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ISSUE 84 / March 2023

Hello and welcome to the March issue of Boston's Sex-Positive Newsletter! We have been using the same email sending platform for the past nine years of this newsletter and today is our first venture to a different platform (the other one, which shall go unnamed because we are not here to promote brand recognition, changed their policies so we can't use it for free anymore 🥲). So things might look a little different, but hopefully not in a bad way! If you have any issues with this email, please let me know.

Also, I'm working on putting together a directory of therapists who offer affirming care for circumcision-related trauma. If you are a therapist who wants to be added to the directory (or you know someone who should be on there), please respond to this email with the state(s) in which you are licensed and a link to info about your services. Thanks!

If you enjoy this newsletter, you can help keep it going strong by sending a donation of any amount on Venmo (@NicoleMaz) or buying sex-positive goodies from our Etsy store! Thank you!!

With pleasure,
Nicole Mazzeo
Pleasure Pie founder
pleasurepie.org

P.S. You can give feedback on the newsletter here or give feedback on an event you attended from the newsletter here. We are, as always, so curious to hear your thoughts!

Sexuality-related events

L O C A L   +   V  I R T U A L

Sat. 3/4: LGBTQ: Greater Boston Gay Guys Naked Trivia
8:00 pm / Private Venue (Boston, MA) / Group Membership Required
Get nude and test your trivia skills with other local gay men.

Sat. 3/4: LGBTQ: LesbianNightLife Presents: AURA – Mardi Gras Party
9:00 pm / Crystal Ballroom (Somerville, MA) / $10-20
LGBTQ+ women, nonbinary, & trans friends are invited to the beautiful Crystal Ballroom to enjoy DJs and dancers at the hottest party in the city!

Sun. 3/5: MEN: Naked Yoga for Men
6:30 pm / Somerville, MA
Yoga in the nude, for men!

Mon. 3/6: KINK: Trans Dominant Roundtable: Non-binary Dominants
8:00 pm / Virtual / Free!
7 Days of Domination is hosting this roundtable to highlight the many ways non-binary Dominants can conduct their practices, the unique challenges they may face that their cis counterparts do not, and more.

Mon. 3/6: KINK: Fascination Gear/Fetish/Kink Night
9:00 pm / Boston, MA / $15
A club fetish night featuring a guest Dom and popup leather shop with handmade leather wares by an Allston-based leather artist.

Tues. 3/7: FUN: Smut Slam
7:00 pm / Arts at the Armory (Somerville) / $10 suggested donation
A fast-paced storytelling open mic based on real life, real lust, real sex. Slammers sign up to tell a 5-minute dirty story, and 8-10 names will be drawn at random.

Wed. 3/8: FEMINIST: 25th Annual Boston Area International Women’s Day Breakfast
9:00 am / Simmons University (Fenway) and online / Free! 
Join the feminist community from around the greater Boston area in celebrating International Women's Day, once again in person at Simmons University - and online!
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Wed. 3/8: SEX ED: Say You're Nervous: Talking About Performance Anxiety with Partners 
7:00 pm / Virtual / $30
Sex and relationship therapist David Khalili hosts a talk on how anxiety affects sexual functioning and how to discuss it with partners.

Wed. 3/8: FEMINIST: They Called Us Girls: Author Talk
6:00 pm / Boston Public Library (Copley) / Free!
Kathleen Stone joins the Boston Public Library to discuss her book They Called Us Girls: Stories of Female Ambition from Suffrage to Mad Men, a collection of portraits of women who had professional careers in the mid-20th century when women were expected to stay home.

Thurs. 3/9: BOOKS: Queer Reading Group
7:00 pm / Brookline Public Library (& Virtual) / Free!
Come in person or online to read and discuss books by queer authors in a variety of genres. This group has a stress-free structure where the conversation we develop about identity, gender, race, and all other intersections is just as important as reading the book.

