http://pleasureactivism.org/ A selection of recent news items that might be of use or interest to pleasure activists. http://pleasureactivism.org/paa_feed_logo.png http://pleasureactivism.org/ http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-07/uog-sap072511.php People with sexual performance anxiety are more likely to cheat on their partners. That's just one of the curious findings of a new study by a University of Guelph professor on the factors that predict infidelity. Men who are risk-takers or easily sexually aroused are also more likely to wander; for women, relationship issues are stronger predictors of unfaithfulness. 0 http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/07/21/politician_in_ghana_threatens_to_round_up_the_gays Homosexuality has long been a heated issue in Ghana, and now its LGBT community may face jail time. "All efforts are being made to get rid of these people in the society," said Paul Evans Aidoo, an MP from the western region. Ghana's Bureau of National Investigations has been directed to track down and arrest anyone suspected of being gay. 1 http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-07/ias-lbe071911.php Three years after the start of the male circumcision roll-out (ANRS 12126) in the South African township of Orange Farm (110 000 adults), a reduction in HIV prevalence and incidence among men has been observed. These findings demonstrate for the first time that male circumcision roll-out is effective at community level in curbing the spread of HIV. 1 http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/07/19/gwen-jacobs.html When university student Gwen Jacob removed her top to cool off on a sweltering summer day in July 1991, she unwittingly spearheaded a movement to give all women in Ontario the legal right to expose their breasts â€" though most still choose not to. 1 http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2011/07/20/333731_gold-coast-news.html The owners of a scrapped Mermaid Beach gay meeting place have not ruled out taking the Gold Coast City Council to court in a bid to reopen its doors. [ via Twitter:@bisexcellent ] 1 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/hallie-seegal/going-braless_b_901832.html Then, seven months ago, I had a brassiere epiphany. After waiting just a little too long to do my laundry, I ran out of bras. I could have forced myself to head to the laundry room right then, or worn the less than fresh Cosabella number I'd worn the day before, but I realized the only visible difference for me between wearing and not wearing a bra was a bulky bra line. So I didn't wear one. Yes, I went braless. 1 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2015805/The-orgasm-lasts-FOUR-months--achieving-involves-keeping-clothes-turning-lights.html She is teaching, as the book’s subtitle has it, The Art And Craft Of The Female Orgasm, which, she claims, with the right partner and advanced technique, can last for anything up to four months. No, that’s not a mistake: four whole months. 1 http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/news/offbeat/russian-women-urged-to-get-naked-in-support-of-putin-ncxdc-071811 Young Russian women are being urged to shed their clothes as a way of showing support for their Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, The Independent reported Monday. 1 http://gawker.com/5821686/website-that-outed-porn-stars-gets-a-taste-of-its-own-medicine On Monday, the entire user database of Porn Wikileaks was leaked and posted to a blog (NSFW). This scared away users and at least one moderator; they were supposed to be the one doing the leaking. Porn Wikileaks couldn't take the heat: It unceremoniously disappeared this week, its URL redirected to the real Wikileaks. 1 http://www.greenleft.org.au/node/48203 In the predominantly Roman Catholic city of Manila, a small group of Metropolitan Community Churches (MCC) are preaching a message of inclusion and social justice that has angered the religious hierarchy. 1 http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20110715/ARTICLE/110719701/2416/NEWS?Title=Case-overturned-because-of-narrow-definition-of-sex In 1997, Florida legislators made it a felony for an HIV-infected person to have "sexual intercourse" without informing the partner of their infected status, adding the virus to a list of established STDs like gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis. But Florida statutes specifically define sexual intercourse only as vaginal sex between a man and a woman. 1 http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2011/07/16/rudds-sister-i-will-not-apologise/ Kevin Rudd’s sister has refused to apologise for describing a movement promoting same-sex marriage as a “global gay Gestapo”. 1 http://www.sexparty.org.au/index.php/news/media-releases/1143-landmark-case-for-the-rights-of-sex-workers-in-victoria Mr Vega welcomes the news that a recent case before WorkSafe Victoria of a sex worker claiming compensation regarding an incident in her workplace. “This is a landmark case for sex workers in our state. For the first time sex work is being treated not as some social problem that needs to be managed but as a legitimate form of employment. For once, a government agency isn’t trying to control the industry but is actually working towards protecting the rights of a worker. It must have taken an extraordinary amount of courage for this sex worker to come forward and make this claim.” 1 http://www.sunstar.com.ph/bacolod/local-news/2011/07/14/police-intensify-drive-vs-commercial-sex-workers-166807 Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) Director Ricardo De la Paz on Wednesday ordered Station 1 commander Chief Insp. Ulysses Ortiz to intensify their campaign against commercial sex workers at Bacolod Public Plaza and downtown area. [ via Twitter:@PLRI ] 1 http://aleph.org.au/2011/07/14/media-release-loree-rudd-must-apologise-for-gay-gestapo-comment-gay-holocaust-victims-outraged-and-horrified/ Australia’s marriage equality advocates have asked for an apology from Loree Rudd, sister for former Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, following her statement that marriage equality is being pushed by “a global gay gestapo”. 