Hello, lovely people! As there is no regular CV meeting due to Spring Break, please come join us for a fabulous time at 7pm, at the Good Stuff Diner, 109 West 14th Street, between 6^th and 7^th Avenue. Food and company await.

There’s a FetLife event too.

A few of you have probably heard about KinkForAll, which is an event I’ve been doing some work on. The second NYC event is coming up on the 8^th of August, and I would love to see folks involved and/or attending, if you’re interested! The details follow.

KinkForAll is an ad-hoc informational unconference on sexuality for anyone and everyone. KinkForAll draws participants from an astounding range of sexuality-related communities. Anyone with the desire to learn or with something to contribute is welcome and invited to participate.

Vitals
======

What: The second no-limits sex-positive gender and sexuality unconference of New York City.
Why: To inspire a creative, interactive and open environment where everyone feels comfortable talking, learning, and being inspired by all kinds of sexuality.
When: August 8^th, 2009
Where: The LGBT Center, 208 West 13^th Street, New York.
Who: Everyone
How much: FREE (as in beer as well as freedom)

Details
=======

KinkForAll is an ad-hoc gathering born from the desire for people of the kink, queer, sex-positive and related communities to share and learn in an open environment. It is an intense event with discussions, presentations, and interaction from all participants.  (It is inspired by the BarCamp community.)

ANYONE WITH SOMETHING TO CONTRIBUTE OR WITH THE DESIRE TO LEARN IS WELCOME AND INVITED TO JOIN.  When you attend, be prepared to share with others. When you leave, be prepared to share it with the world.

A KinkForAll is a special kind of gathering because there are no spectators, only participants. Attendees must give a talk or a presentation, help with one, or otherwise volunteer/contribute in some way to support the event. This is called sharing and we like it. All presentations are scheduled the day they happen—there are no pre-scheduled presentations or keynote   addresses. The people present at the event will select the presentations they want to see.

Anyone can present, on any topic related to sexuality. You do not necessarily have to teach a new skill or idea. You might share an experience, review a product, or read a poem. The goal is to start a discussion, make connections, and exchange knowledge. Presentations promoting specific commercial products or companies are discouraged.

Learn more about what to expect at http://kinkforall.pbwiki.com/WhatToExpect

Learn more about the event guidelines at

Get Involved
============

We need your help in spreading the word. Please help by participating. Here’s how:

1. Get excited by reading the ideas on
http://kinkforall.pbwiki.com/KinkForAllNewYorkCity2
2. Add your name or handle to the list of participants
3. Join the mailing list and introduce yourself by emailing
kinkforall@googlegroups.com

Still have questions? Read the Frequently Asked Questions at
http://kinkforall.pbwiki.com/FrequentlyAskedQuestions

or email kinkforall@googlegroups.com for more details.

KinkForAll Online
==============

Participate online before the event at your favorite social networking web site:

Homepage: http://KinkForAll.org
Google: http://groups.google.com/group/kinkforall
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KinkForAll
Identica: http://identi.ca/kinkforall
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/KinkForAll/40066342762
Fetlife: http://fetlife.com/groups/2962

All primary organizational efforts are being coordinated via the mailing list. Join for free and help turn ideas into realities!

http://groups.google.com/group/kinkforall

Tonight, TES is hosting Sluttress’s explanations of the ins and outs of safe needleplay for beginners:

Do you have a fear of needles? Blood? Pointy things? Or do you watch intently when you have blood drawn? This 101 class will help you to better utilize the sub-dermal insertions of needles. Learn “hands on” how to utilize various needle techniques for pain as well as pleasure. Learn how to make beautiful designs and art work like corsets, wings, flowers and more with needles and other supplies. Imaginations are encouraged.

Members $4; Non-Members $8

When:  Tue Jul 14 7:30pm – Tue Jul 14 11pm

Where: 260 W 36^th, 3^rd Floor, at TES

This Sunday, I will be teaching a class on Stone Sex and Kink at Instigate NYC, a new Queer/Trans Led, Anti Racist, Anti Classist, Pro Pervert BDSM/Sex/Kink Infoshare.  I taught this class at The Floating World 2008, and it got some of the highest reviews by attendees.  I love teaching this class, partly because it is geared toward queer communities, and because it offers a unique take on an identity that is central for me. For more info on the class, check out the discussion on FetLife:

Stone Sex and Kink, July 19, 5PM at The Center (208 W 13^th Street):

Many queers (particularly transfolks and dykes) identify as stone, and mean many different things by it. Stone is often characterized as an absence, a loss, a wall. This interactive workshop/discussion focuses on the challenges and the pleasures of stone sexuality, while honoring the complexities that we may bring to stone identities, bodies, genders, emotions, and sexualities.