Fri. 3/10 - Sat. 3/11: CAREER: 2023 Sexology Summit for Pleasure Professions
8:00 am - 7:00 pm / Washington D.C. (& Virtual) / $75+
A hybrid conference addressing the obstacles faced by pleasure education professionals and providing opportunities to catalyze change. In addition to workshops and discussions, the agenda includes time for wellness and social activities as well.

Fri. 3/10: FEMINIST: 3rd Annual Black Women’s Empowerment Conference
5:00 pm / Tufts University (Medford) / Free!
This year’s conference theme, Rise, Reawaken, Rediscover: A Black Woman's Renaissance, acknowledges the revolutionary mood becoming alive again and positions Black women at the frontier of that change. Open to undergraduate and graduate students who identify as Black women in the Boston area.

Sat. 3/11: ART: Sex Education Comics with Isabella Rotman
1:00 pm / Virtual / Free!
An intro to sex education in comics and how this incredibly important but sometimes touchy subject can be taught empathetically, effectively, and humorously in the comics format. Learn methods for creating your own informational comics on whatever topic you are passionate about!

Sat. 3/11: KINK: Young & Kinky Munch
6:00 pm / Fenway / Free!
Come meet other young kinksters in the Boston area! Open to people aged 18 to 35.

Sat. 3/11: COMMUNITY: Boston Roller Derby Season Opener
4:00 - 11:00 pm / Shriners Auditorium (Wilmington, MA) / $8-24
Boston Roller Derby’s season begins at this all-ages event! There will be two games, as well as an after party following the games. Donations will go to NAGLY (North Shore Alliance of GLBTQ Youth).

Sun. 3/12: FEMINIST: LGBTQ+ Women’s History Month Wikipedia Edit-a-Thon
11:30 am / Boston Public Library (Copley Square) / Free!
Did you know that only about 18% of all biographies on Wikipedia are about women? Help The History Project, Boston’s LGBTQ+ community archives, to improve the digital visibility of women and celebrate International Women’s Day by editing and adding articles on Wikipedia.

Sun. 3/12: QUEER: B.L.O.W.W. presents Test(s) of Strength
6:30 pm / Arts at the Armory (Somerville, MA) / $25-45
The Boston League of Wicked Wrestlers is the queer wrestling league of your dreams. Don’t miss it.

Wed. 3/15: FEMINIST: Belly of the Beast Film Screening
6:00 pm / Bartos Theater at MIT (Cambridge) / Free!
Filmed over seven years with intimate accounts from currently and formerly incarcerated people, Belly of the Beast exposes eugenics and reproductive injustice in California prisons. This screening is part of the Women Take the Reel Film Festival.

Wed. 3/15: LGBTQ: Queer Hang: Knitting Circle
6:00 pm / Wild Child (Somerville) / Free!
Knit if you know how to knit, or drink some wine if you don’t. An evening to meet other queer people and peruse books in sexy candlelight.

Wed. 3/15: KINK: Risk-Aware Consensual Kinky Sex (RACKS)
7:00 pm / Virtual / $30
A workshop on RACKS practice with education on consent, safe words, nurturance culture, D/s roles, decolonizing kinky spaces, and providing accessible play spaces and scenes inclusive of disabled and neuroatypical folks.

Thurs. 3/16: FEMINIST: Short Films on Reproductive Justice
5:00 pm / Northeastern University (Boston, MA) / Free!
An evening of three short, feminist films on abortion access and reproductive justice, spanning three generations. This event is part of the Women Take the Reel Film Festival. A discussion will follow the screening.

Fri. 3/17: DRAG: Syd and Nora’s High School Reunion
9:00 pm / Union Tavern (Somerville) / $10-15
In 1997, Hollywood gave birth to a film called Romy and Michele's High School Reunion. That same year, two mothers gave birth to Syd Romo and Nora Panahi. Come enjoy a drag show and dance party to celebrate this trio of miraculous births! Costumes encouraged but not mandatory. Show off your best Romy and Michele-inspired looks - bright colors, glam, and most of all, FEATHERS.

