An economic analysis of the relationship between pre-marital sex and its destigmatization.

Study from the National Campaignt to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy finds unprecedented vast ignorance about reproduction and contraception among American youth. Thanks, abstinence-only and sex-negativity!

What an anti-teen sexting bill ought to look [...]]]> Happy post-Derby recuperation, and here’s a [very distilled] round-up from the interim.

An economic analysis of the relationship between pre-marital sex and its destigmatization.

Study from the National Campaignt to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy finds unprecedented vast ignorance about reproduction and contraception among American youth. Thanks, abstinence-only and sex-negativity!

What an anti-teen sexting bill ought to look like. Take heed, Kentucky legislators.

Advice to a twentysomething raised by sex-negative religious parents… who now feels terrible guilt about sex, even while married.

ROCK’s been endorsing this stupid effort by the Family Foundation of Kentucky to make all strippers keep distance from clients and wear pasties.

More investigation into the fundies with too much power in this country, from Rachel Maddow:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Well, what do you know? Strip clubs are safer than churches! At least in Australia.

Next Saturday is the day before Mother’s Day, and that means we ought to help EMW out. [And, you know, call our moms and such.] The protesters continue to get coverage, especially after anti-choice starlet Lila Rose leaked a heavily-edited two-year-old attack video about EMW. [See Planned Parenthood's response to such attacks here.]

Meanwhile, a ten-year-old Mexican girl is being refused an abortion. Maybe this will be the tipping point for Mexican abortion rights–we can only hope.

A woman live-tweeted her abortion.

Abortion and contraception aren’t new–they have a 4000 year history!

Pro-Choice Public Education Project: education about abortion-related SCOTUS cases.

Gallup finds that education “trumps” gender in predicting abortion rights support.

Now this is the sort of class homophobes can proudly claim: after a Mississippi lesbian student, Constance McMillen, asked to take her girlfriend to the prom [while dressed in a tux, *gasp*], the school canceled the whole prom. You can picture how much this pleased the rest of the students. After the school was forced to hold the prom, however, McMillen and her date and some disabled students were the only ones who attended. It was a decoy prom. The real prom had been held elsewhere, and kept secret from McMillen and the others.

Well, at least DC passed a resolution against the Uganda kill-the-gays bill.

More science shows that the Pill won’t kill us.

What does porn for women really look like?

A bunch of fundies got Morrison’s Song of Solomon banned from a school. ROCK frequently endorses this tactic–what did you read in school that someone objects to?

A cornucopia of climaxes: the language of orgasm.

Also, we’re updating, adding, and tweaking throughout the site. We’re also planning some new post features. Stay tuned!

Remember how no federal dollars can go to abortion? This includes military hospitals. More here.

Takes on the [necessary for the 60th vote] abortion clause in the healthcare bill from Feministe, Planned Parenthood’s Cecile Richards, Cynthia Nixon, and a participant in the National Day of Action opposing Stupak-Pitts. Unsurprisingly on all [...]]]> … and it’s a big one.

Remember how no federal dollars can go to abortion? This includes military hospitals. More here.

Takes on the [necessary for the 60th vote] abortion clause in the healthcare bill from Feministe, Planned Parenthood’s Cecile Richards, Cynthia Nixon, and a participant in the National Day of Action opposing Stupak-Pitts. Unsurprisingly on all fronts, the bill limits abortions where they are most common—red states. Speaking of red state nonsensicality, Chuck Norris thinks that if the Virgin Mary had abortion access, Jesus would have never been born. *headdesk* is about all we can say for that one. Also, what about healthcare reform’s impact on STI diagnosis?

And here’s a guide to discussing healthcare reform and reproductive rights. Updated guide here.

On the lie of “pro-life” and anti-choicers’ sensitive consciences.

Update on Oklahoma abortion rights. More here.

Hillary Clinton affirms US stance FOR reproductive health. Meanwhile, Spain is making progress. Lastly in the abortion section, something cool: a pro-choice license plate in Virginia!

