Engels and Feminism

I listened to an interesting Start the Week on Monday. The programme can be listened to here. It features a discussion about Friedrich Engels which includes his experiences in Manchester (L&S students past and present will remember some key sites from the Manchester field trip). The key talking head on the subject is Tristram Hunt who also has an article in the Guardian today questioning Engels' approach to feminism and asking whether he is feminism's friend or foe. It makes for an interesting read and can be viewed here.

John Alan Lee

I've been meaning to blog this for a while but keep forgetting. A few weeks back a discovered the online autobiography of sociologist John Alan Lee. He is for me one of the 'godfathers' of my field and I have become hooked on reading his texts, and then reading the 'backstory' contained in his blog. Reading who he was (in his words) fucking while also producing his landmark work is fascinating. It was still a time when texts weren't endlessly referenced (there was little or no pre-exisiting literature) and sociologists and anthropologists often alluded to how they gained their 'knowledge'. Tracing his story from 1933 to the end of 2008 is an amazing journey and powerfully moving. I'm making it a suggested pre-read for the module next year.

A good example of what to expect from the more explicit entries is this from June 14, 1966:

'June 14. This summer is proving to be my most promiscuous yet. I'm bringing home three or four tricks a week. Bars, discos, baths, parks, the street– I'm cruising everywhere. What voracious hunger!

I've taken the cherry of four gay men this month (fucked them for their first time). I've learned how to do it painlessly, by encouraging the guy to take control: "I'll just put my cock there, you take it in at your own speed. Don't hurry. There's lots of time. Once you begin to want it, you'll be surprised how much you enjoy it." And they do'.

The honesty is wonderful and left me wondering what would happen if we all released these kind of academic biographies. He was the first Canadian student to visit Communist China and I think was the first Canadian academic to publicly come out. As an academic Lee combined his study of sexuality with a keen interest in teaching and was a radical faculty member arguing many views that would now be recognised as sensible. One move that would still be regarded as radical was when one of his classes, who had listened to his long dislike of examinations refused to sit his examination in December 1983. He describes is as:

'December 19. I've inspired another first: the entire 36
students in my Sociology of Education course have boycotted their final exam.
Under the leadership of several bright and mature women, the class arrived at
the exam room, signed in, but refused to write. They're taking seriously the
approach I discussed in class -- that examinations are not a good measure of
learning. Such a demonstration has never happened before in this university,
even in the glorious Sixties.

I was thrilled. Soon after, I went to the college Xmas party and ran into
Dean Krashinsky- the same one who opposed my Unemployed project -- and told him.
He was furious, and assured me the students would be punished.'

I am not suggesting any of you revising for follow his advice! His description of the follow up department meeting will ring a bell of familiarity for many modern academics:

'January 10. Mayhem! Academic Affairs spent three hours on the boycotting students and still couldn't agree. Dean Krashinsky poured scorn on my defence of the students: "An inspiring but irrelevant speech;" yet his motions were defeated!

My students are hanging strong. Most attended the meeting. It was their first experience in observing academics at work in committee. It's a testimony to their courage that they have not bowed to threats about delaying their graduation.

Using suggestions from colleagues, I started my argument with the famous Yale experiments on submission to authoritarian behaviour, and ended with the holocaust as proof of what happens when people merely obey orders. The Dean, Jewish in background, objected angrily to "trivialization" of the holocaust, but he clammed up when I rejoined: "Sir, you forget that many thousands of my people (homosexuals) also perished in the ovens." [ Some weeks later he came round to my office to apologize: "I hope you bear no ill feelings"].

Of course I don't consider my motives saintly; each of us acts out of personal interest. It suits me to be militant. I like the attention and I am willing to pay the cost in social rejection.'

The next entry in his autobiography reads: January 19. I spent delightful hours with Rory tonight -- I tied him to the stair-post and fucked him silly. He loved it.' I wonder if his students knew? lol. Read it folks, it's brilliant! It can be accessed here.

Equality Bill Published

The Equality Bill has been published today and seems to have had a lot of media coverage, mainly focusing on the social economic equality provisions and whether this marks a return to 'old' Labour. I suspect there is an internal leadership agenda going on with Harman (pictured left)continuing her positioning as the left of centre post Brown candidate but I also think she genuinely believes in this stuff. I'm still trying to get my head round the material relating to gender and sexuality.

