This thought provoking and important topic addresses how sexual freedom issues, both our own sexuality and broader public issues, impact us substantially as political leaders of our various communities. The group will discuss why it is important to be aware of and articulate about sexual freedom issues from a political standpoint, as well as how one’s own sexuality may be compromised as a political leader.
Religious political extremists continue to paint sex outside of marriage and sexual freedom quite effectively as “immoral” and the beginning of a slippery slope that will result in the decay of America. The Leather community has shied away from discussing sex and sexual freedom as part of its political advocacy. As a result, the opposition uses sex to attack us over and over again successfully, with little response from our movement. They are setting the agenda, not us. And, they are getting more aggressive than ever, changing their focus not just to oppose same sex marriage, but also to oppose being gay itself.
This interactive discussion will begin with actual case studies from each of the panelists as they share heir own experiences, discussing how being organizational leaders both constrains them and gives them opportunities – expounding on why it is important to be able to discuss sexual freedom as part of your political advocacy and how it can enhance your current political advocacy efforts. Participants will discuss effective ways to incorporate sex and sexual freedom into their current political agendas. It will also address how one’s own sexuality can be compromised or can conflict with one’s image as a leather leader.
How you will benefit from this presentation:
Information to come.
How this presentation will arouse you:
Information to come.
About the presenters:
Judy Guerin has been working on gender and sexual expression political issues for over 25 years. She is a founding board member of the Woodhull Freedom Foundation and Federation and Forum 21 and an advisor to GenderPAC and the European Union. She is the former Executive Director of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom and a former steering committee member of the National Policy Roundtable of LGBT and HIV/AIDS groups. She is a former board member and current member of the Black Rose and BESS.
Carol Queen is a well-known activist, performer, teacher and author Carol Queen is a national figure in the campaign for sexual freedom. She founded and is currently president of The Center for Sex and Culture and serves on the board of the Woodhull Freedom Foundation and Federation. Carol has written extensively on LGBT subjects and on alternative sexuality.
Glenda Rider is a coordinator of FIST (Females Investigating Sexual Terrain) and a retired member of the Board of Directors of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (NCSF.) She is also a member of the Emeritus Board of the Leather Leadership Conference. Glenda owns Play House Studios in Baltimore which is 45,000 square feet of play space decorated with her large fetish art collection. She is also the Executive Producer of International Ms Leather, to be held May 1-4, 2008 in San Francisco (www.IMsL.org.)
John Weis is an active and dedicated member of the kink community and has devoted himself to S/M and politics for some two decades. He is the founder and chairman emeritus of the Leather Leadership Conference; a past president and past chairman of Gay Male S/M Activists; founder of GMSMA's Folsom Street East and is its current producer. He has served on the boards of the New York City Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project and the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom Foundation. In April 2002, he was appointed to Manhattan's Community Board 4. As an out S/M activist, he represents the interests of the over 100,000 residents of the city's west side, from 14th Street to 60th Street, on issues related to quality of life, land use, and budget. He has been elected to the board's executive committee five times and currently serves as the board's vice chairman. He lives happily in Chelsea with his partner Larry. John and Larry are contemplating counseling to help them curb their compulsion to buy rubber gear.