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Darklady's Post 7th Annual Portland Masturbate-a-thon Musings

Darklady — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 01:42:38 GMT

When the urinal cakes started talking to me, I knew the party was officially over. I can't remember whether they started talking dirty before or after I dropped off Dale the Nail at his temporary resting place, but I know it was before I returned Michelle, my vamped out trans Darkling, to her magical kingdom. I should really remove the urinal cakes from the back seat of my car, but they keep me company during short trips and I guess I'm not ready to drive alone just yet. We didn't discover them until we were packing things up at the end of the 7th Annual Portland Masturbate-a-thon. They'd been hiding at the bottom of some boxes that I and my staff of Darklings had thought only contained Pink Visual porn, porn, and more porn. "Wild Fuck Toys" porn, to be exact. Perfectly in keeping with our masturbation focused party theme. Yet, there they were, chattering away in the hands of the bemused Czarcasm; moaning and sighing and promising him sensual wonders beyond comparison -- an ambitious goal, considering the evening's auditory and other sensual debaucheries. It's true we do things a little differently in Portland. Perhaps it's our outlaw sensibilities that inspire us to masturbate in unorthodox ways and places. Perhaps it's our sense of community, perhaps it's our sense of humor, or perhaps it's just our sense of independence. Whatever it is, thank goodness it has the word "sense" nearby. Whatever it is, it inspired 300 adults over the age of 21 to dress up in their kinkiest, sexiest, and most formal or most burlesque finery and spend seven hours watching not only one another, but some of the best in local, regional, and international erotic entertainment. There's something truly magical about stepping off of a stage and seeing literally hundreds of faces beaming smiles and joy in your direction. It never ceases to amaze me that I, the girl who couldn't find a soul outside my family to celebrate her birthday with as a child, now spend months tearing my hair our in preparation for the arrival of an ever-increasing number of new best friends to enchant, entice, entertain, and perhaps even "educate." More importantly, throughout that party night, an increasing number of new best friends share their juicy, sweet vulnerability with me – and I don't just mean sexually. Tall, short, fat, thin, young, old, white, black, gay, straight, bi, trans, kinky, vanilla, poly, monogamous, and still deciding; we somehow managed to find our common humanity and spend a clothing-optional evening together in mutual respect and sometimes even admiration. This doesn't mean we achieved perfection in our understanding of one another or our ability to communicate even with ourselves; but it does mean that we accomplished something that theoretically "normal" people have difficulty with. While America still struggles to decide whether it will slide into the various oceans if gays can marry or a mixed raced man sits behind the desk in the Oval Office, 300 people from Oregon, Washington, California – and even Texas – found it positively exhilarating to watch one another frolic with those we loved, or at least liked well enough to let touch our genitals or watch while we touched our own. Thanks to HotMovies.com and the aforementioned talking urinal cake promoting Pink Visual, I was able to bring both Seattle's VonFoxies and Canada's Wet Spots to my corner of the universe, my sensual playground, my pansexual paradise manifested on earth. Although my gregarious emcee, Hot Wendy Williams, found herself unable to escape the gravitational pull of her home state, Mr. the Nail was able to step in for her – and her fans sent their love to her, metaphorically speaking, throughout the evening; again, thanks to generosity from companies as diverse as Portland's Mr. Peeps, Chatsworth's Topco Sales, and North Carolina's Adam & Eve. Thanks to the Darklings, to the Mt. Tabor, to Puppetman, to DJs Darknezz and Emok, to the beautiful Sahara Dunes and sexy Sara Jay, to the inspiring and charitable VonFoxies, to GothFox.com pasties worthy of both a Sapphic Caribbean Sweetheart and a busty redhead with a hearse, to BlowFish.com for being wonderful, for BigTeazeToys.com for being wonderful and whimsical, to Hayb-Corsets.com for being cool with the idea of men in corsets, to the Naughty Baker for another sinfully delicious cake treat, to Taboo Video for baskets of pure joy, to Tonya Jone Miller for talk even more evocative than my urinal cakes, to Sik World Clothing for underwear and t-shirts that would make my mother blanch, to SwollenSkateboards for board backs my mother would send me to confession for touching, let alone auctioning -- and to the amazing man behind The Thrillhammer, which has brought so much joy to so many of my guests during the past seven years. Thanks also to Stormfeather for creating my amazing steampunk burlesque skirt and to Cindy Morgan of Odress.com for my curve hugging corset. And, of course, thanks to my guests – and everyone who didn't get mentioned in this article because the clock was ticking too close to my deadline. Without you, this evening would truly have been about nothing but solo masturbation – my own emotional masturbation; because without you, I would have been alone in my efforts. But I was not alone. We were 300 strong – not counting the hundreds, if not thousands – of other people who helped create our evening of sensual fundraising for the Free Speech Coalition, Woodhull Freedom Foundation, and Esther's Pantry. Thanks – and give yourself a hand. Or maybe, ask a friend to lend you theirs. After all, it's all for science – and to cum for a cause! Keep on masturbating!

EVENT: Darklady's First-Ever Mid-Party Social Night at the Legacy Lounge

Darklady — Sun, 11 May 2008 03:02:09 GMT

Who the hell is Darklady and what’s with these parties she throws? Find out during the first-ever Darklady’s Mid-Party Social Night at the Mt. Tabor Theater’s Legacy Lounge. Tuesday, May 20th 7:30pm – 10:00pm Ages 21 and older Mt. Tabor Theater – Legacy Lounge 4811 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Portland, OR 97215 www.MtTaborLegacy.com Join Darklady and friends for cocktails, conversation, good company, sexy door prizes, burlesque footage on a 15-foot theater screen – and the chance to win two tickets to the 7th Annual Portland Masturbate-a-thon! Meet Darklings, volunteers, and performers, catch up with party friends, or just have a great time in a great lounge with some great people. Enjoy a $6.50 spaghetti buffet while you play ping pong and watch -- or compete -- in the main theater’s trike races. -- Darklady www.darklady.com www.masturbate-a-thon.org

Darklady -- on Playboy Radio’s Night Calls

Darklady — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 01:02:54 GMT

Darklady -- on Playboy Radio’s Night Calls Hosted by Christy Canyon & Vanessa Blue Friday, April 25, 2008 Approx. 4:30 pm PT SIRIUS radio Channel 198 Whether it’s the 7th Annual Portland Masturbate-a-thon, BBW porn in LA, Cybernet Expo in San Francisco, the Free Speech Coalition board of directors, smart girls in the adult biz, her hair, or pretty much any other topic – Darklady is sure to have something interesting to say! Questions, comments, book deals, film offers, proposals of marriage, deeds to large tracts of land, keys to heavy chests of gold, restraining orders, and other important messages for Darklady, Vanessa Blue, or Christy Canyon can be called in LIVE to: 1-877-205-9796. Listen LIVE on Playboy Radio, SIRIUS radio Channel 198 Visit PlayboyRadio.com for more details Night Calls airs LIVE Monday – Friday, 4pm – 7pm PT -- Darklady http://www.darklady.com http://www.masturbate-a-thon.org

Darklady is a Dirty Girl -- In Print!

