And that fabulous picture? It’s by Sinead McCarthy, aka Baby Sinead, who was one of the Speak Up! participants in April.

The details:

Sex Worker Literati
Hosted by Audacia Ray & David Henry Sterry
at Happy Ending in New York City
First Thursday of the Month
FREE
Behind the bumps and the grinds, under the garters and the pasties, in between the booze fueled clients and the stiletto heels there is in the exchange of sex for money a power dynamic that opens a window into the soul. Sex Worker Literati features sex workers, former sex workers, and people with stories about the sex industry who will read, monologue, perform, and shimmy their ways into your hearts, minds, and naughty bits.

Happy Ending, 302 Broome St between Forsyth and Eldridge
First Thursday of Every Month
Doors at 7, Reading from 8-10. FREE.
Portion of proceeds from the bar supports sex workers rights groups

Very early this year, I got an email from an author whose work I’ve followed and respected for years – David Henry Sterry. I first became acquainted with his work when his memoir Chicken: Self Portrait of a Young Man for Rent debuted in the early aughties. When David emailed in January, he was in the process of putting together an anthology of writing by sex workers and asked if I’d be interested in contributing. So I revved up my personal essay writing engines and sat down to write something, and discovered that writing about a fucked up relationship opened wounds and healed others. I blogged about the writing process for this piece a bit in early February in a post called Fictions of Myself; the final piece is in print now: it’s called “The Hot Flush of Lust and Cash” and it’s about a highly dysfunctional relationship I had with a fellow sex worker several years ago. Yes, it’s lesbian hooker drama at its finest, and you can read it in the just-released anthology Hos, Hookers, Call Girls, and Rent Boys: Professionals Writing on Life, Love, Money, and Sex. If you’re a long time reader and are nostalgic about the raw emotional writing I used to do – check it out. And if you’re a newer reader who doesn’t know a whole lot about my history of sex work and relationships and you’re curious – check it out. I’m pretty proud of the piece, it’s really different from most of the writing I do these days, but a kind of writing I’d like to explore a bit more.

So David and I started talking because of the anthology. I went to a reading he did with Tracy Quan and Elizabeth Eaves in early February, where we chatted and I revealed that I’m a new media sex geek, and that has turned into me helping out with the online promotion of the anthology. We ate dinners, we talked loudly about inappropriate stuff in public places, we became friends and collaborators. I think this is going to be really really good. And so, that link up there, to the book’s website? That’s my doing.

I’m also starting to plan a blog tour for the book that will take place in late summer and early fall – drop me a line and let me know if you’re interested in reviewing/writing about the book or interviewing one of its contributors.

And if you’re in New York, I expect to see you on August 6th! We’ve got tons of cool stuff in store for the night! If you’re not in NYC, the website will have great goodies – excerpts from the book, web exclusives, plus videos of performers at the reading series and more.

Co-sponsored with Huffington Post.
Esther Perel, LMFT, Leonore Tiefer, PhD, Ian Kerner, PhD, Amy Sohn and Cory Silverberg
Click to register

Adultery, abortion, homosexuality, teen sexuality, abstinence campaigns, sex education, pornography and family values are all active items on the national political agenda. Despite living in a time of unprecedented sexual freedom in America, the practice of policing sexuality has continued unabated since the days of the Puritans and the profound national discomfort with sexuality is all around us. When we are taught that sex is dirty, but we should save it for the one we love, is it any surprise that so many couples become erotically alienated? How do the politics of sex enter the American bedroom?

Join some of the most bold and distinguished thinkers on sex in America in a thoughtful and provocative conversation about sex, pleasure, desire, eroticism, infidelity and monogamy.

AN EVENING SYMPOSIUM
Friday, February 20, 7:30pm
Members: $18 / Nonmembers: $20

Location: The Blood Center, 310 East 67th Street between 1st & 2nd Avenue

Esther Perel, LMFT, Couple and family therapist, is the author of the international bestseller Mating in Captivity: Unlocking Erotic Intelligence which took the 2009 Society for Sex Therapy and Research Consumer Award. Fluent in eight languages, Esther addresses audiences worldwide. She is a clinical instructor in the department of psychiatry NYU medical center.

Ian Kerner, PhD, is a sex therapist and best-selling author of numerous books, including She Comes First. His most recent book, Love in the Time of Colic, is a sex guide for new parents.

Leonore Tiefer, PhD, is associate clinical professor of psychiatry at NYU School of Medicine, has a private practice in clinical psychology and sex therapy, and has lectured wordwide. In 2000, she initiated a campaign to challenge the medicalization of women’s sexual problems

Amy Sohn was “Naked City” and “Mating” columnist for New York magazine for six years. She is the author of the novels Run Catch Kiss and My Old Man.

Cory Silverberg is a certified sexuality educator, author and the Sexuality Guide for About.com. He has facilitated many workshops across North America on subjects ranging from male sexuality and sex toys to feminist pornography and sex and technology.

On Friday night:

Come celebrate the fact that $pread is still alive and help us say goodbye to our outgoing Editor-in-Chief, Rachel Aimee.

WHAT? A dance party with free beer and snacks. Suggested donation $10 w/rsvp or $15 at the door–if there’s still space available! All proceeds go to supporting $pread’s outreach program. RSVP here or email spreadparty@gmail.com

WHEN? Friday, Dec. 5th, 9pm til late.

WHERE? 379 Washington Avenue, #5E, Brooklyn… 1 block from the G or 2 blocks from the C (Clinton/Washington).

WHY? Because you love to dance! And because $pread needs your support!

Don’t come to this event expecting to see me dancing. That is SO not happening. Public nudity, public speaking, and live television – I can do those all without breaking a sweat. But dancing? Hell no.

About a week ago I got an email from Jen Dziura with the subject “would you like to judge a male beauty pageant?” I immediately responded in the affirmative. People, if I’m not responding to your emails, maybe it’s your subject line. Or maybe it’s your inability to offer me hot men to ogle (NB: please do not send me dick pics, it will ruin my day).

Anyway, here are some further details:
In the Man-Pageant, eight contestants ranging from models to dancers to singers to boxers compete in runway and talent rounds, as well as a “Mr. Cuddly” round in which they wear boxer briefs and tight t-shirts and attempt to prove that they are the cuddliest. Teddy bears may be involved. There will be free foot massages for ladies.

Saturday, December 6, 2008
9:00pm
Madame X
94 West Houston Street in Soho, on the north side between LaGuardia & Thompson (directions)
$7
21+

This event also features pageant hosting by comedian Abbi Crutchfield and pageant judging by sex writer Twanna Hines, dating author Virginia Vitzthum, blogger Nichelle Stephens, sex writer Audacia Ray, comedy festival founder Desiree Burch, dating author and columnist Judy McGuire and former Playgirl art director Corinne Rochelle.

Respecting the confidentiality and protecting the identities of participants who wish to maintain a degree of anonymity will be a top priority at Sex 2.0.

I will be delivering the keynote talk for Sex 2.0 bright and early in the morning – at 9.15 (roughly) on the nose.

Other presenters include Regina Lynn, Melissa Gira, Rachel Kramer Bussel, Renegade Evolution, and many others!

When? April 12, 2008
Where? 1763~A Deviant Place of Decadence, 1763 Montreal Circle, Tucker, Ga., 30084 (directions)
How much? $50

REGISTRATION IS MANDATORY. We will not be taking any walk-up registrations at the door.

At Sex 2.0, everyone is a participant rather than a passive attendee. This is YOUR event!