Bi-Weekly Sexual Freedom Newsletter
Wednesday, March 11, 2020

New Bipartisan Bill Directly Threatens Section 230 of Communications Decency Act (XBIZ)

A new bipartisan bill, the EARN IT Act, has been introduced under the premise of combatting "online sexual abuse of children.” The bill would actually compromise Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, informally known as the “Internet’s First Amendment.” The American Civil Liberties Union said the EARN IT Act would compromise "the safety of activists, domestic violence victims and millions of others who rely on strong encryption." Read more

She Coined the Term ‘Intersectionality’ Over 30 Years Ago. Here’s What It Means to Her Today (Time) 

Katy Steinmetz interviews Kimberlé Crenshaw, the law professor who coined the term “intersectionality” over 30 years ago, about what it means to her today. Crenshaw says: “These days, I start with what it’s not, because there has been distortion. It’s not identity politics on steroids. It is not a mechanism to turn white men into the new pariahs. It’s basically a lens, a prism, for seeing the way in which various forms of inequality often operate together and exacerbate each other. We tend to talk about race inequality as separate from inequality based on gender, class, sexuality or immigrant status. What’s often missing is how some people are subject to all of these, and the experience is not just the sum of its parts.” Read more

Human Trafficking Awareness Campaigns Are Feeding A Dangerous Myth (Huffington Post) 

Michael Hobbes discusses the dangerous myths propogated by human trafficking awareness campaigns: “For years now, experts have pointed out that the reality of sex trafficking bears little resemblance to the sensationalized version depicted in public-awareness campaigns. Shoppers are not being snatched from grocery store parking lots Victims are rarely moved against their will and seldom exhibit any of the ‘warning signs’ that would make their abuse visible to members of the public. Despite the persistent myth that human trafficking ‘could happen to anyone,’ most victims are undocumented, homeless, in foster care or otherwise marginalized.”
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How Cannabis Eased My Pain And Led Me To A Fulfilling Sex Life (Wear Your Voice) 

Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert shares her experience using cannabis to ease the pain of endometriosis and PCOS during sex, “The first time was unintentional—I didn’t set out to get stoned and have sex, an activity I usually avoided, but that’s ultimately what I did. [...] I remember my skin felt like it sparkled when he touched me and, when we did end up having sex, I experienced none of the discomfort I had become accustomed to. I didn’t wince, I didn’t stifle tears; my whole body was relaxed and I felt present enough to enjoy it. Getting stoned before sex allowed me to feel pleasure in ways I hadn’t ever experienced—ways I didn’t realize would be possible for me.” Read more

New App Allows Brazilian Trans Women To Share Safety Resources (them.) 

Wren Sanders discusses a new app developed to enhance the safety of Brazilian trans women: “Named Dandarah (after Dandara don Santos, a Brazilian trans woman who was murdered in 2017), the app works by presenting user-generated maps of major Brazilian cities, showing locations where trans women typically congregate. Users can then communicate with one another in real-time regarding violence on the ground. They can also use a panic button to immediately reach five emergency contacts as well as emergency services.” Read more

‘If I Don’t Lie, It’s Illegal’: How Forced Counseling Affects Abortion Patients (Rewire.News) 

Paige Alexandria, a counselor at an abortion clinic, writes about mitigating the damage from biased counseling mandated by the state of Texas: “Research shows most abortion patients aren’t conflicted—and that even experiences accompanied by complicated emotions don’t result in regret. But it’s no surprise that after going through various political hoops to receive abortion care, some people find more counseling overwhelming. Abortion providers deserve the ability to provide patients with accurate, evidence-based care, and people who have abortions deserve to be trusted to make these decisions in the first place.” Read more

‘Queer Lives Are At Stake’: New York Could Be the First State to Decriminalize Sex Work (The Indypendent)

Rebecca Chowdhury advocates decriminalizing sex work in New York: “While sex trafficking is distinct from consensual sex work between adults, the two are often conflated. The passage of federal anti-trafficking legislation in 2018 eliminated the various websites sex workers depended on to find clients who they could screen to avoid dangerous situations. Since then, sex workers have had their earnings seized and many have been pushed back onto the streets. [...] Decriminalization advocates in New York say their bill would only impact crimes related to sex work, leaving intact laws criminalizing human trafficking and making it easier to identify victims of trafficking.”
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