Sat. 3/18: KINK: Introduction to Erotic Humiliation, Embarrassment, and Degradation
3 pm / Virtual / Free!
This workshop will unpack the psychological, emotional, and erotic desires around consensual psychological and emotional torment play by exploring its motivations, behaviors, levels of intensity, and language, as well as identifying common ways to play.

Sat. 3/18: BURLESQUE: Smoke & Shadows: Burlesque & Variety Show
9:30 pm / The Rockwell (Somerville, MA) / $28 
Devastating striptease, fresh comedy, and soul-moving music, all rolled into one sexy night out.

Sun. 3/19: DRAG: Heels N' Mimosas
11:00 am / Premiere on Broadway (Somerville, MA) / $25
This drag brunch is the most fabulous and profane way to start your Sunday.

Fri. 3/21: LOVE: Power in Relationships!
12:00 pm / Virtual / Requires BPL Library Card
A conversation about sexual assault and healthy versus abusive relationships, with an emphasis on discussing these difficult topics with compassion and curiosity.

Tues. 3/21: LGBTQ: Monogamous Bi & Pan Speed-Dating (20's and 30's)
7:00 pm /  Trident Books (Boston, MA) / $35
A speed-dating event featuring “big talk” conversation prompts for people aged 21-39 who are open to dating all genders and are seeking monogamous relationships.

Wed. 3/22: KINK: Cambridge Munch
6:00 pm / Cambridge, MA / Price of food/drinks
A great place to meet other local kinksters in a friendly environment, especially for those who are new to the kink scene. This event will take place outdoors for maximum covid safety. Vax card required.

Wed. 3/22: SEX ED: Cherish Lives? Sexuality Education Textbooks Produced in Contemporary China
7:00 pm / Virtual / $30
This workshop will examine sex education textbooks used in Beijing primary schools from three angles: the challenge of children as sexual subjects, confusion about the idea of gender beyond the binary, and the contradiction between the myth of universal heterosexuality and the attempt to present LGBT-sensitive education.

Wed. 3/22: SEXY: The Art of Erotic Dance (Lapdancing 101)
7:30 pm / Virtual / $3-50
Wanna learn a little old-school seduction? Professional slut Andre Shakti can help you make that happen! This lapdancing workshop will teach you about the internal process of erotic dance, as well as tips for negotiation and roleplaying. Keep in mind that participation is required!

Thurs. 3/23: BISEXUAL: Book Bi Book: A Bisexual Book Club
6:30 pm / Boston Public Library (West End) / Free!
This book club is for members of the bisexual community to read and discuss books by bisexual authors and books that feature bisexual characters each month. The March book is Hunger by Roxane Gay.

Sat. 3/25: CONFERENCE: Trans Youth Summit
9:30 am - 4:00 pm / Brookline, MA / Free!
A daylong community conference organized by trans youth, for trans youth. This event for youth ages 25 and under, as well as their parents/caregivers, aims to build community, combat oppression, and provide education and resources to those who need them. The gathering will include workshops, identity-based groups, panels, lunch, and access to gender affirming wear.

Sat. 3/25 - Sun. 3/26: KINK: Humpapolooza Mini Flea
10:00 am - 4:00 pm / Chelmsford Elks (Chelmsford, MA) / $5
A kinky market featuring kinky skill shares from knowledgeable community members. 

Tues. 3/28: LGBTQ: Portraits of Pride: A Celebration of Queer and Trans Lives in Boston
4:30 pm / George Sherman Union (Fenway) / Free!
Boston University’s reception for the installation of photo portraits by John Huet. The portraits are a love letter to the Boston LGBTQ+ community and were sadly vandalized after their initial installation in October 2022. Four months later, this special edition of the installation will include a reception and panel with some of the photo subjects.

