Occupy Your Sexuality: proposed spring/summer schedule
Occupy Your Sexuality
Thursdays at 12pm in Union Square
It’s 2012, and some want to revert our culture back to the 1950s (or maybe even the 12th century). The anti-women, anti-choice, and anti-sex forces are coalescing to take away our rights to occupy our own bodies. In response to this onslaught of hate, fear, repression, and misogyny, Occupy Your Sexuality, in concert with COOLS (Cultural Occupation of Liberty Square) will offer a series of facilitated talks and workshops for those that want to fight back against the war on women. We’ll empower ourselves with copious amounts of pleasure, consciousness-raising, creativity, and all out FUN. The personal has never been more political: the American Spring will wake up not just our minds, but our bodies and libidos.
M22: Occupy Your Sexuality: How should Occupy defend reproductive rights and the right-wing assault on women’s sexual freedom? Come to a brainstorming session that will unleash the creative power of the Occupy movement to address one of the most pressing problems of our current moment. (This is opening day for Occupy Your Sexuality, an ongoing OWS workshop in Union Square every Thursday.)
Bio: Facilitated by Stefanie Iris Weiss, author of Eco-Sex: Go Green Between the Sheets and Make Your Love Life Sustainable (Crown Publishing/Ten Speed Press, 2010). A Huffington Post blogger, author of nine books, teacher and lover of Occupy, Stefanie is helping to curate the Occupy Your Sexuality sessions. Follow her on Twitter at @ecosexuality. For more info, visit http://www.ecosex.net. Please reach out to Stefanie if you’d like to co-facilitate our first day in Liberty Square!
M28: We are all sluts now: the power of language and the abuse of power in the 24-hour news cycle. Fighting back with re-appropriation, humor, and anti-Viagra legislation.
A5: It’s Not Just a War on Women – It’s a War on Sex: Why are Rick Santorum and his right-wing cronies (both religious and secular) so threatened by women’s sexuality, and sexuality in general?
A12: Occupy the Mirror: Advertising, Male Gaze and Women’s Sexuality-a workshop by Anne Enke: Anne Enke’s workshop asks how women retain control of self-identity and positive sexuality in our patriarchal, American culture. Meet ‘she’ who’s in need of fixing by ads designed to substitute stilettos for sex & appearance for essence. Consider fashion’s downsizing of too-threatening, sensual ’90s Supermodels to today’s size 0; research American women’s self-image, compared to France, Italy & Brazil. Anne shares her personal story of finding self-love in her own mirror, launching a modest self-photography journey that went AWOL erotic.
Bio: Anne Enke comes to Occupy from her long career as Fashion Director for Victoria’s Secret and a Fortune 100 consultant on female sexuality, lingerie & women’s mindsets. In 2007 Anne launched AnneofCarversville.com, dedicated to “telling women’s stories, from fashion to flogging”, now read by 350,000 monthly uniques. Anne is also the press liaison of PA Unite Against the War on Women April 28 rally in Harrisburg.
http://www.anneofcarversville.com/
http://www.facebook.com/events/333455446692138/ April 28 rally
A19: Celebrate Earth Month With Green Sex: From organic lube to bamboo bed sheets and sustainable sex toys – everything you need to know about getting it on the green way. With tips, tricks, toys, and free (green) condoms, this workshop will show you how to get down and get holistic at the same time.
Bio: Led by Stefanie Iris Weiss, author of Eco-Sex: Go Green Between the Sheets and Make Your Love Life Sustainable (Crown Publishing/Ten Speed Press, 2010).
A26: Owing Your Big O: Eradicating Shame and Finding Liberation in Pleasure: This workshop explores how masturbation can be a tool for liberation, raising consciousness, self-esteem, and creating a sense of empowerment in the wider world.
M3: Should I Breed? The Childless by Choice Movement and Why It’s So Subversive
M10: My Body, My Choice: Life for women before and after Roe v. Wade
M17: What’s So Scary About My Uterus? Exploring the roots of fear, hatred and misogyny in the GOP.
Birth Control Basics - Two-part workshop:
M24: Part 1: The Pill Changed Everything: and why they want to change it back. The where’s, when’s, how’s and why’s of the GOP assault on women’s bodies throughout the country – from vaginal ultrasounds before abortions to proving to employers that contraceptives aren’t for sex. We’ll break it down state by state.
M31: Part 2: What’s the Best Birth Control for Me? Whether you’re in a monogamous relationship or have multiple partners, choosing the best, safest, and most appropriate method for your lifestyle. Free condoms!
J7: First Wave/Fourth Wave/Next Wave: From Steinem to hooks to Wolf to Valenti, understanding generations of feminism and tapping into the power of sisterhood.
J14: What’s Going on Down There? A workshop for teen girls about their bodies. Q & A for teen girls only – from periods, to body hair, to size-shaming, slut-shaming, and being comfortable with sexual feelings.
J21: Race and Feminism: creating safe space and respect for women of color in emerging feminist landscapes: from simple conversation to halls of power, recognizing white privilege and moving forward with sisterhood.
J27: Exploring Tantra as a tool for intimacy, meditation, and consciousness-raising
J5: Make 2012 the Summer of Love: Strategies for Raising Consciousness and Libido
J12: Pleasure as a Subversive Act: How Getting Off Makes You a Better Activist
J19: Is That a Flower in Your Gun Or Are You Just Happy to See Me? From non-violent resistance to flirting with cops, strategies for sexy activists
J26: Sex at Dawn: Talking about polyamory, communal living, and the prehistoric origins of modern sexuality.
A2: Seven Minutes in Heaven: dealing with your fear of intimacy in theory and practice: a hands-on workshop.
A9: Erotica Reading
A16: Slutwalks Take Over the World –From Take Back the Night to the explosion of the worldwide Slutwalk movement, women and men are responding to threats of violence with assertions of their own (sexual) power.
A23: The F-Word: Who’s Still Afraid of Feminism? Exploring why some young girls won’t embrace the word “feminism”, and why it matters.
