JOURNAL the new
Adult’s Only Retailing in Australia erosISSUE 3 | 2016 How banks deal with the adult industry
Inside
Dr Paul Maginn University of WA Eros General Manager Putting adult businesses Rachel Payne on the map Wrapping Up The Year
Victorian MP Eros Consultant and Author Fiona Patten Robbie Swan The Latest From Parliament Banking on Discrimination 2 the new eros journal contents
4 Sponsors 5 The Latest from the Eros Association 8 A Word from the President 10 How The Banks Discriminate Against The Adult Industry 14 Employment Contracts - Why Are They Necessary? 18 Victim Blaming 101 - Radical Feminists Say Pole Dancing “Normalises Violence” 22 Why I Like To Suck Cock - A Feminist Pornographers Perspective 24 Prop 60 Defeated 26 Dawn of the Sexbots 30 Wont Somebody Think of the Children? Gonzo Puts Teens in Conversation with Porn Stars 32 Vaping and Public Policy 34 Legislation Surrounding E-Cigarettes and Vaporisers 36 Become a Member of Eros Association 40 How To Make Social Media Work For Your Business 42 Porn Panic! Don’t Under Estimate It 46 The Most Explicit Book Ever Classified - Part 3 50 Geographies of Pornography 56 Online Security 62 Bodypolitics with Fiona Patten 66 Eros Designer Snapped Up By Big Business 68 Drug Testing Kits 70 Around The Traps Executive producer: Art Director: Contributing Editors: 74 Product Reviews The Eros Association Board Ilia Chidzey Nick Wallis Joel Murray Managing Editor: Editor: Cyndi Darnell Rachel Payne Robbie Swan Eva Sless
For advertising and further information contact [email protected] Box 23237 Docklands VIC 8012 | www.eros.org.au ©Eros Association 2016
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4 the new eros journal The Latest from the Eros Association By Rachel Payne
Can you believe the year It has also been humbling to receive to make this website work for you. international attention, with many
is almost over? For some overseas contributors and manufacturers When it has come to campaigns, taking interest in the publication. This is we have had some movement of the of us, the end of this year the third edition and it continues to grow classification front; appearing before in popularity and substance with each cannot come fast enough a senate committee, media airplay, release. I think it is incredibly important and meeting with the Department of to have a professional publication and for others it has been Communications who were interested representing the industry and something in a less-adversarial approach by that we can all enjoy and benefit from. highly invigorating. Whatever working with the industry in reviewing position you take, it must The re-launch of the website has taken the X-classification. I recently appeared some time, however I feel the end on a C31 program ‘The Leak” to discuss be agreed that 2016 has result has been well worth it. Making the stifled and archaic state of the sure online resources are available to classification system as it stands. What definitely been an eventful members in an easy to follow format I find most interesting is when you start and retrieval has been the priority. The to relay the classification system to the year. aim was to keep the website clean and general public (and journalists for that concise, with key points of entry: the matter) there is an overwhelming sense directory, member’s services, media and of bemusement - that it is still illegal to To wrap up what we have accomplished advocacy and latest news. Content has sell X-Rated films: acts of consensual in 2016: been well thought out to accommodate non-violent erotica. I can almost see the On a tangible level, we have seen the the specific needs and requirements of penny drop - but it’s online? re-launch of both the publication and the members, and we continue to develop I feel that it is important to keep pushing website. more specific content based on member the envelope with the Department of feedback and queries received in the The New Eros Journal has been Communications in moving forward with office. The next development is to take extremely well received amongst industry the laws surrounding the X-classification, the website one step further and provide professionals and advocates alike. I especially when you consider the members with online training services, am so pleased to hear the positive emerging technologies and the and opportunities for engagement responses of members who have subsequent demands of consumers. In through online forums, both with other enjoyed the content and an opportunity the UK (where it is legal to sell X-Rated members and the Eros office. I welcome to see the latest products advertised. material) consumers are moving away your feedback on content, and how best from DVD’s to buying porn on a lockable