Darklady — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 00:11:08 GMT

For those seeking the perfect tax relief reading experience, I propose the latest erotic anthology featuring my work. I originally wrote the short story that appears in the "Dirty Girls" anthology for a gay Asian magazine that never went to print. I was paid an ungodly amount of money, but I never heard from them after they sent the check. Now my story, "The Garden of Sinn" is finally in print! Someday I'd like to see it included in a gay-focused anthology... Also listed on Amazon is "Naughty Spanking Stories from A to Z," which includes my short story, "Yenta of Spanking." I love writing for Rachel Kramer Bussel and only wish I had more time to put things together for her anthologies. She's smart, talented, and super hot, IMO. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580052517/ref=cm_arms_pdp_dp Check it out -- and buy a zillion or so. :-)

Darklady Seeks Burlesque Performers -- Portland, OR

Darklady — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 03:21:32 GMT

Darklady’s 7th Annual Portland Masturbate-a-thon Seeks Burlesque Performers Mt. Tabor Theater Saturday, May 31st, 2008 Darklady’s Burlesque Hall seeks dancers, hoofers, comics, singers, mimes, acrobats, jugglers, strip tease artists, freak acts, and other saucy and satirical performers with a stylishly ribald edge for her 7th Annual Portland Masturbate-a-thon. Gentlemen: Do you follow in the footsteps of Abbott & Costello, Jack Albertson, Robert Alda, Pinky Lee, Bert Lahr, Leon Errol, Red Skelton, and W.C. Fields? Ladies: Are you a modern Fanny Brice, Lillian Russell, Fay Templeton, Gypsy Rose Lee, Sally Rand, Mae West, Lili St. Cyr, Blaze Starr, Tura Satana, or Tempest Storm? Join Canada’s infamous musical sex comedy duo, the Wet Spots, as bawdy entertainment in front of a highly responsive audience – all while helping raise money for good causes and having one of the most amazing experiences of your life. This year’s Portland M-a-T will benefit: Esther’s Pantry, the Free Speech Coalition, and the Woodhull Freedom Foundation. Contact Darklady@ casting.com for more information. Masturbate-a-thon.org website update SOON Sponsors, Donors, and Volunteers Sought

Darklady Joins Free Speech Coalition Board of Directors

Darklady — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:32:48 GMT

PORTLAND, OR -- Long-time sex educator, free speech activist, and professional journalist Theresa “Darklady” Reed has joined the 2008 – 2009 board of director’s for the adult entertainment industry’s trade organization, the Free Speech Coalition. The new board, which met for the first time in Las Vegas, NV between the end of the Adult Entertainment Expo and beginning of Internext Expo, expects to continue to wrestle with the Department of Justice over the constitutionality of 18 USC 2257 regulations and the Utah Child Protection registry, while addressing piracy, industry standards and practices, and other issues. “I’m thrilled to have been nominated to the Free Speech Coalition board of directors and have the opportunity to work with so many intelligent and sincere people,” Darklady says of her new position. “I am humbled by the confidence the industry has vested in me and am determined to prove myself worthy of that confidence.” Other new board members joining Darklady are attorney Eric M. Bernstein, Bijou Video’s Steve Toushin, and XBIZ publisher Tom Hymes. Re-winning seats are board president Jim Everett of Everett Retail Group, treasurer Joy King of Wicked Pictures, and Nellie Symm-Gruender of Passions. Attorneys Jeffrey Douglas and Reed Lee, Evotum’s Mara Epstein, Topco Sales’ Lynn Swanson, AVN Media Network’s Mark Kernes, and NakedSword/Cubik Media’s Tim Valenti remain on the board. Darklady, who is editor for YNOT.com, as well as a monthly contributor to AVN and GayVN magazines, and president of Darklady Productions, Inc., based in Portland, OR, believes that the FSC membership and fans of adult entertainment have a right and responsibility to get involved. “I hope that those with good ideas about ways the FSC can improve the health and safety of the adult entertainment industry, both literally and figuratively, will feel comfortable sharing them with me,” she encourages, “and that more industry professionals and fans will join the FSC and put their money where their mouths are. No matter how hard or well the FSC board works to defend and nurture the industry, long-lasting and effective change won’t happen without involvement from those who work within it and/or enjoy its fruits.” The FSC’s website quotes Darklady, who has run for public office twice, as opining that “We must act before the government acts for us.” For more information about Darklady, visit www.Darklady.com. To learn more about the Free Speech Coalition, visit www.FreeSpeechCoalition.com.

ADULT TALENT CALL: Darklady & Paul Thomas Seek Portland, OR X-Rated Hopefuls

Darklady — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 05:46:53 GMT

ADULT TALENT CALL: Darklady & Paul Thomas Seek Portland, OR X-Rated Hopefuls • Have you ever fantasized about appearing in a real adult video? • Are you sick of the SoCal porn “look?” • Do you think Portland’s sex scene is something special? • Would you like to work for one of the most respected and awarded directors in the adult industry? Portland sex writer & erotic impresario Darklady is teaming up with Vivid Video’s Paul Thomas, the most award-winning director in the history of adult video. Together they plan to create a uniquely Portland and uniquely erotic production to be shot in Portland, using Portland-area talent, during March, 2008. Performers of all legal ages, genders, ethnicities, body types, sexual preferences, and specialties are encouraged to send a brief bio with age statement, face shot, and full body shot (nude, clothed, or both) to casting@darklady.com Applicants must be willing to provide proof of age and meet in person for an interview and audition. DEADLINE for current project: Sunday, February 17th, 2008. ======================== Darklady is editor at YNOT.com, a long-time contributor to AVN and GayVN magazines, and past editor of Portland’s Exotic Magazine. www.darklady.com

INVITE: Darklady's Erotic Masquerade NYE Party

Darklady — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 02:08:24 GMT

Darklady's Erotic Masquerade NYE Party One year ends and another begins; much like our annual hopes, dreams, vows, promises, and resolutions. Who were we when the year was fresh and who are we now that it is fading? Explore these and other mysteries during Darklady’s Erotic Masquerade NYE. Wear a mask and/or costume to reflect or hide your true nature -- and show your charitable spirit by sharing your sensual truths with the Swingers.com camera crew – and raise money for Esther’s Pantry! Bring a pet or human care product for Esther’s Pantry/Tod’s Corner and get $5 off your entry. Monday, December 31, 2007 7:00 pm - 2:00 am Club 6124 Portland, OR Partially Wheelchair Accessible Ages 21 and older Potluck Cloakroom Rubitorium Sensual Play Space Dungeon Massage Tables Sex Swings Welcoming Ceremony Swingers.com “Be a Masked Porn Star for Charity” Portrait & Erotic Stills by Bryan Grimes Close Shaves from the Naughty Barber Capricious Costume Prizes from Darklady Dance Tunes by DJ Darknezzz Non-Alcoholic Bubbly at Midnight Birthday fantasies for December, January & February You! $35 - Street clothes $25 – Masquerade, Fetish, or Formal Attire $5 OFF entry with donation RSVP Absolutely Required Volunteers, party & prize sponsors of all kinds sought Limited scholarship opportunities available UPCOMING EVENTS May: Portland Masturbate-a-thon (Reform School Theme) -- Darklady