The Bill has been published in a new format (it's sort of beta legislation) and as someone used to navigating around legislation, I'm finding it a bit of a nightmare to flick through to what I want. That said, the incorporation of the explanatory notes should make it easier for the public and I'll probably be praising it once I get used to things. Anyway, looking at the Bill (and trying to figure out what the hell it actually means in spite of the guidance) the only thing that strikes me so far is the continued categorisation of gender as one or the other (i.e. male or female). The Bill was an opportunity to move beyond the traditional binary notions of gender, particularly given the bill seems to have given some serious thinking to the issue of transgender.

For those worried about the sexuality and gender clauses (Stonewall has stated on its Facebook page that this is 'the last piece of the jigsaw') I think their worries may be sidelined. I suspect the real Parliamentary focus is going to be on the economic clauses. It also plays into the traditional narrative of Labour seeking to equalise the outcome and Tories focusing on equalising the opportunity. Whether that's fair and accurate or not doesn't really matter - it's a simple and familiar message and I suspect the one that will dominate rather than peers getting worked up over us nasty homos again. Then again, the House of Lords does love the opportunity to use the word 'buggery' so I'm sure one or two will try and work it in somehow.

BDSM and the National Union of Students

The latest Consenting Adult Action Network (CAAN) includes an item sent in by one student supporter detailing a motion put before the NUS LGBT conference this weekend. I've been following the conference via twitter and will boo some general observations a little later on. The BDSM motion was apparently passed and I've pasted the full motion below:

NUS Motion Heading: BDSM Rights: An LGBT Issue Conference Believes:

1. That BDSM refers to the practice, orientation or lifestyle of Bondage and Discipline, Domination and Submission, Sado-Masochism and related activities.

2. That many activities that consensual BDSM practitioners participate in are illegal under current UK law.

3. The Criminal Justice Act 2008 outlaws various forms of "extreme" pornograpy.

4. BDSM Liberation organisations such as CAAN (the Consenting Adults Action Network) have spoken out against this legislation.

5. The Government's consultation document for the Criminal Justice Act (2008), clearly states that research has found no causal link between exposure to violent sexual imagery, and propensity to commit violent sexual acts.

6. The forthcoming extreme pornography law in Scotland is even more restrictive and criminalising than the Criminal Justice Act (2008)

7. That the Consenting Adult Action Network (CAAN) statement of principle, which reads: "We believe in the right of consenting adults to make their own sexual choices, in respect of what they do, see and enjoy alone or with other consenting adults, unhindered and unfettered by government. We believe that it is not the business of government to intrude into the sex lives of consenting adults."

Conference Further Believes

1. That children, and non-consenting adults, need to be protected from being the victims of sexual activity

2. Activities that take place between consenting adults behind closed doors are not the business of government.

3. That LGBT people are more likely than heterosexual and/or cis people to be victimised in matters pertaining to sex and pornography - demonstrated in cases such as R vs Brown where gay men received disproportionate punishment - whilst straight, heteronormative couples are often let off by judges.

4. "Pornographic" BDSM imagery is often instrumental in educating BDSM practitioners in safe sex practices.

5. That policy on censorship must be equal and evidence-based .

Conference Resolves:

1. To campaign against the forthcoming censorship laws in Scotland as being unjustly criminalising of consenting adults.

2. To sign up as an organisation to CAAN's statement of principle in solidarity with BDSM rights activists.

3. To inform NUS LGBT membership about issues pertaining to censorship and pornography, and specifically how they affect LGBT people.

You can sign up as a supporter of CAAN here.

Bob the Builder

The Sunday Times has rather a fun little piece on Bob the Builder today. You can see an original design for Bob on the right. The ST points to camper origins and the Village People writing:

'Some observers have remarked that, with his chunky moustache and hands on hips, the early sketch of Bob bears a resemblance to David “Scar” Hodo, the “construction worker” character who sang with the Village People, the camp 1970s disco ensemble best known for the song YMCA'.

Rather like the New Labour project, Bob was stripped of his moustache in the final version.

Read the full article here.