5 USB. Consider this, you go into your been rejected by professionals across The Eros Association is taking this matter local adult store and you can pick a almost all sectors, and rightly so, as very seriously and creating a positive number of titles from a viewing kiosk it has become understood that the and informative campaign around (much like what we see with movie very nature of porn stipulates consent counteracting these arguments. Watch kiosk in a shopping centre). With a between adults. This separation needs this space in 2017. simple transaction, you are provided to be clear if we are going to have with a lockable USB containing all of any meaningful discussion about your purchased titles. These number pornography and its place in society. Finally, I would like to congratulate Eros sequenced locks are something similar members and contributors who received to a bike lock. Simple, safe and secure. What is troubling however, awards at the Australian Adult Industry Although there is so much content Awards. Keith Boswell of Be Daring won online, there is still a demand for is the evidence used to best chain of adult retail stores, best content offline. Consumers like the idea adult podcast winners Eva Sless and of going and picking a title, not having emphasise what some Angelo D’Costa for LLF, and finally material on their computer drives or call the harmful effects Club X for best retail stores. It was a fun in their search history, and having night had by all and I was so happy to be something secure to reduce the risk of of pornography - that 88 there to wish you all my congratulations. minors getting into it. It also encourages ethical consumption of porn as the percent of porn depicts material would be classified, sold in I look forward to seeing member’s at an age-restricted premises, and the aggression, overwhelmingly the Member’s Meeting, hosted at Sexpo consumer is paying for it! Maybe one on Friday 25 November 2016, and for day this could become a reality here in towards women. These those who are unable to attend I will be Australia too. figures are undoubtedly recording the meeting for all of you to access. Speaking of porn, it has been getting some media attention yet again. damaging and outright Articles for and against are going viral incorrect, however continue Another year almost over and all the best online, Toowoomba is trying to ban it, for the new year. and conversations of ‘critical thinking’, to be used to substantiate ‘ethical porn’ and ‘feminist porn’ I look forward to working with you all in have become common rhetoric in the these fallacies. It has to be 2017 debate. questioned whether this I recently had the opportunity to be a panelist at a Q & A discussion on ‘the research is at all meaningful proliferation of porn’. Other panelists included ABC reporter Madeleine when you consider that out Morris, medical practitioner and of the plethora of evidence relationship therapist Dr Anita Elias, project coordinator of Reality & Risk: that has been collected over Pornography, young people and sexuality Maree Crabbe and RMIT the last 40 years, no figure University research fellow Anastasia Powell. The diversity of both the panel even close to this has been and the sell-out crowd of a hundred reported. Something that invited a lively debate, with questions and comments emphasising both should ring all the alarm the positive and negative nature of porn. One thing that we all agreed on bells is who is behind this however, was that porn is not going away. particular research - anti- Interesting was again the rhetoric that pornographers and religious is becoming commonplace in these discussions. Terms such as ‘revenge institutions. porn’ and ‘child pornography’ have
6 the new eros journal 7 The Land of the Free, of the Brave, and Trump Casinos, Are You Ready to Go Back in Time ?