Emily Sander and the Prurience of the Mainstream Media

Darklady — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 00:32:29 GMT

Emily Sander and the Prurience of the Mainstream Media by Darklady Originally published on YNOT.com Emily Sander was an 18-year-old student attending Butler Community College in El Dorado, KS. The weekend after Thanksgiving, she left the Retreat bar with a 24-year-old legal immigrant and Italian restaurant waiter named Israel Mireles. Although copious amounts of blood were found in his motel room later and linens from his bed were missing, Mireles and Victoria Martens, his 16-year-old pregnant girlfriend have not been seen or heard from since. Their rental car has been found, though – abandoned. Likewise, Sander’s dead body has been found – also abandoned. Sounds like a saucy murder case to me; perfect for late night cable viewing. A labret-pierced Mexican lothario with a penchant for barely and not-yet legal girls, at least one minor in an establishment that sells alcohol, a pregnant juvenile, a blood-soaked motel bed and carpet, a broken motel window, a possibly cut motel phone line, an abandoned rental vehicle, and a likely dash for the hoped-for safety of Mexico, friends, and family. Scandalous, salacious, full of intrigue and sleaze – perfect fodder for the sensation-loving mass media machine we have for decades so laughingly referred to as the “news.” But wait! There’s more! As if the story weren’t racy enough, the super sleuths that sit behind the press desks of America have uncovered the fact that murder victim Emily Sander lived what people who meddle in other people’s business like to call a “secret life.” A life that the well-financed and allegedly respectable mainstream media machine simply can not turn its prurient eyes and flapping mouths away from. As has been affirmed by friends and family, Emily Sander was also known as sologirl Zoey Zane on a website of the same name, as well as on YourDailyGirls.com, a site that peppers its front page with hardcore pix instead of a disclaimer. With this bit of information, what passes for “news” took a sociologically fascinating turn. Instead of the blood and corpse serving as the focus of all media coverage, the dead girl’s 2.5 months as an erotic model become transformed into a career as a “porn star” and the heart and soul of every story. Comfortably able to chatter endlessly about Sander’s supposed sex life once she was both more and less than yet another innocent victim of a yet another violent crime, the press has rolled the least important elements of her last days around on its collective tongue and used them to capture eyeballs, subscribers, and advertising dollars, all the while subtly reminding Americans that bad girls get murdered. Who says that the Hayes Code is dead? While her body lay cooling alongside a freeway 50 miles away from El Dorado, the country couldn’t stop talking about Emily Sander – or at least her “secret life.” Thanks to the internet, everyone knows Emily’s so-called secret now. No one, of course, has explained why it needed to be everybody’s business or why being discreet about something means one is leading “a secret life.” All that needed to be said were the words “porn star” and a nation of uniformed readers and writers filled with opinions about things they know little about, and the ability to do a prurient Google search, were able to cluck their tongues in fascinated disapproval and opine about the invariably calamitous road that Emily had surely stumbled down. After all, everybody knows what sleazy people work in the adult entertainment industry, right? Surely one of them killed the girl. After all, that’s what porn people do, right? Ironically, it’s not church groups, feminist organizations, or responsible mainstream journalists who are crying foul about how Sander’s story is being told. No, it’s the evil doers in the porn industry, the same people who supposedly make a living dehumanizing and degrading women by turning them into sex objects and ignoring their fundamental value as human beings. In addition to my own bit of soap boxery, the owner of YourDailyGirls.com has noticed that the media has been more than happy to indulge in a rather amazing amount of what he and I both call “irresponsible journalism” in its coverage of the tragedy. In the hopes of bringing suspected killer Mireles to justice, the ZoeyZane.com site has been re-launched, complete with photos of the man, the under-age mother of his child-to-be, and a plea to either donate to a reward fund or contact the authorities with information about the crime. As the site text regretfully observes, “It truly saddens us to see, in this day and age, that we live in a society that ridicules a woman for doing something that is completely legal.” It then goes on to state that a David Thomas has supposedly helped whip up the media “feeding frenzy” by spreading misinformation about the extent of Sander’s supposed “’porn career.’” According to the site, “Emily was a solo nude model whose site went live September 25, 2007.” Thanks to the rush to sensationalize her short time in adult, the media has apparently sent “more traffic to Emily’s adult site in 2 hours than the site has received in 2 months…” Back in the ancient days of my college journalism studies, things like checking facts were considered important. Word has it, and my own experience supports the contention, that mainstream journalists today don’t even bother to use tape recorders during interviews. I guess if you want the truth about some things, you really need to turn to the pornographic media. Some may consider this to be ironic, but I consider it to be natural. After all, one of the biggest reasons that sex is such a controversial subject is because it’s so relentlessly honest and real; two things that polite society traditionally eschews. Perhaps someday the mainstream media, with its powerful and far-reaching voice, will lose interest in the supposedly “secret” sex lives of pretty girls who fall victim to wicked men. Perhaps someday the truly secret, double lives of these abusers, murderers, and statutory rapists will be more interesting than the fact an attractive young woman chose to make money in a non-traditional way. Perhaps someday the press will find a young woman working within the adult entertainment industry as newsworthy as finding a young man working within the military industrial complex. But until that day, writers and reporters desperate to earn valuable editorial space will continue to tantalize their editors by mixing genuine news with mental images of naked breasts, firm bellies, round bottoms, and smoothly shaved pubic areas. Sadly, but not surprisingly, the media has fallen silent about Emily Sander ever since her body was found, her autopsy results kept secret, and police chief Tom Boren concluded that “At this point, we have no reason to think her role in the adult Web site was a factor.” I guess that without suggestions of sexual impropriety to keep the story lively, she’s just another murdered teenager found in a Midwestern ditch. Those with any information about the murder of Emily Sander are urged to call investigators at 316-321-9120 or the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at 1-800-KS-CRIME.

Darklady Seeks Free Speech Coalition Board Nomination

Darklady — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 22:10:04 GMT

Darklady Seeks Free Speech Coalition Board Nomination Theresa “Darklady” Reed, creative impresario for Darklady Productions, Inc., editor for YNOT.com, long-time contributor to Adult Video News magazine, web radio personality, controversial free speech and alt sex activist, and two-time Libertarian political candidate is ready, willing, and able to serve on the Free Speech Coalition board of directors. But she needs eligible FSC members to nominate her in order to bring that a step closer to reality. With three seats coming open as current board members move on to other ventures – and another five seats waiting to be filled – now is the perfect time for Darklady to put her money (and that of generous travel sponsors) where her ever-so-opinionated mouth is. Those who know Darklady are well aware of her passionate and articulate defense of the adult entertainment industry, the sexual rights of mutually consenting adults, and the free exchange of ideas – but how many know about her exceptional organizational skills, support for reasonable industry Standards & Practices, and amazing diplomatic skills? How about her three years as a board member for the GLBT Portland Area Business Alliance? Her position as liaison to the adult entertainment industry for the Woodhull Freedom Foundation? Her work as secretary for Blackout Leather Productions? Her acceptance of the 2007 BLP Community Choice award? Her 17 years online, including time as the Sysop of the Church of Unholy Love BBS? If you would like to see Darklady work side-by-side with executive director Diane Duke, board president Jim Everett, treasurer Joy King, and members Greg “Spanky” Shearer and Nellie Symm-Gruender on the board of the adult entertainment industry’s national trade organization, please return your online ballot or call the Free Speech Coalition office at 818-348-9397 to learn how to make your nomination preference known. As always, expect great things - and help make them happen! Darklady is Editor at YNOT and has nearly two decades of experience covering the adult entertainment industry, internet technology, and alternative sexuality beats online, in print, and via traditional and web radio.