Resources: The Gay Nation & OutNorthEast

Every now and then I blog about a new resource that can help contribute to the socio-legal context behind these courses and provide some general info for other readers of this blog. Issue four is now out of 'The Gay Nation'. The magazine describes itself as:

'We’ve gone for a new approach, different to other gay publications - offering our readers who have style, taste, and brand awareness the very best of what is available. We call our readers “discerning gay men” – why shouldn’t there be a hugely successful glossy ‘Style’ magazine for gay men? With magazines costing up to £5.00 each we thought it was about time for a UK, no… a world change… The Gay Nation is FREE!'

So there you go. It's actually got a decent spread of content and good production quality. It can be viewed here.

I've also got out of the habit of posting about new issues of OutNorthEast. The April/May issue is available here, and includes details about local stories. It also reports on a new 'stylish' sauna opening up in Newcastle next week (1 May) although at the time of posting their website doesn't seem to be up and running..

Virtual Sex

I attended part of a one day conference on 'Learning in Virtual Worlds' last week held at Sunderland. The event was run by the Northern Regional Centre of JISC A report on using virtual technologies in teaching and learning can be read here. Whilst according to some media reports, Second Life seems to be less popular it is apparently growing in educational significance. I played around with SL a couple of years ago and was enthusiastic about the possibilities for educational use but I have confess I quickly became bored with the programme thinking "what's the point", last logging in to the Republican and Democrat party events on election night last November (CNN was covering them and I got curious OK?!).

What the hell as this got to do with law and sexuality? Well one of the issues that continued to rumble was the degree to which this virtual environment was safe space. The site has rules which should limit people stripping off their clothes in front of you (our constructed on nudity is an interesting issue to explore) or to start performing sexual acts at random. According to one speaker at the conference last week, SL is now trying to further 'clean up' the space.

Potentially, this means that those wishing to explore gender, species, and most controversially, age, roles will be pushed out. Where to go? Well I came across (if you pardon the phrase) Red Light Social Center via a tweet and although I've not been into the space it sounds interesting. The main website has a intro video but it may be a little racy for some readers so I've put the alternative YouTube video below. The site describes itself as:

'Red Light Center (RLC) is a privately owned Massively Multi-User Reality (sm) site that was made available to the public early in 2006 by Utherverse Inc. Its tag line is "Live Your Fantasy".

Red Light Center is modeled after Amsterdam's Red Light District. The online community site offers users virtual nightclubs, hotels, bars, movie theaters and stores. There is a virtual currency called Rays, which members can earn and use for services in the community.'

Interesting stuff. The chances of someone accidentally coming upon a scene is removed given the clear focus of the site but the barriers between the domestic and the sexual, perhaps broken down by the SL site are back. You go to Red Light Social for a wank or voyeuristic content and SL for the educational and 'legitimate' activity. A lot has already been written on technologies and their impact upon sexuality but this seems another avenue worthy of further exploration, particularly from a legal vantage point.

Skin Two: Fetish Yearbook 2009

A few weeks back I was generously sent a copy of the 60th issue of 'Skin Two' (thanks guys!). I've been holding off blogging about it until I had time to write a proper post on the text. It takes a different format to past issues which were in a magazine format. I've never seen one of those but this copy, a hardback book priced at £25 or $50 is a quality production. The website claims it is a coffee book and it's a very accurate description of the text (provided your visitors are not overly sensitive). Many so called coffee table books are quality productions but can sometimes feel a bit of a rip off. I have to say, this feels worth it. It has terrific and wide ranging content. The bag of the book includes advertisements for a number of latex, rubber and fetish stores but it's perhaps a tribute to the scene that these are great compositions too. There is erotic fiction and some amazing art. A couple of pictures by James Stiles are included which are in the Mapplethorpe tradition. Mapplethorpe himself features pretty extensively in an earlier section of the book entitled 'From Mapplethorpe to Mosley' written by Daryl Champion. It's a well written short overview. it's followed by what I would regard as something of a coup and worthy of much wider dissemination - an interview with Peter Knight who as Vice Chancellor of the University of Central England, Birmingham (now Birmingham City University) defended the right of his library to hold Mapplethorpe, a large black and white collection of the artist's photography. It is a work of brilliance and was rightly defended from Government and Police censors who were seeking to destroy the book under Obscene Publications legislation. This area of law is then brought right up to date by John Ozimek who considers the new extreme porn law. Alex Henderson writes a thoughtful piece exploring whether the English law could have an impact across in the USA and considers the 1969 Supreme Court decision in Stanley v Georgia. You're probably getting the idea, this is not a wank mag. it's a serious but entertaining piece of work. It's also beautiful.