A Word from the President
If you were to travel back in time to They felt they had a duty and a mandate Everyone had their turn. the 1980’s, and then again in the early to wind back the influence of what they This is one of the reasons why I 2000’s, you would find every adult considered the underbelly of American personally, have much respect for the industry supplier in the USA would have society. old-school industry guys & girls past somewhat of an unusual welcome for and present. People like Susan Colvin you at their offices or place of work. Yet these people, most of them that we know, were running legitimate (Calex Novelties), Ron Braveman (Doc And it’s not what you think…… businesses, employing thousands Johnson), Elliot Schwartz (Nasstoys) and Steve Orenstein (Wicked Pictures & A trophy cabinet? A fine piece of art? of Americans, paying their taxes Sensual Care Products) are just some of Their latest wiz-bang product or a and contributed positively to their the few that have survived and proud patriotic portrait of their beloved communities. President? Documented history shows that despite thrived from those times. They are a very resilient lot, and even though Often, if not always, the entrance to this, these legal businesses were being they compete hard, they have shared their usually very tastefully decorated targeted by the FBI (side bar, if you have experiences that encourage them to offices would be secured by a large, over visited any of these businesses in the last work together. the top security door, no window large 50 years, or been to a trade show in the enough to crawl through, and sadly bullet USA, there is probably an FBI file on you In Australia I have seen and have been proof glass between you and the smiling too! I hope they caught you ….smiling) the victim of government and police receptionist. harassment, been raided a few times, been charged and accused of things that I know what you’re thinking, but you may I haven’t done. (I have been accused of be wrong! things I have done too, but that’s another Back in these times it was also likely One of the FBI strategies story, usually something as sinful as that every Friday the principles of these was to raid an industry selling an adult DVD/Video of consenting businesses would go out to lunch or take couples). off for an early weekend, are you thinking supplier on Friday I know old school guys and girls in our that is because that’s what bosses do? afternoon, throw the local industry that have been through Again you might be wrong!! principle and some staff some tough physical, financial and You see, when the George Bush’s and in jail, knowing that their emotional times also due to the same the Ronald Reagan’s ran the World, misguided do-gooders. they had a hard-on for our friends in the legal people wouldn’t be At the time of writing it is reported that American Adult Industry. They made able to get bail until the Rudy Giuliani is Trump’s pick for Attorney up all sorts of bullshit, raided peoples General, or Secretary of State. You know, businesses and charged them with all Monday. the second most powerful office in the sorts of things – often knowing that the USA, only Trumped by Trump himself charges wouldn’t stick, but did it anyway. (sorry, couldn’t help myself!) They used their power, influence and Only later to drop all charges, which Quick history lesson is required here: He the G(overnment)-Men to try and stand of course was a relief…but you have was the guy that wiped out the red light over, bully and intimidate our colleagues’ spent the weekend with some not-so- district in New York when he was the abroad. Their strategy was to disrupt nice people. This was disruption and Mayor - his strategies have been used and destroy by any means possible. harassment, but it was commonplace back in those dark old days.
8 the new eros journal I fear for our friends and hope that the Trump gamble doesn’t return them to the old World of discrimination and harassment
in Sydney’s Kings Cross. He introduced concerns are over the talk of building P.S. If I’m not at work on Friday, I’m sure one of the worst police policies to hit walls both with bricks and tariffs that will you’ll understand. New York City streets ever – he gave lead to increased pricing and isolation. P.S.S. Big Disclaimer: In the unlikely police the power to ‘stop & frisk’ anyone, I fear for our friends and hope that the event that Mr Trump and friends see this, without cause. Trump gamble doesn’t return them my opinion is not necessarily the position How does that end? to the old World of discrimination and of the members or staff of Eros or the harassment. It seems that the land of the Australian Adult Industry. Some of the USA suppliers I have spoken FREE will need to be BRAVE once again! with have expressed their concerns that under Trump, and the Republicans As for Australia; “she’ll be right mate”, it David Watt it could be worse than ever. Besides couldn’t never happen here, could it? the likelihood of the re-targeting of this [email protected] sort of harassment to the industry, their
9 How The Banks Discriminate Against the Adult Industry
By Robbie Swan
