by William Dean
(01/01/03)
For some, the future always seems unclear, like foggy events seen in a clouded crystal ball. What will 2003 hold for you? The exploration of a new kink? A nostalgic return to vanilla romance? The opportunities for erotic couplings, new adventures in desire? Or just the same-old, same-old?
Well, here at Clean Sheets, we offer the humble prophecy that if you let passion be your guide, the new year will hold things you hardly imagined possible.
BIG BROTHER DOESN'T WANT YOU FUCKING AROUND
President Bush's budget request for fiscal year 2003 includes $135 million for abstinence-only programs -- a 33% increase over 2002 funding.
In case you haven't heard, the Federal definition of Abstinence Education
includes:
- has as its exclusive purpose, teaching the social, psychological, and health
gains to be realized by abstaining from sexual activity
- teaches abstinence from sexual activity outside marriage as the expected
standard for all school age children
- teaches that abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to
avoid out-of-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, and other associated
health problems
- teaches that a mutually faithful monogamous relationship in the context
of marriage is the expected standard of human sexual activity
- teaches that sexual activity outside of the context of marriage is likely
to have harmful psychological and physical effects
- teaches that bearing children out-of-wedlock is likely to have harmful consequences
for the child, the child's parents, and society
- teaches young people how to reject sexual advances and how alcohol and drug
use increases vulnerability to sexual advances; and
- teaches the importance of attaining self-sufficiency before engaging in
sexual activity.
We in the erotica community support many forms of sexuality education programs,
but total abstinence, marriage-only, "expected standard of human sexual activity"
sounds a bit patriarchal, Old Testament-fundamentalist (not to mention retro-1950s)
to us, especially when its budget is increased by 1/3 per annum. Certainly, teens
and adolescents need some form of sexuality education, but shouldn't it be balanced
by drawing from sex positive examples in the real world?
To report fairly, proponents of comprehensive sex education are supporting
a new piece of legislation that was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives
in December 2001, the Family Life Education Act (H.R. 3469). This bill would
provide $100 million in annual federal funding to the states to support sex
education programs that include age-appropriate and medically accurate information
about both abstinence and contraception. Because this legislation would channel
federal funds to programs that use a comprehensive sex education model, it would
help eliminate the contradiction between what the evidence shows is effective
and what federal policies currently support. Such programs have the greatest
potential for making a difference in the lives and health of young people.
Another of the continuing study trends in the coming year is the repression
of women's same-sex issues in nonwestern cultures, particularly Asian and African
cultures. Lesbianism, for example, is highly politicized in these cultures where
it is often stigmatized as being "imported from the West," and "un-African."
While openness and acceptance of "alternative" sexualities is gaining
more ground in the Western cultures, fundamentalist religious groups still oppose
all forms of non-heterosexual practices, often from a misogynistic viewpoint.
In fact, global observers predict that the next decade will be one of further
complications arising from issues of sexuality, politicizing, and religious
fundamentalist opposition to the free choice of global society individuals.
As the Internet and worldwide conferences publicize the concerns and awareness
of the GLBT communities, as well as fetishist groups, the free choice rights
of sexual behavior and lifestylers might be summed up in the pervading motto
"You Are Not Alone."
2003 may see some heavily controversial debate between the forces of opposing point of views.
In other news, as we in the media say, some things are pretty assured and planned out. What can you erotically look forward to in 2003? Ah, "the stuff that dreams are made on..."
READING THE DIRTY PARTS
In the world of erotic literature, the new and old standbys will be waiting
to give you pleasure as the months roll on. There's the return (with
new content, of course) of The Best ofs:
Best American Erotica 2003, edited by Susie Bright, is just out, as is Marcy Sheiner's Best Women's Erotica 2003. Cleis Press will also be zinging Best Gay Erotica 2003 your way. Look for a "Best of," too, from Circlet Press, coming in May with Erotic Fantastic: The Best of Circlet Press 1992-2002, edited by Cecilia Tan. And of course your favorite erotica zine will be releasing From Porn to Poetry 2 in April 2003, with a rumored release party in San Francisco!
Some of the major trends in erotic literature for 2003 appear to be:
- hot lesbians (Lesbian Love Stories, 2003 by Angela Brown, The
Lesbian Sex Book, 2nd Edition, by Wendy Caster, and Cleis's Best Lesbian
Erotica 2003 from Tristan Taormino‘s editorship)
- SM and fetishes (S/M Dreams and Upon a Dungeon, from Circlet Press;
Love Under Foot: An Erotic Celebration of Feet , Southern Tier Editions
-- Haworth Press)
- erotic horror fiction (Blasphemy: An Anthology Of Religious Inspired
Erotic Horror Coeditors: Kailleaugh Andersson and Paul Fry; re-release
of Nancy Kilpatrick's The Darker Passions: Frankenstein) The smaller
publishing houses are quick to adapt to trends which appear conspicuous on
the Net blogs, chat groups, and erotica writers sites, such as the Erotica
Readers & Writers Association.
We'll be looking forward as well to the Lambda Literary Awards given out in May 2003 in Los Angeles, which will include erotica for the second year.
All in all, it proposes to be a fascinating year.