1 http://blog.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/07/12/one_wife_is_enough_in_indonesia Polygamy has become passé -- at least for young people in Indonesia and Malaysia. 86.5 percent of Indonesians between the ages of 15 and 25, and 72.7 percent of young Malaysians, disagree with the practice, according to a new survey. 1 http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-07/jhmi-stp070511.php A Johns Hopkins infectious disease expert is calling for all sexually active American women age 40 and older to get tested for the parasite Trichomonas vaginalis after new study evidence found that the sexually transmitted disease (STD) is more than twice as common in this age group than previously thought. Screening is especially important because in many cases there are no symptoms. 1 http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/07/11/3267003.htm The British Medical Journal recently published two reports warning that women on the fourth generation pill are more likely to develop life-threatening blood clots. 1 http://mindhacks.com/2011/07/04/naomi-wolf-porn-and-the-misuse-of-dopamine/ ‘Is pornography driving men crazy?’ asks campaigner Naomi Wolf in a CNN article that contains a spectacular misunderstanding of neuroscience applied to a shaky moral conclusion. [ via Twitter:@filamentmag ] 1 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/07/no-more-adverts-sexual-services-argentina?CMP=twt_gu Cristina Fernández de Kirchner crackdown on sex workers comes as a surprise in a nation where prostitution is legal [ via Twitter:@KinkOnTap ] 1 http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/07/10/3265886.htm The New South Wales Labor Party has decided not to endorse same-sex marriage at its state conference - breaking ranks with other state branches of the ALP. 1 http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10737380 A Timaru gynaecologist wants a campaign against promiscuity after encountering a shocking number of pregnant patients who cannot remember whom they had sex with. 1 http://abovethelaw.com/2011/07/bad-news-for-madam-justice-lori-douglas/ The news for Canadian judges, or at least one high-profile jurist, is less good. Madam Justice A. Lori Douglas â€" the Canadian judge featured in pornographic pictures showing her engaging in bondage, playing with sex toys and administering oral sex â€" will be subjected to a public inquiry. 1 http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-07/qmuo-soa070711.php Writing in the journal PLoS One, Dr Andrea Burri and Dr Qazi Rahman from Queen Mary's School of Biological and Chemical Sciences report that a shared set of genes and shared set of random environmental factors is partially responsible both for gender nonconformity and female sexual orientation. 1 http://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/lifematters/womens-wicked-thoughts-20110701-1gup7.html In general, though, women aren't using pornography intended for gay men, says Singh. Instead, they tend to consume “M/M" - material created with women (of all sexual orientations) in mind. Popular M/M sub-genres include “slashâ€� â€" fan fiction which riffs on popular films, books and TV but puts male characters into gay situations â€" and “yaoiâ€�, Japanese comics with male-male storylines. Many other varieties exist, but most, according to Singh, are in the form of stories, illustration or film clips re-cut to convey a homoerotic meaning, all of which are cheap to make and don’t require the involvement of actors. [ via Twitter:@msnaughty ] 1 http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-07/bmj-wsi070611.php In some parts of the developed world, romance accounts for nearly half of all fiction titles purchased. And while there is clearly a place for the genre, which can be enjoyable and fun, this rose-tinted view of relationships is not necessarily doing women any favours, argues Ms Quilliam. 1 http://www.crevicecanyon.com/?p=481 Needless to say when I heard Blue (real name: Oriana Small) was writing a porno memoir of her journey through the ups and downs (or rather, in out in outs) of porn & drugs in the San Fernando Valley, I was tempted to fist my own butt in celebration. But it appears I lack the skills to self inflict this. 1 http://www.vancouversun.com/Nude+advocate+vows+stay+naked+regardless+court+verdict/5054476/story.html An Ontario man challenging the constitutionality of Canada's public nudity laws says he will continue to openly express his nudist beliefs, even if his quest to decriminalize public nudity is struck down. 1 http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-07/w-aul070611.php A new study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine reveals that several unhealthy lifestyle factors, such as weight problems, physical inactivity, high alcohol consumption, tobacco smoking, and hard drugs are associated with sexual dysfunctions in men. Additionally, an unhealthy lifestyle is more common in persons who are sexually inactive. 1 http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-07/iu-crg063011.php Cuddling and caressing are important ingredients for long-term relationship satisfaction, according to an international study that looks at relationship and sexual satisfaction throughout committed relationships, but contrary to stereotypes, tenderness was more important to the men than to the women. 1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-14024774 India's health minister has said homosexuality was a "disease" which was "spreading fast" in the country. 1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-14010106 The meeting was described as "cultural terrorism" in a statement issued by Pakistan's largest Islamic party, on behalf of various religious groups. 