At the height of Victorian- Of course by 1902 when the bans were premises. finally lifted, most of the community In 1992 the ACT Attorney General’s era morality in Australia, it had breached them or rallied against Advisory group recommended to the them for more than a decade and the Legislative Assembly that sexual services became illegal to swim at the false modesty was being seen for what be legalised and regulated for the safety it really was – an attempt to paper local beach during daylight of both the community and sex workers. over the ‘shame’ of our convict roots. Stopping sex work from becoming a But as happens so often in Australia, hours. As the flow of convicts vector for HIV AIDS into the broader commonsense and majority public community was paramount in the minds opinion are often way ahead of tired from the UK slowed and of legislators at the time and when rates old governments and institutions who of infection in other countries became Australia started to develop continue to cling to the ways of the past. known a decade on, the wisdom of the Witness the long-standing 86% public ACT legislators was open for all to see. its own identity, free from support for dying with dignity* (voluntary The ACT still does not have one reported euthanasia), and the 75% support for the ‘taint’ of a convict past, and authenticated case of HIV infection marriage equality*. Ending discrimination from sex worker to client, while some is also a big issue for multicultural the authorities thought countries have reported 90% of their Australia and yet the banks are bucking nation’s infection has occurred through that adopting this extreme popular support for this initiative by sex work. implementing unfair banking practices measure would send a on some sections of the legal business In 1995 Kate Carnell’s Liberal message to the world, that community. government implemented an X Licensing Scheme to allow for revenue to be raised In Australia, it’s generally illegal to for the ACT taxpayer, on the $34 million we were now a civilised and discriminate against people on the a year X rated film industry. The industry basis of their race, creed, colour, sex, moral country who would became the second largest export age or political belief. State and federal revenue earner for the Territory after pine discrimination laws provide enforcement not tolerate the morally ‘iffy’ products and plantations through the mechanisms to give the laws clout and sale of X18+ classified films. business of swimming at a to make them effective in daily life. In the ACT, there are extra grounds to sue However following this legalisation, public beach when others someone for unlawful and unreasonable the industry noticed that it was still could see you. discrimination under the broad heading being denied many of the normal of job, occupation, profession or calling. business products and services that were being offered to other industries. The ACT’s adult goods and services These included public liability insurance industry has a long history and has been cover, other insurances, advertising legally trading since the early 1970s. In opportunities and financial services. This 1983, the Commonwealth passed an made it very difficult for some businesses ACT Ordinance (pre self-government) to function legally, as they were then for the Classification of Films and forced into seeking these services from Publications that included an X rated black and grey market operators or category for explicit but non-violent films. from those who would only offer them This classification was created so they at hugely inflated prices. Of course could only be sold from age-restricted this defeated the purpose of legalising
10 the new eros journal the industry in the first place and it from other banks when responding to shop – they won’t treat you differently wasn’t long before both major political a criticism. Follow up calls to the bank than someone who is a housewife, parties read the riot act to the business have not resulted in a relaxation of their student or businessperson. community that the adult industry was position. In this paragraph the bank also leaves here to stay and that anyone who the door open to refuse services to a continued to unfairly discriminate against person if a credit check or assessment it on moral or religious grounds, would be Under the heading of ‘ANZ’s General reveals that a particular customer could heavily penalised. Policy’ the bank stated that: be a financial risk to them. No problem The bi partisan support in the ACT with that as long as they don’t see Legislative Assembly for an amendment owning or working in an adult shop as to the Anti Discrimination Act to include intrinsically ‘risky’ - simply because it job, occupation, profession and calling With respect to providing products and offends a bank manager’s religious belief as grounds to lodge a complaint, services to individuals, ANZ does not or moral view on life. was evidence of the intent of the local differentiate on the basis of a customer’s In the next paragraph they appear to say parliament to make its laws around occupation or industry affiliation and that in the process of providing products the adult industry, workable. The new considers applications from all potential and services to business customers, laws made it easier for the adult goods customers, subject to the same credit the bank can mysteriously take on the and services industry to function, checks and assessments. ‘karma’ of that business, and that in however major breaches of the law have the process of taking their money, can