You may remember me from classes I’ve taught at CV, including: Strategies for Upping Your Mean Factor, Relationship Negotiation, Gender Play, and Your Secret Map to the World of Kink Ethics.

I love teaching at CV partly because of the openness, enthusiasm and engagement you all bring; I’d love to have your participation in this class, and hope to see you there on Sunday!

Corey

2009 Grand Marshals: Dustin Lance Black, Cleve Jones, Ann Kronenberg & Hon. NYS Gov. David Paterson

Route: 52nd & 5th avenue, down Fifth Avenue, ending at Greenwich Avenue

The March began as an annual civil rights demonstration beginning the year after the Stonewall Riots in 1970. Over the years its purpose has broadened to include recognition of the fight against AIDS and to remember those we have lost to the illness, violence and neglect. It has also evolved to include being a celebration of our lives and our community.

To watch the March step-off you should be in the 50s or upper 40s on 5th Avenue. For larger crowds and high energy, anywhere in the village is ideal. For smaller crowds, many enjoy watching in the 30s, 20s, and teens on 5th Avenue.

This event is free and open to the public. No tickets are necessary. More info here.

The new location for the Suspension party on Saturday, June 27 is: 37 West 26^th Street, between 5^th and 6^th Ave. Spread the word!

10 PM – 4 AM with an After party from 3 AM to 7 AM

This venue is a theatre with no alcohol being sold or served. BYOB permitted. We will have a non alcoholic bar for your mixing pleasure. You just supply the booze we got the rest. This is a positive sexy event with freedom and self expression being applauded. Support the gig: Creatively dressed individuals, fetish or formal wear, women or men $20.00 per person. For those dressed mundane as in all black street cloths $40.00. Jeans and sneakers not allowed at any price. After party additional cost is $5.00 to $15.00 (in all black.)

Full play equipment for all to use: 15 suspension points, multiple spanking stations, crosses, bondage beds, cages, lazy bondage ottomans, and benches. All for your enjoyment. Tonight we go for the world record of bondage suspensions. At exactly 1 AM all riggers in attendance will lift their subjects at the same time. The result will be an exciting new world’s record. Riggers please bring your rope rings and subject to participate in this unique opportunity.

If you’re of legal drinking age, then an event you don’t want to miss is the 26^th Annual Leather Pride Night (LPN) Auction and charity benefit party. Tickets for Leather Pride Night are $15 in advance, and $20 at the door; see the announcement, crossposted from various sources, that follows for details:

The 26^th annual Leather Pride Night Auction will take place on Saturday, June 20^th, 2009. This year the festivities will be at Splash, 50 West 17^th Street. Splash’s doors will open for LPN at 6:00 PM, and the auction will run from 7 PM until 10:00 PM. Liquor, beer, wine and soft drinks will be provided at a cash bar. Light finger food will be served. A sign language interpreter will be present throughout the evening. This year, as every year, there will be a team of bootblacks to keep your boots and shoes looking sharp. All tips go toward the event’s total for the beneficiaries. We encourage everyone to come early to view the items up for auction, get your boots blacked, and be seen!

Jo Arnone, LPN’s veteran auctioneer, will preside over almost a hundred items being auctioned, including leather and latex fetish clothing, unique toys and equipment, art objects, event passes and tickets, and much more.

Leather Pride Night is sponsored by ten NYC S/m-leather- fetish organizations: Gay Male S/M Activists, Iron Guard BC, Lesbian Sex Mafia, MAsT Metro NY, MetroBears NY, New York boys of Leather (NYboL), Pariah’s MC, The Eulenspiegel Society and ONYX NY and many committed individuals.

Over the years, Leather Pride Night has donated over $300,000 for local and national charities. This year, Leather Pride Night will donate the 2008 Auction proceeds to: The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, Carmen’s Place, Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, By The Grace of George: The Pitbull Angel Fund and as is customary, an annual donation to Heritage of Pride, the producer of New York’s annual Pride Parade.

Tickets for Leather Pride Night are $15 in advance, and $20 at the door. Paypal payment is available at the LPN website. Tickets can also be obtained at any of the sponsoring organizations or the beneficiary organizations, as well as the following supporting commercial venues: The Baroness, David Samuel Menkes Custom Leatherwear, DomSubFriends, Purple Passion / DV8, The Leather Man, Passional, Nasty Pig, Le Chateau Exotique and Come Again.

[…]

The Leather Pride Night Committee is dedicated to promoting freedom of sexual self-expression, and actively works to improve the image and understanding of S/m and fetish lifestyles. It meets on the first Thursday of the month (October through June) at 8:00PM at the LGBT Center, 208 West 13^th Street.