It has some terrific photography by Will Santillo who designed the cover shown on the right, and some photos that I loved by Mark Varley who explores rope bondage. He travelled to the homes of 18 women and 'introduced them to his style of rope bondage'. This takes the form of women tied to kitchen tables. There are wonderful pictures that are clever and engaging.I have to confess I have fallen in love with some work by Silent-View, a photography project led by a German photographer and model. The artist produced the gas mask/cup and tea photograph which I've posted here. The only picture I could find is in black and white but the original is in colour and it does make a difference. I adore the intersection of gender, sexuality and domesticity portrayed in the image which somehow reminds me of the quite different American Gothic by Grant Wood.

There are more pictures and comment sections but the book begins with photos from various balls and parities. The pair at the top of this picture (which I rather like for reasons that I consider obvious) are from the San Francisco Fetish Ball.

The whole thing has been put together and published by Tim Woodward and it is a brilliant production. It can be bought on the Skin Two website which has a host of links, materials and an online store. It can be viewed here.

Equality Bill 2009

The Government's new Equality Bill has it's first reading on Monday and LGBT Labour are asking for views on the bill via Twitter as part of an apparent effort by Labour to promote something that isn't to do with the economy. They are running with the slogan 'Make Equality a duty, not an option' which will do much to tackle the ever growing vision of a controlling Government. Meh, perhaps not.

It even has it's own campaign website which can be viewed here. Given there wasn't much of a campaign for the bill the Government now appears to be manufacturing a campaign for the bill, which they will then satisfy as if by magic with this wonderful bill. To be fair to Harriet Harman in particular the bill does include some provisions that have been floated for some time but they've been pulled into a rag bag that is the Equality Bill.

The bill apparently focuses upon two aspects of the LGBT agenda - bullying in schools and transgender equality. Teachers will have to promote equality. That seems a sensible aim but what does that mean - what about someone who challenges civil partnerships and marriage on queer lines? What scope is there for questioning? I'm keen to see how the legislation has been drafted on that issue. Yes, school bullying is an important issue and as a former school governor, I'm well aware of the importance of anti-bullying policies but the Government needs to make sure it helps schools, teachers, parents and LGBT youth rather than introducing a well meaning but badly drafted clause that fails to help.

'Gender reassignment' will be covered in the Goods and Services legislation. I'm not sure what that exactly means but it sounds a sensible step. I did have some serious concerns about the Goods and Services legislation but I have to admit they do not appear to have been realised. That said, nor do they appear to have made a major impact.

The bill will also apparently include provision to amend 'the laws surrounding discrimination and incitement to hatred will be extended to cover ‘affiliation’ with the transgender community. Given that transphobic discrimination occurs just as much to those considering or beginning gender reassignment as to those who have already undergone reassignment, this will be an important part of tackling inequality and levelling-up the law to align with other forms of protection'.

Again, this sounds interesting and I'll be keen to see how the legislation is finally drafted.

Stan Collymore on Jeremy Kyle

A friend flagged up this appearance via a text this morning but by the time I read it it had already passed. Thankfully there is ITV2 (and there's a sentence I didn't think I'd ever type). Stan Collymore, former footballer, appeared in the compilation show this morning presented by Jeremy Kyle. I've heard of the show before but never actually watched it - this seems to have been a good decision going off the rest of the show. Anyway, there was this bit where he did talk about his rather infamous dogging encounter. I think Kyle's attempt to suggest that this form of public sex behaviour is some sort of indicator of someone who is totally F***** up is pretty wide off beam but the bit from Collymore is pretty good. The book, 'The Isle of Dogs', by Daniel Davies and published last year by Serpents Tail includes a character very similar to Collymore (including the personal number plate).

In writing this, I'm really avoiding writing more on my book - Public Sex: Silent Desire to be published by Routledge-Cavendish next year which aims to tackle some of these issues. In case you were wondering, yes do expect more shameless book promotion between now and it coming out in Autumn/fall next year.