continued and via some of the largest With respect to providing products and somehow earn a negative reputation for corporations in the land. They have services to businesses, ANZ considers themselves. How can they substantiate continued to dismiss the ACT laws with both commercial and reputational this? impunity and argue to Eros members that aspects. ANZ’s general policy is that they are not bound by them. there are a number of industries that ANZ They then go on to suggest that it is does not typically service as it considers some sort of moral odium (a term made Banks are among the worst offenders that these fall outside of the expectations popular by Senator Brian Harradine in and even letters penned by their legal of ANZ stakeholders and impact ANZ’s his Senate debates on porn during the departments in the wake of a complaint reputation and standing. As previously 1990s) around some industries that from an adult trader, shows that they advised, ANZ currently considers the ‘falls outside of the expectations of ANZ clearly believe that the law does not adult industry to fall within this category. stakeholders and impact (sic) ANZ’s apply to them. reputation and standing.’ So let us A recent letter from the ANZ Bank’s examine who the ‘stakeholders’ are that ‘Office of Customer Advocate’ shows they refer to. just how brazen the banks have become Let’s just deconstruct this policy for a ‘Stakeholders’, as first defined in a 1963 in ignoring the ACT laws. The letter is moment to see what it means beneath internal memo at the Stanford Research a statement of policy on discrimination the ‘bank-speak’. The first paragraph Institute, are ‘those groups without at a national level, which clearly offends says unequivocally that they do not whose support the organization would ACT law and may well offend in other discriminate against individual customers cease to exist’. No one in their right jurisdictions on other grounds like on the basis of what they do for a living. mind would argue that shareholders are ‘political belief’. This letter took months Well, Eros already has reports of this not stakeholders. The ANZ Bank has a for the bank to produce and was happening and once we send out the million shareholders. How many of them adjudicated on by senior managers clarion call, we will get many more. But even know about the bank’s decision to and legal advisors. It was typical of the bank is saying they don’t care if you boycott and discriminate against adult the responses that Eros has received work for a stripping agency or in an adult
11 industry businesses, let alone support bank have begun a multi million-dollar window the next day and tell a vibrator it? How many of the bank’s shareholders court case against the ANZ claiming that and lingerie distributor that they won’t own a vibrator or have purchased an X drinking, drugs and sex were all part of deal with her because her morals are in rated film? They would be surprised to the bank’s daily culture and that following the gutter – what can you say? find that probably 50% would have done the signing of some contracts they would And who are the other industries they one or the other at some time in their all head off to a strip club. say they deny and who made the lives. A few months ago the embattled ANZ decision on these? Did shareholders And what about those other boss Shayne Elliott told The Australian get to vote on this? Are other financial ‘stakeholders’ – the ANZ Bank Board newspaper “Conduct and values are institutions that are in competition with members and Executives? How many absolutely critical in any business and the bank for financial services part of the of them have ever bought or watched around the world our industry is quite suite of ‘immoral industries’ that ANZ an X rated film or bought a vibrator for rightly in the spotlight and being asked to discriminates against? themselves or a partner? change.” The bank should be publishing all of this Probably a better question would be to And they wonder why people get angry. information on their website so the world ask them how many of their staff still use The fact that the Bank’s managers could can see and make up its own mind on cocaine and head off to the local strip go through the massive embarrassment, whether to continue dealing with them, or club after work, as was publicly revealed illegality and shame of such revelations change to a more switched on bank. earlier this year. Two executives of the and then put their faces to the teller’s
12 the new eros journal 13 Employment Contracts Why Are They Necessary?
Employment contracts can be written, oral or a mixture of both. Written employment contracts are always preferable to oral agreements which are difficult to enforce, especially when disputes arise. Employment contracts are essential to any business and employers should use them as a tool to protect the interests of the business and to properly manage staff. Without employment contracts, businesses expose themselves to unnecessary and avoidable risk.
What is an employment contract? An employment contract consolidates all the relevant conditions of employment for your employees into the one document. Unlike modern awards which are general, an employment contract will only contain provisions that specifically affect your employees. Therefore, an employment contract can be simple to read and understand.
