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Sex & Politics

Ending the Scourge of Strip Clubs

by on ·Sex & Politics, Sexual Intelligence Blog

Sarasota County, Florida is the latest community to realize that destroying the U.S. Constitution is a small price to pay for protection from the scourge of strip clubs. The County—inundated with exactly one club—has decided that adults watching other adults take off their clothes is bad for people. Not just bad for the strippers (who are otherwise considered Trash); not just bad for those watching them (otherwise known as Perverts); but for every one of the 379,000 residents (better known as Good People Who Deserve Protection). The County is attempting to pass an ordinance that restricts what dancers can do,…

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Genarlow Wilson Freed; Time to Decriminalize Teen Sexuality

by on ·Sex & Politics, Sexual Intelligence Blog

Georgia’s Supreme Court today ordered Genarlow Wilson released from prison, where he has already served 2 years of a 10-year sentence. Wilson, 17 in 2003, was convicted of having consensual oral sex with a then-15-year-old. The release is great news for Wilson, tragically held hostage to adult fears of teen hormones. The larger American tragedy continues, however, in inconsistent age-of-consent laws, statutory rape convictions, and the new crusade against teens circulating erotic photos of themselves on the internet. In 2002, for example, Todd Senters had consensual sex with his 17-year-old girlfriend, which the romantic couple videotaped. Because the age of…

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Supreme Court Sez: Alabama Can Silence The Buzz of Vibrators

by on ·Sex & Politics, Sexual Intelligence Blog

This week, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to review the Alabama law criminalizing the sale of sex toys. For nine years, the law has been in and out of District, Appeals, and Federal courts. The ACLU had asked the Supreme Court to review Alabama’s right to control products perceived to threaten the moral health of their users and the public. Six states currently have various restrictions on sex toys. Alabama controls the sale of sex toys because the legislature believes they promote a “prurient interest in autonomous sex” through “the pursuit of orgasms by artificial means.” Actually, I totally agree…

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Limiting Marriage to Pregnant Brides & Shotgun Weddings

by on ·Sex & Politics, Sexual Intelligence Blog

Maryland’s highest court has upheld a 34-year-old state law banning same-gender marriage, rejecting an attempt by 19 adult Americans to marry the partner of their choice. The divided (4-3) Court of Appeals ruled that limiting marriage to a man and a woman does not discriminate against gay couples or deny them constitutional rights. Since marriage is a government-endorsed contract that confers government-created benefits (regarding taxation, inheritance, travel, healthcare, etc.), how can withholding those benefits from certain couples NOT constitute discrimination? More troubling than this illogic, however, is the judges’ statement that prohibiting same-gender marriage promotes the state’s interest in heterosexual…

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The Real Loss of September 12

by on ·Sex & Politics, Sexual Intelligence Blog

For the first time, today’s column is not about sex. Every American knows what happened on this day six years ago. And every American knows what we lost: people, buildings, our sense of predictability. We lost the last remnant of civilized air travel. One by one, we lost many of our cherished rights. We lost over 1 trillion dollars—10% of America’s entire annual Gross Domestic Product. Our government started a war against an innocent country ruled by a sadistic tyrant—a war that still rages out of control. No one knows if we are now actually safer. But every American feels…

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Dear Larry Craig: Now You Know…

by on ·Sex & Politics, Sexual Intelligence Blog

Dear Larry Craig: Now you know what it’s like. I don’t say this in a mean way, I’m just pointing out a simple fact: Now you know what it’s like. You already knew what it’s like to be terrified of being found out. You already knew what it’s like to hide who you are. But like millions of other Americans, now you know what it’s like: * To lose a job because of your sexuality * To be entrapped and then busted for inviting consensual, adult sex * To be told you don’t belong where you know you do belong…

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