6th Circuit Court Declares 2257 Overbroad and Unconstitutional

Darklady — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 01:20:25 GMT

6th Circuit Court Declares 2257 Overbroad and Unconstitutional by Darklady For YNOT.com CINCINNATI, OH -- The adult entertainment industry has been waiting for some good news to emerge from Ohio and hoping for a decision favoring reason and justice concerning 18 U.S.C. 2257. Today it received both when the United States Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit declared the federal record keeping statute unconstitutional unless drastically overhauled. In a move that likely drew sighs of relief from hundreds of thousands of online, print, and DVD side professionals, the Free Speech Coalition announced that all three panel justices involved in the interim decision concerning Connection Distributing Company v. Keisler agreed that the burdens placed upon content providers attempting to remain within the law were entirely unreasonable as written. A 27-page opinion from the three judges involved states that “We conclude that the statute is overbroad and therefore violates the 1st Amendment, and accordingly we reverse the district court’s judgment and remand with instructions to enter summary judgment for the plaintiffs.” In a Free Speech Coalition Member Advisory, organization Legal Committee chair and board member Reed Lee explained to members that “At this early stage, it appears that the decision in this case that began 12 years ago is a solid one.” Lee went on to praise the efforts of attorney Mike Murray, as well as “the courage and tenacity of the plaintiffs Rondee Kamins” and other, unnamed plaintiffs. Murray, upon speaking with AVNeffused that “This is huge, huge news for the entire industry. It means that the statute has been declared unconstitutional in its entirety, at least in the 6th Circuit. This is the result we’ve all been aiming for; it’s a monumental victory.” The case in question dates back to 1995, when Connection Distributing, the publisher of a swinger publication and associated websites, challenged the legality of the record keeping requirements. Although the plaintiffs suffered many rejections, they continued to appeal the decisions until it reached today’s ruling, which concluded with Judge Cornelia G. Kennedy opining that the only way to make 2257 constitution would be for Congress to amend it. According to the FSC, it was determined by the Court that the difficulties experienced by providers did not justify the government’s alleged interests in keeping minors from appearing in erotic imagery. Although the FSC fully expects that the legal battle will continue to rage outside of the 6th Circuit (Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee), the decision affects those states within the jurisdiction. Lee indicated in an FSC press release that the government’s next move will likely become known within the next two weeks. Attorney Lawrence Walters shared similar opinions with XBIZ, stating that although the decision was of considerable importance, industry professionals should view the decision with caution. “Generally, you have to be very careful to reacting too harshly to any opinion,” he observed. “This is a penal ruling, and it is not final. The government could ask for an en banc rehearing by the full circuit, and they can appeal the decision.” Fortunately, Walters expects that attempts to overturn the decision are unlikely to succeed, observing that “The judges on this panel are renowned for being tremendously bright, and it shows through in this ruling. There’s no doubt that the 1st Amendment arguments here were strong and the court recognized that the law clearly sweeps in too much protected speech, and there are just too many problems with the law, generally.” This view was reflected in Kennedy’s words, when she indicated that “The plain text, the purpose and the legislative history of the statute make clear that Congress was concerned with all child pornography and considered record-keeping important in battling all of it, without respect to the creator’s motivation. There is, therefore, no narrowing construction.” Although the government has insisted that 2257 does not restrict speech, only conduct, the court not only rejected this line of reasoning but stated, through Kennedy, that “This argument is unpersuasive. While the government is indeed aiming at conduct, child abuse, it is regulating protected speech, sexually explicit images of adults, to get to that conduct.” Conduct which Kennedy pointed out, “is already illegal,” unlike adult sexuality which is “not illegal and is, in fact, constitutionally protected.” While the government rethinks its strategy and, hopefully, pursues more effective means by which to crush child “pornography,” Walters urges adult industry professionals to take a “wait and see” attitude and “treat this as a step in the ladder toward total invalidation of 2257,” according to XBIZ. A more detailed analysis of the decision, a possible future game plan outline, and a FAQ from the FSC’s legal team will be posted to www.FreeSpeechCoaltion.com within the next few days. Darklady is Editor at YNOT and has more than a decade of experience covering the adult entertainment industry, internet technology, and alternative sexuality beats online, in print, and via traditional and web radio.

Fetish Fashion Thieves Unload Stock in Las Vegas

Darklady — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 00:23:03 GMT

Fetish Fashion Thieves Unload Stock in Las Vegas by Darklady LOS ANGELES, CA -- Female sex workers, generally sexy women, and all who have an appreciation for high quality fetish garments in Las Vegas are urged to be on the lookout for an assortment of fashion items stolen from the Los Angeles, CA shop of designer and style maven Ms. Antoinette, reportedly appearing literally on the streets of Sin City as of Monday. An email alert circulated today by adult video legend, sex educator, and photographer Annie Sprinkle and cross-dressing expert and author Veronica Vera, recounts the sad tale of Ms. Antoinette’s loss and the subsequent reported appearance of some of her items being sold “from the back of a vehicle in Las Vegas.” Among the garments taken from the Versatile Fashions shop and factory by what is believed to be a “professional burglar” acting alone or with assistance are well-known costumes including those of Cleopatra, Gone with the Wind, the Bionic Woman, a sailor girl, the Queen of England, Marie Antoinette, a bat woman, and Antoinette’s own silver wedding gown. Antoinette is especially interested in reclaiming a floor length queen’s outfit, which she estimates has a $2,500 value. “It can’t be missed; it’s got big red velvet, puffy sleeves and a gold collar in the back, gold lace, and a gold leather corset, and is jeweled all over the place. I’m sure that could spotted by somebody.” Additionally, all of her Halloween collection, countless high heeled boots and shoes, dozens of leather, PVC, Chinese silk, satin, and brocade corsets, as well as other elaborate garments were stolen on the evening of September 25th, when the burglars drilled into the wall of her building, entering from the Chinese restaurant next door. Antoinette is understandably devastated by the loss, which follows the death of her husband Dick, aka Zorro, less than two years ago. “My whole life’s work was cruelly ripped away, like a violent attack,” Sprinkle and Vera quote her as saying about the theft of her life’s work and decades of archival costumes. “I’m in shock!” Nonetheless, the esteemed designer vows that “They’ve stolen my things, but not my soul.” Sprinkle states that at least some of the merchandise has been reported as sold from the back of a vehicle in Las Vegas by a blond haired “businessman” type in his mid 30s with no visible tattoos. Antoinette has spoken with both the Las Vegas and Orange County police departments and asks that anyone with information about the stolen property contact her assistant, Tracy, either at versatile_fashions@yahoo.com, 714-538-0257, or via either the VersatileFashions.com or VersatileCorsets.com websites. Darklady is Editor at YNOT and has more than a decade of experience covering the adult entertainment industry, internet technology, and alternative sexuality beats online, in print, and via traditional and web radio.

Kinky Solo Sex Polishes Off Falwell Colleague

Darklady — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 22:00:43 GMT

Kinky Solo Sex Polishes Off Falwell Colleague by Darklady MONTGOMERY, AL -- In spite of the Religious Right’s loud proclamations of moral purity, its leadership has consistently had supreme difficulty living up to its hype, especially lately. In the most recent in a series of fundie Christian sex scandals, Gary M. Aldridge, senior pastor of Thorington Road Baptist Church for the past 15 years, not only wasn’t able to live a morally pure life – he wasn’t able to die in a morally pure way, either. Montgomery, AL Major Bobby Bright had hinted that something unorthodox was up after Aldridge’s body was found this past June, suggesting that the pastor might have been the victim of foul play. A representative for the Montgomery County police department had refused to discuss the matter other than to say that church members had become concerned when Aldridge went missing for several days, and to state that dental records and an autopsy would be required before the body, which had been discovered in the man’s home by a parishioner wondering why he wasn’t leading church services, could be positively identified and its cause of death determined. The church’s website, which hasn’t been updated since shortly after the death, begs “the media and community to be respectful to the facts of the event. At this point there is very little information. Please refrain from speculation until the authorities handling the case reveal the facts.” Well, the facts are in – and chances are excellent that those close to Aldridge will not be promoting them. According to The Smoking Gun, the facts about Aldridge’s death are plenty sordid. While some will likely not be shocked to learn that yet another man who promoted a sexually and socially ultra conservative point of view had a few skeletons in his closet, most will be surprised by the complex and extreme nature of those skeletons. The Liberty University graduate and one-time dean of the now-also-dead university founder Jerry Falwell’s school passed from this world as a result of what is being euphemistically called an “accidental mechanical asphyxia.” Those in the world of openly kinky sex call it autoerotic asphyxiation. It appears that Aldridge was alone at the time of his tragic play session gone bad, which is something those who admit to their sexual experimentations generally warn against for precisely the reasons that brought about his death. Hogtied and wearing two complete wet suits including face mask, diving gloves, slippers, a head mask, and rubber underwear and suspenders – the 51-year-old breath play enthusiast also had a condom clad dildo wedged inside of his ass; facts that the family friendly local Montgomery Advertiser chose to omit from its reporting of the sad event. He was bound with a combination of two ties, five leather belts, and 11 nylon straps. Dr. Bob Miller of Liberty University told the press in June that Aldridge was well loved by university students. Whether that love will continue now that the truth about the man’s most intimate desires has been made public is yet to be seen. Likewise unknown is where the pastor purchased his dildo, given that the sale of sex toys within his home state of Alabama is illegal except for medical purposes. Darklady is Editor at YNOT and has more than a decade of experience covering the adult entertainment industry, internet technology, and alternative sexuality beats online, in print, and via traditional and web radio.