I tweeted the Collymore clip earlier and I've also embedded it below. You will need to turn your volume up (sorry folks)

AudioBoo

My mini-blog revolution/modernisation continues. I've now joined the fabulous Audioboo which means I can record little 'boo's' via an app on my iPhone and then transmit them via twitter and Facebook. You can also listen to them on the Audioboo website. I'll probbaly be using this tool more and more because it saves my lickle fingers from typing away. As they won't be streamed directly to this blog you should subscribe to my twitter feed on the right (scroll down) if you want them straight to your phone etc. You can also download all my boos via the iTunes store - my username is "chris_ashford" so you should find them pretty easily.

The Feminist Engagement

Also in the Guardian today is a story about Jessica, a feminist and Andrew, her soon to be husband and the story of their engagement. Jessica had been termed a 'ball-cutting cybersuccubus' which is rather fabulous as abuse goes. The article explores how she is squaring her feminist ideals with being engaged and the prospect of marriage. The online article includes the same photograph of the couple as appears in the newspaper edition. Is it just me or does Andrew look lovely and terribly sweet but utterly wet? I can't help thinking that's another aspect of this story.

Gender, Schools and Ofsted

I tweeted this morning about an item on gender and schools on the BBC Today programme. A fuller report can be read on the Guardian site. The story is based on an Ofsted report (the schools inspectorate) that because art and design at secondary level is focused upon drawing and painting, boys are put off, where as if it included computer design and digital photography, they would not. It's interesting stuff.

David Cameron Inspired Porn

I continue to mourn the absence of Charlie Brooker from the Guardian's G2 section (my Monday's aren't the same without his cynicism sprinkled over my corn flakes) but it has recently given a column to Tanya Gold who I'm loving. She had a rather brilliant piece about Nazi cows this week. For those of you still reading, who didn't click the link as soon as 'Nazi cows' are mentioned,. she also mentions that this week she watched Hug a Hoodie. Not a film I'm aware of and one I don't see hitting the screens of the North East's cinemas any time soon, for it is a "pornographic movie inspired by David Cameron". Now then...given David Cameron is likely to be the next Prime Minister I was left with the thought "how many other British PMs have inspired porn?". I'm not sure. I've not heard of porn title's "The Lady's Not for Turning" or "I Can Only Go One Way. I Have No Reverse Gear". Both do sound potentially tantalising. The cover for the film is on the right hand side. Apart from a little bit of nipple I felt it safe for all viewers. The film is described as:

'They'd love to hug you back! It's just like Cameron says, these youngsters love nothing more than to show you their affection! Often seen in large groups, they spend all day getting up to the kinda stuff you could only imagine! Porn Goddess Isabel Ice challenges a bunch of mouthy lads to prove they've got what it takes to keep her satisfied, Sahara seduces the streetwise student next door and two girlfriends experiment with some lesbian action - these girls are fit and they know it! You'll never look at hoodies in the same way again!'

So now you know. Yes, Cameron has been drafted in to boost the sale of porn. Talk about a plan for economic recovery. Given I've just given this blog the label's "pornography" and "tories" there is probably a Tory in Millbank about to have a heart attack and Derek Draper a flash of hope. Sorry chaps.

Twitterfeed

Around this time last year, I gave the blog a fresh look. This year, I'm improving the links across my various (and new) Web 2.0 platforms. I've finally given in and set up a Facebook page (and I'll try and stick a link on this page soon). I've also integrated Twitter into Facebook (which helps encourage me to use it) and I've just linked this blog via twitterfeed to my Twitter account. There is a Twitter link on the right hand side of this blog - see the viewing pane or alternatively to see the full list click the Twitter logo. Hopefully this means that everything is now talking to one another and saves on trying to re-invent the wheel.

I'm off to Denver, USA next month for the Law and Society Association Annual Meeting. My funding was linked to a project that will look at the use of Twitter in education so I'll be tweeting my way through the journey, conference and paper. This shouldhelp to 'lift the lid' on sme "private" or less visible aspects of the life of the Law School.

Hopefully , it won't be like the guy who tweeted his way through a plane crash at Denver airport last year.

Conversations

I've previously posted on the CLGS Conversations project. The latest conversations on trafficking, and fatherhood are now available along with a previous one on gender, human rights and international law. A final one on addressing homophobia is still to be added. They can be viewed/heard here.

