Frequently Felt

Who doesn't love weird sex news? Nobody! Depending on who compiles it, though, you could end up with either a slew of nasty, scary, or disheartening news items or, if you're lucky, an assortment of stories that are delightful, positive, and wacky.

M. Christian's new Frequently Felt blog leans decidedly toward the latter.

Along with entertaining news items, Christian enhances his blog with original art from members of the DeviantArt Web site. All in all, the effect is exceptionally pleasing as well as informative!

(I love how he came up with the name for this blog. "Frequently felt" was the term used in the 1800s to describe either an old hat -- or a woman's privates. Clever, that.)

Bay area writing class

This class is being taught by CES staff writer, Jen Cross:

Declaring Our Erotic -- a day-long writing retreat for women
Saturday, November 10, 8:30am-4:00pm.

Intrigued by the idea of writing erotic stories or writing about sex? Been interested in the Declaring Our Erotic writing workshops but have a schedule that's too busy for a full 8-week workshop session? Want the opportunity to go a little deeper into the writing that you've gotten started on your own, or other workshop meetings?

Please join us on Saturday, November 11, for a day-long erotic writing retreat open to all women. Visit www.writingourselveswhole.org to register!

In this one-day writing retreat, we'll devote our writing selves to exercises that invoke various aspects of our erotic, sexual and sensual selves, in a safe and confidential group of peers. Explore the full, complex breadth of sexual desire, while practicing explicit erotic writing.

Previous participants have found the process of erotic writing to be deeply transformative, feeling that the work they've done has opened up and changed not only their relationship with their sexual selves, but with many other aspects of their lives as well.

No previous writing experience necessary!

Retreat held in a gorgeous healing arts house in Berkeley, very near Ashby BART. Continental breakfast and light lunch provided. To register or for pricing information, call 415-608-3398 or visit
www.writingourselveswhole.org.

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About your facilitator: Jen Cross is a freelance writer whose work has been published in numerous anthologies. She's a queer incest survivor who's used writing to transform her relationship with her sexuality, and has facilitated writing workshops for the past 5 years. She received her MA in Transformative Language Arts from Goddard College, and facilitates writing workshops using the Amherst Writers & Artists method (http://www.amherstwriters.com/).

111 shirtless men

One hundred and eleven "regular" guys walked into NYC's Abercrombie and Fitch store and took off their shirts. Why? To challenge that store's ridiculous and relentless depiction of perfect-looking people. The guys are part of a group called ImprovEverywhere, which I need to investigate further. Two of the guys were asked to leave the store, even as they were attempting to buy clothing -- so I guess Abercrombie and Fitch just preferred to have fewer "ugly" people in the store than a couple of sales. Interesting, no? Here's the video:

Ladies! "Love Your Body" day is October 18!

This presentation by NOW Foundation's Love Your Body Campaign illustrates and describes how advertisers and the media enforce unrealistic beauty standards, sexual ideals, and gender stereotypes that girls and women are expected to follow. What is the impact of these images on the health and well-being of women and girls, and what can YOU do?

Find out today and download the presentation.

The nipple bone's connected to the ... tooth bone?

Remember when you were a kid and you played doctor? A few years later, you understood that real doctors didn't feel up their patients.

But it appears that not every kid could accept that reality. In fact, some kids must have thought, "Man, this is excellent. I am so going to be a doctor when I grow up."

This dentist in Woodland, California has been "relaxing" patients by giving them "chest rubs." More than 2 dozen women have come forward to say that Dr. Feelgood (okay, his real name is Mark Anderson) groped them in the past five years.

Yes, it's weird and wild, but look at how many women just kept coming back for more. (I think we all know about the gynecologist fantasy that some women have -- you can't say no and they've got you where they want you -- but a dentist?)

I wonder what I would have done if I had been his patient. If his prices were good, who knows?

(I have a friend who claims she used to see a doctor who felt her up inappropriately. Has this ever happened to you, and if so, what did you do about it?)

Rubber Man

For those of you who listen to my podcast or troll the Web for weird stories, the following item will not be news to you. But you might enjoy it anyway.

Back in June, Reverend Gary Aldridge of Alabama was found dead in his home. He had been the senior pastor at Thorington Road Baptist Church for the previous 15 years. At the time, the circumstances were kept pretty quiet and rumors circulated that he had been murdered because he was found bound.

But no signs of forced entry into the house were found. And then came the autopsy report, which you can see here at The Smoking Gun. He officially died of "accidental mechanical asphyxia." The man had a rubber fetish of grand proportions: he was found in a a wet suit, diving mask, another diving suit with suspenders, rubberized underwear, and diving gloves and slippers His hands were bound and tied to his feet.

And there was a condom-covered dildo up his butt. (Hey, at least it was safe sex, right?)

And there's nothing wrong with any of this -- unless you're a pastor who worked with the likes of Jerry Falwell and you preach that sex other than that which leads to procreation is sinful. Then, well, you look like a damn fool -- and an overdressed one, at that.

I have several questions for the dearly departed and am so disappointed that I'll never be able to get any answers. I'd ask the right reverend:

1. Did he really tie himself up? (I'm quite impressed by the complexity of his knot arrangement and am curious to know if anybody helped him or if he spent years getting this right by himself. Although if getting it right means dying, I guess it's not so right after all. Practice makes perfect, which really ought to be in the Bible, if it isn't already.)

2. Where did he get that dildo? Sex toys are illegal to buy or sell in the state of Alabama. I doubt that he picked his up at the Good Book Parable Christian Store, although they do have some charming "home accents."

3. Did he ever use either of the suits for actual diving? I get so turned on by an auto-erotica master who also knows his way around the bottom of the ocean.

4. What became of the dildo? Did the authorities give it to the family (perhaps it was an heirloom!) or did it get buried with him so that he could truly come to Jesus?

As my beloved boyfriend so aptly put it, "There has to be a formula. Something like pomposity + hypocrisy + perversion = embarrassing death."

All that's slick is not special

Maybe I'm just getting old, but I am sick to death of bullshit marketing. I was reading a fabulous article today (Is the Net good for writers?) and I saw an ad for Black Label luxury sex toys. What a crock of total shit. Masquerading behind the elegant black background and fancy lighting are the same plastic, made-in-China, buzzing bits of paradise that are sold in any sex toy emporium just about anywhere. Some definitely look to be of better quality than others, but those, too, can be found at places like MyPleasure, Libida, and Babeland. Not to mention a host of others that I'm too lazy to list.

What bothers me is two-fold. First, there's the implication that discriminating cocks and pussies need to spend twice as much to get pleasure that distinguishes itself from that of the unwashed masses. Second, brands like this are attempting to convince the average person that a better kind of sexual thrill can be had at a price. "Come like the rich!" is the message here.

Beauty products pitch a similar message, as do clothing manufacturers, technology companies, and just about any other kind of company. But it still bugs me.

Promise me you'll look for value in your sex toys, not prestige.