Darklady's 2257 Comment Letter

Darklady — Mon, 10 Sep 2007 21:13:34 GMT

Although this particular letter does not address social networking website concerns, the issues are somewhat similar. Members certainly worry about the security of their confidential information -- but website owners and operators are likely to be FAR MORE concerned since they are the ones who will pay fines and do time if there's a violation in the paperwork requirements. ========================================= Mr. Andrew Oosterbaan Chief, Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section Criminal Division, United States Department of Justice Washington, DC 20530 ATTN: “Docket No. CRM 104” Dear Mr. Oosterbaan: I am a professional writer and editor specializing in the adult entertainment industry, free speech, internet technology, and alternative sexuality beats. On occasion, in order to enhance the value of my written work, I take photographs which sometimes are of an erotic nature. Although I have sold some of these photos to magazines, the majority of my pictures are meant to share with the adult online community via my website, which includes feature articles, industry profiles, columns, and reviews. In other words, although my main career is as a writer/editor, I am occasionally a Primary Content Producer. Because I will use cover scans of videos that I review, I will also soon become a Secondary Content Producer as current and proposed 2257 regulations define the terms. I work from the dining room of my one-bedroom apartment and have managed to survive as a self-employed writer/editor for nearly a decade. This is quite an accomplishment, regardless of the subject matter, and I have achieved it by working nearly endless hours, living simply, and being largely content with my own company except when I travel to, or participate in, work related events. Because I make a humble income at a job that requires me to attend conventions, award shows, workshops, contests, etc. it is not possible for me to easily fulfill the requirements that the current and proposed 2257 regulations appear to demand. For instance, although I typically work from 9:00am until 9:00pm (or later), I also run errands, have doctor’s appointments, attend meetings, and sometimes travel out of the city or state for extended periods of time. There is no way that I can afford to hire a person to sit in my home while I am gone, either. Because I am an unmarried woman who lives and works from home, the idea of posting my office hours on my front door – including times and dates when I plan to be away – is very unappealing. In some areas, that reads like an invitation to the local crack heads – something I know about from experience, since they broke into my previous home twice while I was gone, robbing me each time. Although I have only begun the process of dealing with 2257 paperwork, I have already felt its crushing burden. Working with a fine art photographer who was totally unaware of 2257 regulations, and attempting to sell his live event photos to accompany a proposed article, has stalled the entire negotiation process by months because no progress can be made on the actual article until all of the various forms of ID are inspected, procured, sent, evaluated by the publication, and hopefully accepted. Only THEN will the actual photographs themselves be looked at and evaluated to determine if they are worthy of publication. The confusion surrounding this task has been enormous, requiring me to put aside other priorities in an attempt to make sure everything is perfect and in line with not only the government’s, but the nervous magazine’s requirements, the latter of which reflects a fear of prosecution that makes it nearly impossible for a part-time photographer such as myself to gain publication without spending literally hours merely dealing with paperwork proving that my decidedly and obviously adult, but non-professional, models are precisely what they claim to be: adults. Please understand that I, like every person I have ever met within the adult entertainment industry or erotic community, want to shield children from actions and exposure to materials that are not age appropriate. I do not, however, believe for even a moment that the 2257 regulations do any such thing. Instead, they merely divert essential government resources away from true crime in what feels like a moralistic witch hunt intended to crush the entrepreneurial spirit of those who dare to create or reproduce sexually or sensually explicit materials. As I understand it, the majority of so-called “child porn” is produced in countries such as Russia and regions of Eastern Europe and Asia. How my spending months to bring my decidedly adult models’ paperwork into cross-indexed, etc. compliance stop the criminal activity of child molesters is beyond me. The last thing that professionals within the adult entertainment industry want is a minor in their camera’s lens, which is one reason that so many of us are involved with the Association of Sites Advocating Child protection (ASACP.org.). Why won’t the administration stop harassing the adult entertainment industry and start truly doing something to protect minors? We are on the same page on this issue and the continued marginalization of the industry does not make it easier for us to work together, however much it may appeal to the moral sensibilities of some who wish to impose their religious beliefs upon others by controlling their actions. Although the administration may not be aware of this, the majority of adult Americans at least periodically enjoy some manner of erotic entertainment, whether that be visiting an exotic dance club, purchasing a sex toy, logging onto a racy website, or viewing an explicit instructional or entertainment video. Alas, the hyperbole behind laws such as 2257 makes it more difficult for this truly silent majority to honestly express its needs and desires to its legislative representatives. It is hard not to think that the administration’s goals are less to protect children than to find an easy way to persecute those who produce or reproduce erotic materials. Given that there has been little success in prosecuting obscenity, it feels as though the government has chosen to create convoluted regulations that only a highly skilled professional with copious time could properly and consistently satisfy; all in the hopes of being able to turn to its conservative constituency with a few sacrificial scalps to its credit. And what of those of us who do work hard to follow the rules? What happens if we misplace a form, suffer a hard drive failure, have our computer/file cabinet stolen, or, in a worst case scenario, are faced with a mature looking minor packing fake ID that even government officials find convincing? Worse of all is the fact that the DoJ insists these arcane requirements are simple to understand and follow – yet even the FBI agents dealing directly with the adult industry can’t explain what needs to be done in order to be compliant! Given how little sense many of these regulations make, it’s not hard to understand why the government’s own might find them baffling. Honestly, sir – how many people filming the rape and sexual abuse of minor children bother to check their ID… unless it’s to make sure they *are* minors? And of those, how many are going to bother to cross-index their documentation in digital and paper form? Meanwhile, real perverts and criminals continue to swap photos internationally -- and my address is going to appear on my website, where any crackpot or nut job with a grudge against me or what I do can see it. A few years ago I received copious hate mail from a man in Texas who vowed to appear on my doorstep to punish me for what he felt to be my sinful ways. With 2257 in place, he’ll have no problem finding me. Is that the intent of this law; to put innocent men and women in harm’s way? Why must all files be cross-indexed? Is it to increase the chance of us making a mistake? Why can’t I have my records stored someplace secure and safe instead of keeping them in my office? Is it because a surprise visit is honestly expected to result in the breaking of an international child molesting ring? How does the DoJ expect the endless photocopying of primary documents to result in readable copy? How does knowing every nickname that a model has ever had during their life (let alone their career) provide any information about that person’s age? How is a Secondary Producer supposed to “inspect” the ID of a person they never met? And why are the definitions of “sexually explicit” being continually expanded? Is it because the government wants people to stop showing one another their nude or partially clothed bodies? Please, Mr. Oosterbaan – as a tax payer, the daughter and granddaughter of war veterans, and as a person genuinely concerned about the fate of my nation and the safety of its citizens, including its young and vulnerable, I beg you to use the funds that I and other hard working Americans have sent via our taxes for better purposes. The world is at war, sir, and I can’t see how making sure paperwork proving that a 50-year-old man isn’t a child contributes anything to the war effort – and this is from someone who was preparing to fly home from NYC on 9-11. Please, Mr. Oosterbaan – work with the Free Speech Coalition to find a just and appropriate way to balance the safety of minors and the rights of adults. Ignoring the advice and feedback of industry professionals does not contribute to that goal and only engenders greater distrust of this nation’s officials at a time when we should see one another as unified by a common love for liberty, justice, and the document which sets us apart from those who, ironically, would enthusiastically support anti-free speech regulations such as 2257 and beyond: the Constitution. Most Sincerely, Theresa A. Reed (aka “Darklady”)