Sprinkle

I've just had this student edited journal on sexualities drawn to my attention. It's pretty impressive.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Editorial: Developing Sprinkle - Liz Meyer & Paul Sutton, Co-EditorsEditorial: "Why This isn't a Baking Guide and Other Truisms" - Emma Gray, Shaamini Yogaretnam, and Zoe Engberg, Associate Editors“This one time, at band camp...”: Experiential Narratives· “Casual Make-Outs in Heteronormative High School” by Katie Peacock· “Debunking the Myth of Gay Promiscuity” by Theo Lyons“Foucault is my homeboy”: Queer Theory· “Not My Scene: Queer Auto-Ethnography as Alternative Research Method” by Lorin Schwarz· “L'Art, aux limites de la theorie queer: l'experience sensible de l'idee” by Marie-Sophie Banville· “FTM Embodiment of Masculinity: Towards a New Feminist Politics of Incoherence” by Kai Peetoom“The Trial of Sex v. Gender”: Queering Medico-Legal Frameworks· “The Search for the 'Gay Gene' and the Medicalization of Same-Sex Desire” by Amanda Oliver· “No 'Promo Homo' Takes a Hit: Examining Lawrence v. Texas and the Evolution of Anti-Gay Discourse as Palimpsest” by Dawn Cunningham“Xena's Totally into BDSM”: Media and Literature Queer Analysis· “New Ways of Representing Desire in Boys Don't Cry” by Kate Bass· “Taboo: Dracula and Stoker's Forbidden Sexual Metaphors” by Jenna Whitnall· “Contemporary Cable Television and Hegemonic Masculinity: Pricks, Pussies, and Publicity in HBO's Entourage” by Shaamini Yogaretnam· “Paradoxical Scripts: A Critical Reading of Contradictions in The L Word” by Emma Gray

Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick 1950-2009

I've been hanging on for something in the British media but it doesn't seem to be forthcoming. Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, a key founder of queer theory, has died aged 58. The New Yorker Obituary can be read here, The Advocate here and The Nation here.

Back Soon

The start of our Spring vacation signals the end of the module. It's been a great year and for all my students reading, good look with the rest of your exams! I'm going to make the most of the next couple of weeks to re-charge my batteries and then crack on with my book. I'll be back posting in a couple of weeks.

Sex in the Jobcentre

Jenni Russell wrote an interesting piece in the Guardian on Tuesday about adverts for sex and personal; services industries that can be found in jobcentres. She concludes: 'Listing sex work next to jobs in hospitals or bars makes it look normal, but anyone who takes it up is not only being pushed towards the criminal world, they're immediately acquiring a shameful past. If neither law nor government can find a way out of this, then both law and government are an ass'. The full article can be read here. Once again the piece casts men as the exploiters and women as the victims. Even if you bought the absolute truth of sex = exploitation (which I don't), to then further assume that female strippers or dildo sellers (she seems to have an issue with Ann Summers) are helpless victims of exploitation whilst male strippers and sex toy salesmen are apparently unworthy of comment is myopic to say the least.

Cooking with Semen

I swear I don't know if this is just a joke but there's now a semen recipe book (I was once given a recipe for cooking a bulls testicles and this surely beats that) and it does seem to be genuine. The book can be purchased here. On the site you can see the book cover and above that are arrows that allow you to navigate around the book online so you can view a few recipes. Bon appétit. lol.

Socio Legal Studies Association 2009

I'm off to Leicester tomorrow to present a couple of papers and chair the Gender, Sexuality and Law Stream at the SLSA Conference. As part of the stream we will be showing what I think is the UK premiere of a New Zealand documentary 'An Ordianry Person'. It recently won the News New Zealand Short Documentary prize at the DOCNZ2009 festival. The film poses the question: 'Is it impossible to murder a homosexual in New Zealand?'. You can read more about the film here and view the trailer below.

Gay Marriage in Iowa

Iowa's Supreme Court has agreed that the statute that limited marriage was in breach of the state's constitution equal protection clause. It's an interesting case from a constitutional and human rights law perspective as well as the obvious law and sexuality angle. It's interesting that this is a legal shift rather than a political one and I can't help thinking how sustainable that is in the long term. You can read more about the story here and read the judgment here.