1 http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland/security-patrols-to-halt-daytime-sex-in-city-gardens-20110630-1grk4.html?from=brisbanetimes_sb&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=medium&utm_campaign=sm So many people are being caught having sex in an Ipswich park that security patrols have been put in place to crack down on the problem. [ via Twitter:@dviceAU ] 1 http://www.starobserver.com.au/news/2011/06/30/orthodox-jews-march/55814 Members of the Havruta gay men’s association, the Bat Kol lesbian association, and the Pride Minyan prayer group rode on a float sponsored by Google Israel and played Hasidic music to the crowds. 1 http://www.canada.com/life/Baby+were+born+this/4987565/story.html Sexual orientation begins in the womb, neuroscientist says 1 http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/the-time-of-her-life-20110626-1gllx.html Joan McCarthy is turning accepted notions of ageing and sexuality on their head. 1 http://travel.usatoday.com/destinations/dispatches/post/2011/06/what-do-you-think-about-kid-free-beach-areas/175756/1 In a beach etiquette survey of about 1,100 U.S. travelers by TripAdvisor, released this morning, 78% of respondents think toplessness is OK in destinations where it's culturally acceptable. That certainly goes against the stereotype of Americans as being prudish when it comes to public nudity. 1 http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-06/uoc-ite062811.php An international team of researchers says abortion stigma is under-researched, under theorized and over emphasized in one category: women who've had abortions. As a result, they're launching a new direction into research that explores the social stigma surrounding abortion. 1 http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2011/06/27/Collector-has-350000-pieces-of-erotica/UPI-38701309198138/?spt=hs&or=on A New York physician with a doctorate in sexuality said his pornography collection has 350,000 items dating as far back as the 13th century. 1 http://news.yahoo.com/brazil-judge-oks-countrys-first-gay-marriage-231440150.html;_ylt=ApWRQQkoHvfFcWu_2F9nnhC3IxIF;_ylu=X3oDMTM5dm5qbDNiBHBrZwNkYjA3OTJhYy01M2JlLTM2ZDUtYjJjYi1hNmE5NGRmZDFhNjIEcG9zAzEEc2VjA01lZGlhVG9wU3RvcnkEdmVyAzQwZGMwY2QwLWExNTUtMTFlMC1hZWJmLWQ1NWQ5NWU2NzA4OA--;_ylg=X3oDMTIxMWw3M3NuBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdAN3b3JsZHxsYXRpbiBhbWVyaWNhBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z;_ylv=3 Sao Paulo state Judge Fernando Henrique Pinto ruled two men could convert their civil union into a full marriage. Brazil's Supreme Court cleared the way in May for the recognition of same-sex civil unions, but stopped short of approving gay marriages. 1 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2007970/When-love-come-sex-New-book-reveals-couples-thought-sex-years-Sixties-sexual-revolution.html New book reveals what couples thought about sex in the years before the Sixties sexual revolution 1 http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/06/27/in_saudi_arabia_an_undercover_revolution The freedom to buy lingerie from other women may not sound like much. But activists say it's a start. 1 http://www.whackmagazine.com/2011/06/21/%E2%80%94-%E2%80%9C%E2%80%9D/ Last week we brought you a review of Oriana Small aka Ashley Blue’s new book, Girlvert: A Porno Memoir. Our reviewer, Miss Lagsalot, was so intrigued by the book that she immediately hunted down its author, multi-AVN winner and Girlvert Ashley Blue, known in real life as Oriana Small, for a chat about memoirs, life, performance art, and extreme sex. 1 http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-06/w-hrm062211.php They discovered that homosexual men reported that their sexual performance and satisfaction more than halved in four of the six categories studied. Heterosexual men, on the other hand, reported fewer problems and were considerably more satisfied with intercourse. 1 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/20/fenugreek-libido_n_880596.html Researchers from the Australian Centre for Integrative Clinical and Molecular Medicine found that 25- to 52-year-old men who took fenugreek extract twice a day for six weeks scored 25 percent higher on a test gauging libido levels than men who took a placebo, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. 1 http://www.wlsam.com/Article.asp?id=2219390&spid= Although the most recent high-profile infidelity scandals all involved cheating men, a new study finds that women cheat at about the same rate as men, though often for different reasons. 1 http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-checkup/post/new-silicone-breast-implants-appear-to-be-safe-fda-says/2011/06/22/AGI1hrfH_blog.html The early data from the two companies’ studies on the safety of the implants found no evidence that they cause any significant health problems, the FDA said in a statement released in advance of a news briefing for reporters. The agency required the companies to perform the studies as a condition for the devices’ approval. 1 http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-06/uot-pfl062211.php A new study by psychologists at the University of Toronto and Tufts University shows that a woman can more accurately identify a man's sexual orientation when looking at his face, when she is closest to her time of peak ovulation. Further, having romantic thoughts or a mating goal heightens a woman's ability to discriminate between straight and gay men. 1 http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-06/s-lyf062011.php The survey posted on the "infidelity" website revealed the following results: Women were more likely than men to engage in sexting behaviors. Over two-thirds of the respondents had cheated online while in a serious relationship and over three-quarters had cheated in real life. Women and men were just as likely to have cheated both online and in real life while in a serious real-life relationship. In addition, older men were more likely than younger men to cheat in real life. 1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13847299 A lawyer and a college professor - both from the US - have celebrated what they say is Nepal's first public lesbian wedding ceremony. 1