When FBI Agents Lie – Online Dating & Instant Messaging

Darklady — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 23:35:06 GMT

I recently served as an expert witness during an online, BDSM related case involving the possible solicitation of a minor for sex. Although the man was convicted, I have no idea whether he was innocent or not. I do, however, feel that his case provides us with the opportunity to learn from his experience... -- DL ===================================== When FBI Agents Lie – Online Dating & Instant Messaging by Darklady for YNOT.com “Nobody is who they claim to be.” “Everybody is lying about something.” “He never believed for a minute that he was really talking with a minor.” LK should have known better. He certainly knew an impressive number of important things related to BDSM: what chat rooms to visit, how to introduce himself to prospective play partners, which books to recommend, how safe words work, why consent matters, where to meet in public before playing, and how to use condoms, gloves, butt plugs, and enema bottles when the play goes beyond spanking… But somehow it never occurred to him to ask, just for the hell of it, if the hot chat partner he was setting up a sexy spanking date with really WAS only 14 like “she” claimed online -- and he unsuccessfully testified in front of a jury that he had never believed. Truth or lie, LK was right. There was no 14-year-old pseudo chat room slang slinging high school soccer playing naughty Nabokov schoolgirl wannabe. There was a male FBI agent using an AOL adult fetish chat room, an IM program, and a photo of his own daughter to lure adults he thought might like to literally and illegally fulfill their fantasies of sensually spanking a misbehaving “girl.” None of the women who took the stand to recount their time with the ass and spanking obsessed traveler looked underage -- or likely to be mistaken for underage even by the most visually impaired observer. Regardless of whether they had ever put their hair in pig tails, worn a white top and dark skirt, or placed themselves trustingly across his knees for a spanking; full breasts, wide hips, and ripe asses were the norm for this cross section of his lengthy history of playing fanny smacking games while on the road. Each nervous witness was fully a woman, and had been for some time. Varying degrees of inexperience and exploration also seemed to be a common bond – as did personal online experience with people claiming to be other than they truly proved to be. Even LK reported considerable experience with this phenomena -- which only highlights the importance of making sure that the presumed owner of the eager bottom or other savory but decidedly over-18-years-of-age-only body part being offered from across the private chat room belongs to someone old enough to actually seal the deal. In this case, of course, it did. It belonged to the aforementioned lying FBI agent; the only denizen hanging out in that adult-only chat room for kinky grown-ups who was pretending to be under age. What all of the other people in the room were pretending to is unknown, but this is a certainty. Ultimately, though, whether LK was hanging out in an adult chat room hoping to finally be able to spank and sodomize a semi articulate teeny bopper while on business is less important than the fact that a jury concluded that he did – and a federal prosecutor successfully encouraged them to think precisely that… thanks largely to chat transcripts and a jury’s ignorance -- or fear of outing itself by possessing knowledge about BDSM, online hook-ups, and other very mature forms of modern dating and sexuality. Hiring articulate, presentable, and well-informed expert witnesses (such as myself, in this case), constructing a solid case, and finding an open-minded jury are all wonderful elements of a successful defense of genuine innocence – but dodging trouble in the first place is even better. While the ubiquitous “they” may indeed ultimately get the ubiquitous “us” if “they” really want to, “we” can make it more difficult … by using common sense and good manners. If you travel, don’t prepare for each trip by hanging out in the chat rooms looking for a pick-up. Yeah, that’ll satisfy the sweet tooth, but it’s a little creepy. Better long term planning might include learning about the city you’re visiting and seeking out the BDSM/leather/fetish/blahblahblah community. Find out what leather events are taking place and attend some. Good impressions at a munch or other gathering can lead to play dates – and you’ve enjoyed yourself, had a memorable social outing, met new people, and expanded your network of contacts for all kinds of experiences, erotic and otherwise. When people know people, it’s easier to confirm that the misspelled words appearing on your monitor belong to a “real person” and not an FBI agent hungry to use your friendly perversion to make an utterly unrelated legal point. No matter where you live or meet your play partners, be who you claim to be – at least long enough to make it clear you’re legally and intellectually capable of negotiating to do the wonderfully depraved things that you’re talking about. You can always go back into role once everybody understands that’s what it is. Clearly request that whoever you’re negotiating with online provide you with a name and an age and physical description that will match the one they will bring to your encounter. If nothing else, should things turn out to be other than were claimed, you’ve got it in “writing” that you tried to extract the information and showed good faith by doing so yourself. Pretending to be puppies, kitties, horsies, innocent girls, curious boys, or other emotive characters that can’t give legal consent is fun – but actually hooking up with them for sexual contact is illegal; thus, not fun. Depending on how good one’s online negotiations and chat transcripts are, in a court of law, the distinction might well become meaningless – so get it in writing, folks. And, for your own sake, if you can’t come out of the closet, at least prop the door open so some light and air can get inside. Nothing makes it easier for marginalized populations to be backed into a corner than fear of discovery. Not everybody needs to know everything about everyone, but the fewer things are kept as deep dark secrets, the fewer things are available to bully and intimidate others. ===================== Darklady is Editor at YNOT and an expert on alternative sexuality and the adult entertainment industry, specializing in BDSM, polyamory, swinging, and trans issues.

Darklady Wins BLP Community Choice Award

Darklady — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 23:38:28 GMT

2007 Rose & Thorn Award Press Release On Sunday, August 12th, 2007, Blackout Leather Productions held its 6th Annual Rose & Thorn Awards Ceremony. The recipients for the Rose & Thorn 2007 Awards are.... Community Choice Award of the Year: Theresa "Darklady" Reed She is an amazing lady; she has been actively involved in the leather community for many years and is a positive role model. Theresa does a great service to the community at large through her writing; her articles inform people so they can become more aware of the safety in this lifestyle, as well as what is happening in the political world in regards to the continued sexual freedom we all want. Theresa raises money for various charities, while making her own way in the world. We hear she is troublemaker, but she is our kind of troublemaker and deserves this award. Leatherwoman of the Year: Marlene Kendrick She has been the President of the Portland Leather Alliance for the last three years, the chairperson for the Leather Pride Week committee for more than two years. She is an activist in the community, a strong support to so many organizations, who gives her support at events, and models safe, sane, and consensual play in this lifestyle. She gives of herself tirelessly, working towards uniting the community together; she is definitely a positive representative for the leather lifestyle and a leather woman. Leatherman of the Year: Jug Thallheimer Jug has introduced so many people into the leather community. He has been an active mentor to many newbies. He teaches Safe, Sane, and Consensual play and has been involved in the lifestyle for more than 20 years. Originally starting out in Old Guard, he has worked his way up the ladder to being a leader in many communities. He brings good sense to the lifestyle with a quirky sense of humor, and enjoys mentoring and volunteering his time, services and energy to the community. He is an influence to others wherever he goes. Non-Profit business of the Year: Esthers Pantry For many years Esther’s Pantry has done outreach to the public. It continues to help many people without asking for acknowledgment for its services, yet it is always there, helping the entire community with offers of food, services, hospitality, donations for anyone in need, and doing so without judgment. It is time to thank you for your help to others. Business of the Year: Starbucks During the past few years Starbucks has sponsored, co-sponsored, donated time, services, goods, and the combined effort of its employees to more and more fund raisers. BLP thinks it is time to step outside of the norm and give an award to a business that caters to the entire city, not just to our leather community. The Rose & Thorn awards ceremony was well attended, every winner was surprised and pleased to receive their award. The voting is always very difficult, the community at large nominates people, and business into the positions, the BLP board votes on them, with the exception of the community choice award, which is nominated and then voted on by the entire community to determine the recipient for the award. Congratulations to the award recipients!

