Articles

If you find any of these articles interesting and wish to discuss the issues raised in them, you might like to consider joining one of Pleasure Activism Australia's online groups.

• The over-medicalisation of male sexual dysfunction

  Andrew Barnes, co-author of the book Heart of the Flower, discusses the over-medicalisation of male sexual dysfunction in comtemporary Western society.

• Sex with Crazies

  Cheshire discusses the sociology and politics of mental health in relation to sexuality.

• Sex toy parties: Taking the sex out of sex toys?

  Ruth Martin examines sex toy parties that seem to protect women from sex and men from plastic competition.

• Bisexuality and Polyamory: Myths and Realities

  Alexis Hazell examines the myths and realities surrounding bisexuality and polyamory.

• "Really Just a Swinger"

  Alexis Hazell examines the use of the phrase "Really just a swinger" as a disparaging description of certain people.

• Why I'm a pleasure activist

  Ruth Martin explains why she's a pleasure activist.

• Kabbalah and Sex

  Articles by Jacobus Swart discussing Kabbalah and sexuality.

• New wave erotica: An interview with Anna Brownfield

  Alexis Hazell interviews Melbourne-based producer of feminist 'new wave erotica', Anna Brownfield.

• A response to a critique of sex-positive feminism

  "[Radical feminism] must not discount and dismiss the importance of sexual openness to feminism's ultimate goals."

• Sex party etiquette

  Based on personal experience, Alexis Hazell suggests several rules of etiquette for sex parties.

• Why pleasure activism matters to queers

  "Pleasure activism is - at least in part - about promoting sexuality between consenting adults as a Good Thing, as something to be celebrated. Which necessarily implies that consensual sex between two or more adult women, or two or more adult men, is also a Good Thing."

• Pornography and feminism

  "This essay will examine the arguments that surround the pornography debate. Pornography has been a very potent and highly discussed issue for feminists, as some feminists think that pornography represents "the inherent depravity of male lust" and that it is a "demeaning patriarchal view of women" (Horrocks 1995, 101). Other feminists and media theorists believe this negative view of pornography is misguided. An analysis of several examples of pornography will show to what extent these 'texts' support men's power over women."

• Stan Goff's "The Porn Debate": Sex workers reply

  Criticisms of Stan Goff's article "The Porn Debate".

• Sex-positive swearing

  "Our bodies are wonderful and sex can be great. So why swear by using words related to sexuality and our bodies? Why should it be an insult to be called a 'cunt', instead of it being a compliment? Why should being told to "get fucked!" be a bad thing? And just what is wrong with being a 'wanker'? Let's change this!"

• The sorry tale of an excommunicated lesbian

  "The tale I am about to tell is one of sorrow both personal and political. I am an "excommunicated lesbian"."

• "Ten Commandments for Submissives": a critique

  "There are these "ten commandments for submissives" going around the net that give me the shits on many levels. i find the assumptions they are based on limiting and sometimes plain offensive in many ways."

• Reviews

  Ruth Martin reviews sexuality-themed shows.