Howdy Lovers!
We’re going to act like this is the first week of February for the sake of my sanity and upload continuity 🫠. Hope ya’ll enjoyed your Valentine’s Day and have been beginning to (metaphorically) unthaw from your winter blues. The news this month is as grim as it is hopeful which means, it’s a regular day in the neighborhood. Nonetheless, I hope you leave this newsletter a little more informed and called to action! Either way, would love it for y’all to leave a comment on the HK newsletter so we can chat. Happy reading, and I have some pieces (for both tiers) coming soon!
We’re primed to lose Mifepristone which leaves over 53% percent of abortion seekers with limited options as it relates to abortion care.
Misoprostol only abortions have always been an option but have a lower efficacy, are more time intensive and typically are more strenuous on the body. Losing Mife is violent and will be a great blow to abortion access in hostile states, as well as “safe haven” states. The ability to choose whether to have, not have children and parent safely are the tenets of reproductive justice and should be what we strive for when combatting state sanctioned violence at the hands of legislative and judicial bodies impeding on our reproductive autonomy. Abortion today. Abortion tomorrow. Abortion forever.
You can read about the lawsuit causing this mess here
A card detailing medication abortion protocol can be found below 👇🏾
Japan raised their age of consent to 16, making a stride from the previous age of consent, 13. This comes after years of feminist and child advocacy related to filming of minors (particularly their underwear or genitals) and distribution of these materials. There’s an exception for parties over the age of 13 with age gaps of less than 5 years, which still poses major questions about grooming, exploitation and statutory rape. Either way, this is a step in the right direction and should prompt the aforementioned conversations. [This is also a good time to remind people that the US has no uniform age of consent and only 6 states explicitly ban child marriage in legislation, with the latest, Rhode Island & New York happening in 2021!]
Japan’s age of consent law info here
A compelling story and great info about the insidious complex of child marriage in the US here
Republicans are coming for your smut books too! As well as anatomy textbooks, wrestling arenas, and BREAST PUMP COMPANIES FOR SHOWING AREOLA! Which is what myself and other sex workers, educators and people with ears to the ground have been saying for years. After the success of the Roe overturn, there’s a concentrated effort to curtailed all mention of sex, its subcultures and participants if they don’t align with the goals of the cishetero christofacsist dream, which is… a lot of fucking people. Hallie Lieberman (my Buzz Queen!) wrote about it for Guardian & you should give it a read. I’m also shameless enough to remind the class this is why I urge folx to curtail their loudest criticisms of BDSM, sex work and porn because it manufactures consent for legislation that won't impact you today… but will tomorrow.
Hallie’s article is here
NBC News spoke to some sex workers, porn stars and sex educators about online censorship. Which I found fitting considering I’ve been having a lot of conversations about content suppression online and in these newsletters. One of my favorite IG accounts, [askasub] was permanently deleted recently despite trying her damndest to accommodate an internet landscape that becomes more hostile everyday to those of us in the business of sex, it’s labor and/or education. When having these conversations, it’s easy for many (civilians especially) to forget that visibility is a form of safety for many, particularly sex workers who otherwise resort to less controlled forms of SW with higher risk (primarily from the police state) such as full service, street work.
Despite camming, online subscription services, and porn being legal forms of sex work in the US… companies such as META, Visa, PayPal etc. are still allowed to practice punitive, discriminatory measures under the guise of “internet safety”. Measures that trickle down to educators, writers, and regular ole civilians which is all by design. I could go on about this all day (I’ll probably make a podcast episode when I find the time) but for now—
My guilty pleasure trash show about sex so bad it’s good is coming back baby! Sex/Life, the Netflix adaptation of a book “44 Chapters about 4 Men” centers Billie, a woman who should have it all… but just can’t stop thinking about that guy. There’s a love triangle, and flashbacks, and so much bad sex… I loved it. Fun fact: my rambly review of the show is my most listened to podcast episode 💀 so y’all know I can’t wait for March 2!
A lesbian mom in Oklahoma lost custody of her child to their sperm donor and it’s an early indicator of what a post Pavan or Obergefell world looks like as more anti-trans and queer bills make their way into state legislation.
Read the story here
Public Sex Education is under attack again, this time in the state of Maryland. A school board is under pressure by conservative bodies and parents to rewrite the sex ed curriculum against the states comprehensive sex ed guidelines, with things such as barrier methods used during oral, anal and vaginal sex being barred from discussion. It’s been curbed for now but as I stated last month when discussing Colorado & California, people have to stay engaged and vigilant in their local communities. Pop up to your school board meetings… this debate could be happening right now in your hometown!
You can read about it here
The Nordic Model [aka Partial Criminalization aka The Entrapment Model] harms sex workers, and that’s a topic of conversation in Spain right now. Their parliament is currently debating a law that would further criminalize sex work using the Nordic Model (which makes the purchase of services illegal thus placing legal onus on the “John”) as a guide. Despite an overwhelming amount of evidence proving the Nordic Model increases housing and financial insecurity, sexual violence and mortality for sex workers, it’s still parroted as a solution by anti sex work advocacy groups, clergy, NGO’s and governments alike. As countries like the US continue under a full criminalization model, South Africa takes strides towards decriminalization and Europe tries to find its place… sex workers are left to navigate troubled waters in a culture and system that promotes violence.
Read Spain on that fuckshit here
Pick up Revolting Prostitutes, one of my favorite books by Sex Workers about SW liberation and rights chock full of info on why the Nordic Model sucks as well as illuminating a path of self determination for the most marginalized!
It’s Black History Month! And I talked about Gosnell Duncan: the Black disabled icon who gave us the silicone dildo, medical grade silicone and the blueprint for the insertable vibrator on TikTok. Gonna just drop the link to the video below!
The only raw meat you need to be sampling is Beef Tartare! Nah, but in all seriousness, we’re in the middle of a syphilis and gonorrhea epidemic in part due to low condom use, body checking and infrequent STI testing. I’ve been on the soapbox about it a lot recently, (as in made a TikTok about it this week 💀) so I was glad Giddy wrote an article detailing how one can protect themselves better during oral sex. Sexual agency includes health and appropriate mitigation strategies should be implemented. Be as safe as possible out here!
That’s all for February! Keep an eye out for some other pieces dropping this month. I’m working on a lot, both for That Deep and my other project which I’ll discuss more as we head into spring cause it’ll require some help. As always, your eyes and input are appreciated and I hope you stick around for more.
Until next time,
Nia Òla 💛