Proposed 2257 Regulation Changes Contain Compromises, Complications -- Await Comment - by Darklady

Darklady — Fri, 13 Jul 2007 04:51:24 GMT

Proposed 2257 Regulation Changes Contain Compromises, Complications -- Await Comment by Darklady WASHINGTON, DC -- Although the U.S. Department of Justice insists that its latest proposed amendments to 2257 record-keeping requirements is part of the government's fight to protect children from sexual exploitation, Free Speech Coalition director Diane Duke and board chairman Jeffrey Douglas think there's more – and less – to the picture than the feds are willing to admit. Attorney Douglas is especially clear in his evaluation of the latest compromises and continuations associated with the law, pointing out that part of their ability to gain support and sympathy stems from their being passed off as weapons in the fight against child sexual harm. "Tragically, in spite of living in the era of Orwell's big lie and Big Brother, people still are operating under the just appallingly naïve notion that this statute and regulatory scheme have anything to do with child pornography." Such is not the case, according to both Duke and Douglas, with the latter stating that "The people behind this don't give a rat's ass about deterring and detecting child pornography. Their sole interest is in raising the cost and deterring people from the creation and distribution of sexually oriented material for and by consenting adults." Proof of this, as Douglas explains it, can be found in the government's expansion of previous 2257 regulation to include "lascivious exhibition and simulated sex," which mainstream Hollywood indulges in with minors on a regular basis, but can escape from burdensome paperwork regulations by merely sending an annual letter to the Department of Justice promising that everybody involved is of legal age and has had their ID checked and birth date recorded. Thanks to changes brought about by the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006, things are a little bit more complicated for those working and playing in the adult entertainment industry. Although the new regulations for 2257 affected simulated sex have not been revealed yet – other than Hollywood's continued exemption – the latest proposals stubbornly affirm the Department of Justice's contention that Congress originally intended secondary producers to be covered and co-equal with primary producers. Toward that end, it has proposed that the 1995 regulation documents are equally applicable to each kind of producer, something that Duke considers to be "just impossible, literally impossible to comply with" for many secondary producers. The FSC director sees the latest salvo in the ongoing battle for speech rights as "an attack on the industry," meant to "eliminate or hurt" it instead of pursue the stated goal of protecting minors from sexual predation. While both Duke and Douglas caution industry members to remember that what the DoJ handed over in the seven page document soon to be added to the FreeSpeechCoalition.com website is nothing more nor less than proposed regulations, both are emphatic about how important it is that small and large content producers alike become involved during the 60-day comment period. Not all legal council agrees, but Douglas encourages secondary producers to continue to work with primary producers as they have been. Although the latest proposals would make July 27th, 2006 the earliest date for which secondary producers would be required to have 2257 compliant documentation, he cautions that the final regulations will doubtless be different and therefore impossible to anticipate. "These regs are pretty much what people expected and pretty much as bad as people expected. While they certainly could be worse, there's nothing in there that's totally bizarre, unpredictable, bad, or totally out of left field, like several things were the last time around." According to Douglas, secondary producers should create contractual agreements with their primary sources, stating that if and when the proposals become law, they primary will provide appropriate documentation to the secondary. In order to assist industry professionals in providing the government with the best possible feedback during the 60-day public comment period, the FSC will provide guides designed to highlight areas of special importance. Perhaps chief among those topics is the financial impact that coming into compliance with 2257 regulations would impose upon businesses and individuals. Duke hopes that the FSC will be able to "really activate the entire base of the adult entertainment industry" as happened with .xxx issues. Adding a 2257 component to the upcoming Adult Novelty Expo during the FSC membership meeting will be part of the strategy to rally interest and awareness. Because those behind 2257 regulations have repeatedly revealed a profound ignorance about the reality of doing business in the adult industry – including FBI agents trained to conduct inspections being unaware of the existence of compilation tapes – Douglas is emphatic about the urgency of producers becoming involved in the comment process. "It is critical that we get as much data back as possible," he insists. "We are in a position to severely restrict the Department of Justice if we are able to accumulate the data, because there's no question that this secondary producer component alone would cost a vast amount of money. We need to be able to document that, and in order to do that, we need as many people from as many walks of life in the industry as possible." Free Speech Coalition members should look for requests from information on the subject in the near future. Additional changes that the proposed regulations would bring about include allowing domestic production companies shooting outside of the states to rely upon foreign government issued identification for foreign talent, less Draconian live feed recording requirements, and the right of producers to protect performer addresses during the identification duplication period, thus minimally reducing their risk of identify theft, stalking, or invasion of privacy. Adding to web design complexity is a change to the statute itself that would require a 2257 compliance statement on every page containing 2257 affected content. Where individuals were reluctant to comment previously, Douglas believes they can feel more confident during this challenge. "We've seen what the inspections are actually like and can see that the businesses and individuals that did step forward have not been subject to harm, but we can not afford to have both segments of the industry silent regarding the impact of 2257; we're going to need people to step forward to draft declarations and say 'this is how it all impacts me,'" he explains. The importance of getting involved is hard for Douglas to emphasize enough. "This has nothing to do with deterring child pornography or detecting child pornography," he insists. "It's deterring legitimate adults from creating, distributing, and purchasing sexual materials involving consensual adults – and developing a data base that the government can use to find and review every piece of sexually explicit material. They want to know what it is we're looking at, we're fantasizing about, so they can control our minds. As paranoid as that sounds, that is exactly what 2257 represents."

INVITE: 3rd Annual Naked Art in the Dark w/emcee Darklady

Darklady — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 18:21:11 GMT

Naked Art in the Dark 3 Join emcee Darklady and the frisky folks at Team Redraccoon for another fun naked body painting fundraiser – this time for Cascade AIDS project. Mistress Yasmin, Body Painting Contest, Body Paints Available for Purchase, The Marsha Award for People’s Choice, On Site Photo Prints, Silent Auction, Finger Foods, Showers & Jacuzzi Tubs… Thursday, June 21, 2007 Ace of Hearts 3533 SE 39th Avenue Portland, OR $30 per person $27 Students w/ID 18+ Doors Open at 7:00pm Visit NAiTD.com for more details

Darklady's MENSA Regional Gathering Presentation

Darklady — Wed, 09 May 2007 20:40:25 GMT

This Saturday may be one of the strangest Saturdays of my life. I'm giving a presentation, emceeing a lingerie show and auction, co-facilitating a sexy "fishbowl" discussion, and hosting a private suite porn party... at the MENSA Regional Gathering in Portland, OR! My presentation will compete for audience members with "Mystery Clue: Twenty Years on the Trail of the 1700 Cascadia Earthquake." <a href=http://www.oregon.us.mensa.org/rg/index.php>MENSA Regional Gathering</a> 2:30 p.m. - 3:45 p.m "Teacher or Temptress: My Life as a Professional Sex Writer" Men and women throughout history have battled the false dichotomy of the virgin and the whore, the poet and the warrior. Today we struggle to balance our respect for equality and intelligence with our sometimes un-PC sexual desires. Bring your questions, your confusion, your confidence, your open mind, and your adventurous spirit to this insider’s peek into the adult entertainment industry and the amazing world of sexual diversity.