Wed. 3/29: SEX ED: Neurobiology of Trauma: Applications for Sex Education
7:00 pm / Virtual / $30
Nishita Raghu Rao will speak on how stress and trauma can alter brain functioning after sexual assaults or other traumatic experiences. This workshop can help sex educators build essential knowledge of trauma-informed practices.

Fri. 3/31: ACTIVISM: March for Queer & Trans Youth Autonomy
TBA / Free!
Organizers have confirmed that there will be a Boston march; check back on their website or social media for updated details. 

Opportunities for action

Volunteer to join the Dyke Patrol at the Dyke March on 6/9 (the sexiest day of the year)! Sign up here. More info here.


Donate to the Transgender Emergency Fund of MA's fundraiser to help them launch the Transitional Housing Program, which will help unhoused transgender and gender non-conforming individuals to receive housing as well as assistance to become financially stable.


Become an Incarcerated Survivor Support Hotline volunteer at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. Volunteers provide crisis counseling, resources, and referrals for incarcerated survivors. This position requires a 40-hour training.

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Sex-positive book corner!


Sexuality: A Graphic Guide
by Meg-John Barker & Jules Scheele


Are you looking for a quick and easy introductory text to sexuality and sexology? This might be a good option for you. There’s a lot of great illustrations that break up the text nicely and the book/graphic novel touches on a lot of the major topics in modern sex-positivity discourse. It’s very Gender & Sexuality 101 and should be approachable to the majority of readers, but the tradeoff is that there’s not a lot of room to go into depth on a lot of the topics and theories presented (the history of sexology section leaves a lot to be desired and, really, should only be seen as dipping your toes in if you haven’t read up on the subject). It’s the type of book I wish I had the chance to read as a teenager.

-Aren

Jobs in the sexuality field

Sexual Health Ambassador Program Manager (Bilingual) Planned Parenthood

Director of Reproductive Justice Unit
Office of the Massachusetts Attorney General

Advocate – Housing Pathways Program
The Network/La Red

Advocate
The Network/La Red

Medical Assistant
Planned Parenthood

Director of Equity Initiatives
Planned Parenthood

Bilingual (Spanish) LGBT+ Community Health Worker
Victory Programs, Inc.

Administrative Coordinator
LGBT Center and Women's Center

Ceramics Instructor
Queer Pottery Arlington Center for the Arts

Bilingual Community Advocacy Specialist
Boston Area Rape Crisis Center

Bilingual Clinician
Boston Area Rape Crisis Center

HIV Prevention Outreach Worker/Counselor-Tester
Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program

Case Worker
Casa Esperanza

Movement Engagement Manager
Multicultural AIDS Coalition, Inc.

Free local resources

Boston Area Rape Crisis Center offers free counseling for people who have been sexually assaulted (and their loved ones).

The Network / La Red provides support for people experiencing relationship abuse.

Planned Parenthood's Sexual Health Counseling & Referral hotline is 877-686- 5772, option #3.

AIDS Action offers free STI testing in Boston and Cambridge. Registration required.

THRIVE Clinic at Harbor Health offers free HIV testing in Dorchester on Thursdays. They also offer free family planning counseling, menstrual supplies, and more. Reservations are available & walk-ins welcome.

The Sexual Freedom Legal Defense and Education Fund helps people with alternative sexual lifestyles.

Here's a list of culturally competent local resources for LGBTQ folks who have experienced sexual assault.

Other stuff!

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Cool art:​ End Diet Culture
by Amanda Adams

Call for workshops: Sex Down South is looking for presenters for their September 2023 conference in Atlanta, Georgia! Submit a proposal by 4/1.


Recommended workbook: My Sexual Values Workbook: A Purity Culture Dropout Resource for folks who are deconstructing purity culture values.

Read: Boston Public Library made this list of Sex Education Staff Picks!

Thinking of supporting this newsletter? Hurrah! You can donate via Venmo @NicoleMaz. Thank you very much!!!

This newsletter was created by Pleasure Pie.


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