Embarrassingly, Louisville’s Archbishop Kurtz is fighting hard against gay rights. Courier editorial here, letters to the editor here, and political cartoon here [all have comments, some of which are true reminders of the red state in which we live]. Meanwhile, more churches threaten to cut homeless charity to stand tall for homophobia. Disgusting.

The NY Times profiled the evangelical “big thinker”, Robert P. George. We’d feel bad for someone so sexually repressed if he weren’t working so hard to make sure everyone else is. George’s bullshit debunked here.

Happily, Mexico City is moving to legalize gay marriage, but elsewhere around the world gay rights continue to be horrifyingly nonexistent. Here’s a story about a Ugandan lesbian fighting back against the Kill the Gays Bill.

The awesome poster for season two of RuPaul’s drag race:

Did you know there’s a National Porn Sunday? We bet it was nice and sex-negative.

Dealing with porn in relationships, and from a feminist stance.

Fun: design NYC condom wrappers!

This week saw the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. More here. Over in India, a male movement seeks to save lady sex workers by marrying them.

A provocative church-sponsored ad in New Zealand.

Is sex addiction real? We tend to think anything in life can be abused, sex included, and real treatment gets at the underlying problem. Here’s the story of a man fresh from Dr. Drew’s sex rehab show.

A new study says sexting isn’t that common, while another says casual sex won’t ruin your life. Big surprise…

Fetish art objects, and ballistic duck penises. Duck genitals are more interesting than you think!

Lastly, something optimistic: we are making progress, and we’ll probably win the war… it’s just taking longer than we’d like, is all.

Here’s an interesting piece about biology, religion, and rights.

Over in Uganda, the fundie bigot who proposed the Kill [...]]]> It’s been a relatively good week for gay rights in the US: a gay marriage vote passed the DC Council, and Houston elected an openly gay mayor. In California, however, it’s big business to oppose gay rights.

Here’s an interesting piece about biology, religion, and rights.

Over in Uganda, the fundie bigot who proposed the Kill the Gays Bill promises not to back down about the death penalty. We can only hope the other Ugandan legislators will vote this travesty down. Ironically, in the midst of the controversy, they have passed a law banning female genital mutilation.

On the conflict of psychology, profits, and transgendered people.

Congress just passed a remarkably progressive and sane appropriations bill, which ends abstinence-only funding, allots money for sexual health research and teen pregnancy prevention, and improves abortion access, among other very good things. Also, the healthcare reform bill can do much good for sex ed.

Lois Capps [D-CA] responds to Stupak.

On the power of pro-choice men as allies.

Egypt is moving progressively on abortion.

Make love, not porn: a sex-positive site reminding people that porno sex isn’t all that realistic. You can email suggestions—go on, we all have our little porn gripes.

See classism, sexism, and sex-negativity intertwine here, where no one believes a prosititute would know what hypocrisy is. But, in happy sex work news, Nevada now allows male prostitutes.

A new study says casual sex doesn’t bother young people, but many young people have been left with misconceptions and ignorance after abstinence-only education. It’s worse than we feared, including widespread beliefs that birth control causes cancer.

Did you know adultery is still illegal in New Hampshire?

Unfortunate: vaginal gel does not block HIV.

Girl-bashing and its very real consequences.

Something fun indeed: Fleshbot’s top ten sex toys of 2009. I’m sure there are still some adult stores having xmas sales!

What is wrong with a country when beating women is more acceptable than men kissing men?

Destigmatizing female sexuality, and more on the problems with studying female desire. Meanwhile, this essay digs into “hookup culture” and related misogyny. And, really, vagina mints? Crap like this [...]]]> Your intrepid webmistress apologizes for the delay. And here we go.

What is wrong with a country when beating women is more acceptable than men kissing men?

Destigmatizing female sexuality, and more on the problems with studying female desire. Meanwhile, this essay digs into “hookup culture” and related misogyny. And, really, vagina mints? Crap like this wouldn’t make it to production if women hadn’t been made insecure about their genitals.

The Swedes have renamed the hymen the “vaginal corona.” Read more here.