There is no photography or cellular telephone usage allowed at the event. Media photography inquiries can be directed to Darrell at Darrellblackandblue@yahoo.com

LPN is run by volunteers! If you want to volunteer, send email to LPNnyc@aol.com

Now that Summer is here, that means TES Fest is just around the corner. The TES Fest announcement, crossposted from various sources, follows:

The Eulenspiegel Society (TES), the oldest and largest BDSM education and support group in the United States, is proud to announce TES Fest 2009 being held over the 2009 July 4^th weekend. TES Fest 2009, a four-day kinky conference, will take place from July 2 – July 5, 2009 in Piscataway, New Jersey.

TES Fest is bringing you the best BDSM presenters from all around the country! They will present classes for every level of experience, from introductory, basic to expert, and edgy. We’re covering bondage from all angles, impact play from flogging to takedowns, and D/s from multiple perspectives. We’re offering classes from the experts on
enemas, humiliation, suspension, caning, scene history, boot-blacking, cutting, and much more.

The following presenters have been confirmed for TES Fest 2009: Award winning author of “The Latina Kama Sutra, Dr. Charlie Ferrer; 2007 International Master and slave pair, Master Larry and slave barb; Kink.com’s Lochai; 2008 Pantheon of Leather Northeast Regional Award winner, Lady Sabrina and Leather Leadership Conference Emeritus Board Member, Lolita Wolf to name a few Presenter bios can be found online.

Classes will include “Sexually Transmitted Infections” with Dr. Dan, “Transition from BDSM to Master/slave” with Master Taino, “Advanced Electrical Play” with Uncle Abdul, “I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Hurt Me: Playing with a Vanilla Partner” with Coraline, “In Service: Satisfaction From a Job Well Done” with Angel and Sebastian and so
much more. View the complete class listing on the TES Fest web site.

TES Fest 2009 will be full of the same fun as last year. There will be outdoor play, indoor pool parties, meet and greets, author signings, a bloggers round table, play parties, casino night, extensive vendors section, of course an amazing indoor and outdoor dungeon space designed by Frazier and the Crucible Crew and so much more. We will have an expanded Cloud Nine, our relaxation and massage salon. We will be fund raising for National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF) all weekend with 2 slave auctions and prime Cloud Nine spots.

We are also proud to announce that the Leather Archives and Museum Road Show, its traveling exhibit, will bring the rich fetish history available at the LA&M out of Chicago to TES Fest 2009! Included in the exhibit will be items of importance to the history of TES.

Buy your tickets and register at TESFest.org.

From the NYC Sex Blogger Calendar:

Who: Carol Queen visits from San Francisco, joined by Rachel Kramer Bussel, Elizabeth Wood, Audacia Ray, and Sinclair Sexsmith!

When: Monday, June 8, 6-9 PM (reading will start between 7:30-8, last about an hour).

Why: Carol Queen’s coming through town and wants to collaborate with her friends Rachel and Elizabeth to make a space for connecting, schmoozing, touching base, and furthering plans for sex-positive world domination! Her SF nonprofit The Center for Sex & Culture has hosted Rachel Kramer Bussel, worked with Elizabeth Wood on her online community Sex in the Public Square, and has plans to expand its educational and cultural offerings online as soon as we can (if we can’t afford NY real estate, at least we can visit you via your computers). Come mingle with your fellow NY sex people and meet some new ones, then enjoy a reading that will surely be more salaciously smart/sexy brain candy than most people ever get on a Monday (and in some cases, sadly, EVER).

On June 12^th, the S&M and sexuality documentary film Sex Positive—The Richard Berkowitz Story opens at the Quad Cinema on 13^th Street here in Manhattan. David Oliver Cohen, the film’s producer, wrote to CV to tell us a little about the film:

The film explores the origins of safe sex through the eyes of Richard Berkowitz, a former S&M sex worker turned AIDS activist and writer.

The film is an essential educational tool for younger generations who have no real concept of how safe sex came about during the beginning of the AIDS epidemic. Richard Berkowitz is credited as co-writing the first safe sex manual in the world, “How to Have Sex in an Epidemic,” with activist Michael Callen. Richard is still around and is actively spreading his message about safe sex.

There is a large portion of the film that deals directly with Richard’s work as a dominant-for-hire.

(Emphasis added.)

I first heard about this documentary when Clarisse Thorn published her interview with the star and brought up the very good point, what does it mean to be sex positive? Safer sex practices such as the use of condoms were not always so endearingly looked upon as symbols of sex positive activism. In fact, decades ago, the opposite was true and sex involving physical barriers was exceptionally stigmatized.

As David says, the film Sex Positive is an exceptional educational tool because it documents the history of how we got to where we are. I’d encourage you to see and support the film, watch the trailer, and maybe even bring your friends along and start a discussion about sex positivity.