we’d been waiting for this for such a long time’,” she said.”
Posted by Vixen as News at 10:14 PM CST
December 1st, 2008
World AIDS Day
From the World AIDS Campaign’s site:
“The 1st of December, World AIDS Day, is the day when individuals and organizations from around the world come together to bring attention to the global AIDS epidemic. 2008 marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day. Whilst we have come a long ways since 1988, there is still much more to be done.”
—
With all the bad sex education in school these days I wonder if there will be a spike in AIDS cases once the “abstinence only” generation starts having sex. Let’s hope not.