Abortion in media: first, a new abortion “dramumentary” is out and it doesn’t seem so fair and balanced, and unfortunately, Lila Rose is lying on tape again [link is to a nice debunking].

Abortion news across the country and abroad: Dr. Carhart, now the only late-term abortion provider since Dr. Tiller’s murder, is now being targeted, abortion and emergency contraception access are improving in Europe, especially in Ireland. Our own Congress just ended an effort to permanently repeal the global gag rule. Let’s hope the 2012 President doesn’t reverse Obama’s executive order, huh? For the religious readers, here’s more on religious support for abortion rights.

Abortion and healthcare: first, awesome news! Nelson’s Senate amendment to ban insurance from covering abortions FAILED! [More on that amendment here, here, and here.] Now we just have to see that Stupak doesn’t get through when the healthcare bill goes back to the House. Sign a new petition here, and refresh your rage [and learn something about political action] here. Also, here’s some anti-choice stupidity shown for what it is and here’s more on the ever-present personal-is-political reality.

Let’s get to something a bit saucier: porn! Porn star Sasha Gray gives an interesting interview, Phillip Toledano documents phone sex workers, and sex workers consider their profession and feminism. Meanwhile, has porn has porn made men bad at sex? Does porn change men’s views of women? Are there any more porn virgins? [Depends on the porn, is our answer.] There’s drama in the Flynt family, and according to at least one escort, prosititutes save marriages. [We're going to say that depends on the marriage, too.]

In religious bigotry news, Baltimore fundies are getting time to present a case for hate in court [and other rabid fundies say condoms prevent the Rapture---just precious!]. Thankfully sane Christians are have put forth an Affirmation Declaration.

Here’s Rachel Maddow with more on the Kill the Gays Bill and “ex-gay therapy.”

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

[Transcript here.]

While international leaders and the Holy See condemned the bill, American fundies were reluctant to do so. [More here.] Perhaps most notable among the suddenly reticent fundies was Rick Warren, who tried to wash his hands of the matter despite being connected to it until he was, essentially, shamed into saying something. The bill may well have killed many, but after the outcry, the death penalty and life imprisonment clauses have been dropped. A victory, though, hilariously, in the new draft of the bill, Uganda will be offering ex-gay therapy.

This ties in neatly with The Family, by Jeff Sharlet. This book, a truly terrifying book, exposes the fundies in the thick of American politics and where the Jesus-and-capitalism brand of Christianity came from.

In good news, DC has okayed gay marriage! Unfortunately, New York did not. Cynthia Nixon responded to the defeat here, in a wonderful essay. Also wonderful is this helpful flowchart of the gay marriage debate.

Odds and ends: hot gay elf sex in a video game, on same sex schools for boys, and condom sabotage.

One of the arguments I hear most often used in defense of pornography, prostitution, and the [...]]]> … so we’re going to commence deconstructing the newest post by Bill Womack right now. (Not going to bother commenting directly on the ROCK blog after the last little go-round.) This little gem of refusing to think critically begins thus:

One of the arguments I hear most often used in defense of pornography, prostitution, and the sex industry is, “If adults want to do or view that stuff, what’s the big deal? Nobody’s getting hurt.” For folks who really believe that, there is a very sobering article from National Review Online that is worth a read. To summarize: Rhode Island decriminalized prostitution in 1980. In the ensuing decades (and especially in recent years) the state’s sex industry has flourished, but apparently at least in part due to human trafficking. Young women, and oftentimes teenage girls, are being coerced or lured into “Asian massage parlors” or strip clubs (which often double as brothels) and are enslaved into prostitution.

First, let’s be really, really clear, once again. No decent people, which includes PLENTY of sex-positive people and sex industry advocates, are okay with exploitation. Human trafficking is a horrible, horrible thing, and it’s a horrible person that trafficks a fellow human being. All clear? Good. Now, let’s note that Rhode Island decriminalized prostitution because prostitutes lobbied for the state to do so. Interesting, huh?