He's On Top -- A Kinky Book Review

Darklady — Thu, 03 May 2007 19:37:22 GMT

He's On Top edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel Cleis Press Available for purchase online at Amazon.com ============================================ I'm a day late getting this review written -- although a quick check of my wallet indicates that I'm not yet a dollar short. I've been chasing my ample tail ever since moving into my lovely new apartment and while it's all very understandable, it's also rather annoying. Perhaps I'd do better if I had myself a scheduling Top? It's been quite a while since I've had any kind of real Topping in my life, other than deadlines, which are the ultimate in task masters, as far as I'm concerned. Initially asked to contribute to the She’s On Top and He’s On Top duo edited by the genuinely lovely and talented Rachel Kramer Bussel, those darn deadlines left no room for erotic writing. Fortunately for me, Rachel generously sent me a copy of He's On Top to read and then write about. Thanks, Rachel! As a switch hitter (so to speak), the very idea of these companion volumes makes my little heart go pitter pat – and the cover for She’s On Top is absolutely delicious. I do love ladies shoes and stockings, after all... The cover image for He's On Top, on the other hand, evokes a different set of emotions -- and that's not necessarily a bad thing. Although the submitting femme on the cover is more than a bit bony for my own taste, the sensual tension communicated between her and her leash holding Dom captures some of the tasty nervous excitement of being in a D/s relationship. Cupping her small, soft breasts (cleverly hidden behind the title’s lettering) above her waist cincher, she gazes up at her Dom with quiet adoration and rapt attention, as though awaiting his command or approval. His grip upon the metal leash suggests firmness, stability, and command in other areas. Yum. But a sexy cover photo, even for a book of “Erotic stories of male dominance and female submission” is not enough. After all, this isn’t a photo book – it’s an anthology of fuck all hot and kinky D/s scenarios that explore a wide range of “what if” and “why” themes – and with names like M. Christian, Thomas S. Roche, Gwen Masters, and the divine Ms. Kramer Bussel in the table of contents, you know this isn’t going to be another run-of-the-mill boiler plate collection of literary perversion. Kramer Bussel makes sure everyone is clear on the concept in her introduction, “Tender Tops and Sensual Sadism” – a piece whose title alone should be enough to generate some discussion in the bedrooms and dungeon spaces of America. After all, aren’t male Tops, Doms, and Sadists all a bunch of sick fucks suffering from testosterone poisoning and clearly bordering on insane, whose desire to control, dominate, inflict pain, and/or inspire fear is only matched by Marine commanders and religious leaders? The issue, as anyone who’s ever mindfully raised or accepted a raised voice or hand in mutually consensual power exchange can tell you, is more complex than that. And 17 highly competent writers do precisely that, dispelling myths and reinforcing truths for 172 pages, before sharing their bios with their fans. Good stuff. Please, Sir, may I have another? -- by Darklady

HELP WANTED: Staff Writer - Part-Time

Darklady — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 04:49:46 GMT

Staff Writer Wanted - Part-Time Join the YNOT Editorial Team YNOT.com is an adult webmaster resource site with a reputation for honesty and high ethical standards. Our goal is to provide the greatest quality service and the tools necessary for professional success while defending the First Amendment and developing the premier resource center for the adult webmaster community. YNOT.com seeks a part-time staff writer to cover issues related to the adult entertainment industry, internet, and related political, technological, and social subjects. The ideal candidate will have reliable computer and internet access, excellent journalistic writing, research and investigative skills, as well as familiarity and comfort with the subjects covered and reader demographics served. Previous experience is strongly preferred, but talented newbies willing to mentor under an experienced editor are encouraged to apply. Please submit a letter of interest detailing experience, writing samples, and salary requirements to darklady@ynot.com Contact: Darklady, Editor YNOT.com

Celebrate the BrIdes of March with Darklady!

Darklady — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 09:58:27 GMT

Always a bridesmaid, but never a bride? Not my problem -- I've always been a bride, but never a bridesmaid. Nonetheless, it's time to celebrate the BrIdes of March! Beware us! Meet at Portland's Pioneer Courthouse Square in your BRIDAL splendor (NO grooms allowed) at 6:00pm Friday, March 16th Marry one of Portland's most eligible landmarks Kiss the BrIdes Then party your garter belts off during your reception... before marrying ANOTHER of Portland's most eligable landmarks! Final reception will feature a "BrIde-Off" with the winning BrIde crowned BrIde of the year! -- Darklady

INVITE: Darklady's 6th Annual Portland Masturbate-a-Thon

Darklady — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 02:06:34 GMT

Darklady's 6th Annual Portland Masturbate-a-Thon Presented by Darklady Productions, Inc. Darklady's Laboratory of Top Secret Sexxx Machines has declared this year's Portland Masturbate-a-thon "James Bond need-to-know time." I-Spy with your little eye an array of sex toys large and small, custom designed for any mission, no matter how impossible. Dress up in your mad scientist, secret agent (wo)man, femme fatale, arch nemesis, or hench(wo)man best and get smart about sexual satisfaction, fetish fun, romantic intrigue, fantasy fulfillment, and fundraising. You'll be in like Flynt when you cum for a cause! Saturday, May 19, 2007 7:00 pm - 2:00 am Opening Ritual at 9:00pm Portland, OR Silent Auction Door Prizes Casting Couch Exhibitionism Cloakroom Potluck S/M play space & sensual Rubitorium Massage Table The ThrillHammer, Monkey Rocker, Sex Kitten, & virgin voyage of a brand new sex machine! Birthday fantasies for February, March, April & May More, more, more! $25 - without donation $20 - w/hygiene, dry goods, or pet care product donation RSVP Absolutely Required Due to OLCC regulations, ages 21 and over No wheelchair access into building Limited scholarship opportunities available Visit the Masturbate-a-Thon Café Press shop (http://www.cafepress.com/Masturbate-a-thon), for fabulous and wearable M-a-T swag RSVP for secret lair coordinates & special instructions Darklady@darklady.com Volunteers, sponsors, auction items & prizes of all kinds sought Darklady's M-a-T Deemed "Best Group Grope" by Willamette Week Sponsors: Jonathyn Media Design Company Adam & Eve: www.adameve.com TheThrillHammer.com Stockroom.com Cum Kleen & Pleasure Wipes: www.gswipes.com ID Lube: www.idlube.com Mr. Peeps Adult Superstores in Portland & Aloha Proceeds raised will benefit: Esther's Pantry & Friends of People with AIDS (www.friendspwa.org) Center for Sex and Culture (www.centerforsexandculture.org) Woodhull Freedom Foundation (www.woodhullfoundation.org) -- Darklady http://www.darklady.com http://www.masturbate-a-thon.org

HELP WANTED: Nun & School Girl - 03/03/07

Darklady — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 04:55:20 GMT

Darklady Needs: A nun and a school girl. Or two nuns. Or two school girls. She's not choosy. (Actually, she is.) These sassy stereotypes are needed to help sell raffle tickets during this Saturday's NW Sash Bash entertainment show at Ember's. They will be rewarded with $5 entry into the entertainment show and $5 entry into the following play party. More info about the NW Sash Bash can be found at www.NWSashBash.org Apply with Darklady for consideration now! -- Darklady

Jesus at the Adult Entertainment Expo

Darklady — Thu, 18 Jan 2007 20:58:54 GMT

I just received these links and thought I'd share them with you. I appear briefly at about the half way point. I gotta admit that it was kinda weird meeting up with both Jesus *and* Satanist Shane Bugbee (who also appears in the video) at the expo... -- Darklady ======================================= Jesus Goes to the Porn Convention! http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/PodVod and/or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPo648pyxvk&eurl=