The National Review article continues essentially to say that prostitution needs to be illegalized, but never addresses how that will help or harm sex workers who’ve chosen the profession. Likewise, it never addresses that human trafficking is hard to prosecute everywhere in this country, in part because it’s a fairly recently recognized issue and because victims have such difficulty coming forward. What we need are strong laws that recognize trafficking as a crime. The article says that for laws against trafficking to work, there must be anti-prostitution laws too—why? The authors cite trafficking in RI as if it were obvious proof, ignoring or dismissing other interpretations or, really, nuanced thought on the matter.

Of course, the ACLU is arguing against illegalizing prostitution. Writes Womack:

… trafficking has become a political football being tossed back and forth between those who want more enforcement, and groups like the state ACLU chapter who oppose prostitution criminalization on “ideological grounds.” I’d really like to see an ACLU elitist try to explain “sex-positive values” and “the freedom to choose” to the bleeding, 16-year-old Boston girl mentioned in the article. Or her family.

“Enforcement” is a tricky word. Let’s be clear again: the ACLU works against human trafficking. Prostitution is illegal because of prudery, plain and simple; regulate it well, and it’s just another industry. And let’s remember that the world’s oldest profession will never go away. It may go underground, and heaven help anyone caught in it then. Same phenomenon as back-alley abortions.

Oh, and calling the ACLU elitist never gets old, I suppose. This is because the ACLU is run by educated people and works on behalf of minorities. Well, just to be clear (again!), sex-positive people, and I’m pretty sure the ACLU, would be horrified by what happened to the girl. Sex-positivity is NOT about approving of any form of sexual activity, it’s about removing the stigma from sex and sexuality. “The freedom to choose,” as Womack seems to mean here, refers to the choices consenting adults make. But that’s apparently more than ROCK can understand.

Moving on:

The Rhode Island story, while profoundly disturbing, is also instructive. I look at Rhode Island and I see Louisville and southern Indiana on a slippery slope towards that future several years ago… Thankfully, a group of concerned citizens finally said, “Enough!” and started asking questions. Why are these places allowed to run rampant? Why don’t they have to conform to zoning and health code ordinances like other businesses do? What can we do to restrain the deleterious effects of these establishments, such as reduced property values, increased ancillary crime such as racketeering, drug use, and prostitution?

… notice how Womack asks for proper regulation, which is actually all I’m—and the ACLU, and prostitutes, and victims of exploitation—are asking for? What ROCK actually wanted, and continues to work toward, however, is to remove the adult industry from town. Big difference, that. One goal acknowledges certain basic realities and tries to protect everyone involved; the other establishes a backward Puritanical precedent that ignores what’ll happen if the adult industry is forced underground.

Womack then gets saucy and asks, “Why aren’t more people aware of the causal connection between pornography and trafficking, rape, and other sex crimes?” and links this idiotic article by Janice Shaw Crouse, noted antifeminist fundie from Concerned Women for America. True to form, there’s no science and really pitiful logic abounds; Womack must not have noticed how scathing most of the comments are. Yet again, let us note that genuine science has never found a causal link between porn and abuse and that genuine science actually shows that porn may reduce rape.

There’s a bunch of praise-singing for ROCK before Womack concludes,

The only people having fun are the predators who line their pockets with the profits from objectified men, women, and children, broken families and compromised communities. In Louisville and southern Indiana, our eyes are wide open. As long as places like Theatair X exist and perpetuate their lies, ROCK and concern citizens will be here to debunk them.

Well, actually, it’s pretty obvious there have been loads of happy customers, and that most porn users aren’t addicts or abusers. The adult industry and its consumers aren’t inherently predatory, though ROCK doesn’t seem capable of grasping that.

And ROCK, please, really, do debunk something about sex, sexuality, or the adult industry. We’d still love to see it. Do you understand what debunking is? It’s when you use solid evidence to prove your point. You link to studies by real scientists, not ideologues. You have to be able to understand all aspects of the issue and be able to address them clearly and coherently. You use logic and sense, not scare tactics and disingenuous conflations.

I guess a real debunking probably is too much to ask.

(X-posted from The Reverie and the Reality.)