What should an employment Benefits of written employment contracts: contract include? • Protects the interests of both parties; • Job title and position description; • Provides certainty for both parties; • Duties and responsibilities of the • Provides a legal record of the intention and agreement of both parties at the parties; beginning of the employment; • Pay details; • A document which is detailed (as compared to a letter of offer); • Leave entitlements including procedure • Protects the commercial interests of the business through the use of restraint of for taking leave; trade, non-solicitation and confidentiality clauses; • Flexible working arrangements • Provides employers with avenues to dismiss employees if they are not performing available; to expectations (i.e. reasons and grounds for termination, probationary periods etc.); • Rights and obligations of the parties; • Assists in preventing misunderstandings and disputes by providing the essential • Duration of employment (if applicable); details in regards to payments, position expectations etc.; • Probationary period; • Provide avenues and assistance for workplace dispute resolution; • Benefits offered – overtime, bonuses, • Regulates taking of leave entitlements; severance pay etc.; • Stipulates notice periods to be provided when terminating employment allowing • Confidentiality, non-solicitation and sufficient time to recruit; restraint of trade clauses; • To protect the intellectual property of businesses; • Payment in lieu of notice; • Avoids reasonable notice claims from employees – if an employment contract • Reasons and grounds for termination; does not exist, the employee may be entitled to reasonable notice upon • Notice periods; termination which is determined by the Court; • Any relevant industrial instrument, • Outlines how the contract can be varied; and modern awards, national employment • Specifies how the contact can be terminated to avoid disputes in this regard. standards or statutory obligations; and • Redundancy.
Need assistance? EROS Employer Assist provides all EROS members with advice in regards to all aspects of employment law. We can assist members with drafting employment contracts. Please contact EROS Employer Assist on 1300 054 542 if you have any questions relating to this article or to discuss any issues that arise in your business.
14 the new eros journal Paying employees above award wages: Risks of not having employment contracts: There is a common misconception by employers that paying employees a salary or a rate which is above the minimum award rate circumvents the need for a written • Difficult to rely on what someone said employment contract or to pay any additional overtime, allowances, penalties etc., if it isn’t written down – Courts may not however, this is not correct. If employees are covered by an award, even if they enforce the contract as it may be difficult are paid a wage which is above the award rate, the clauses relating to allowances, to prove the existence of the contract or penalties etc. still apply unless they have been specifically set off. In other words, its terms; if employers offer award covered employees a “salary” or above award rate, they • Disputes may arise because both must have an employment contract with a carefully drafted set off clause (setting off parties are relying on memory; and the award component against the award entitlements). Failure to do this could result • Misunderstandings could arise in in the employer being required to pay the allowances, penalties etc. on top of the regards to important aspects of the above award amount (plus potential penalties for breaching the award) because there agreement, was no clear written agreement to the contrary. i.e. payment details or even job title and position description.
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Employer Assist is proud to Employer Assist can provide Additional services are provided advice on: at the EROS member discount partner with the amount of ($320.00 + GST per • Rates of pay hour) or on a fixed fee basis: EROS Association to provide • Workplace theft • Contracts of employment and letters all EROS members with • Absenteeism of offer workplace relations advice • Sick leave and all forms of leave • Drafting warning and termination letters • Warnings • Policies tailored to the needs of EROS and services via the FREE members • Roster requirements EROS Employer Assist • Representation in the Fair Work • Managing casuals Commission (re unfair dismissal, general hotline. • Redundancies and Terminations protections etc.)
Hotline Service for EROS • Managing social media, email, • Workplace investigations such as for Members smoking, and staff mobile phone and harassment, bullying or discrimination. internet usage EROS members can access initial advice via phone or email as a part of their • Managing Workers Compensation EROS membership and are eligible for claims and return to work Call us on a special member discount rate on all • Recruitment and retention advice additional services. 1300 054 542, email us at And legislative compliance Employer Assist provides the hotline regarding [email protected] service to all members between the • Awards, the Fair Work Act 2009 and or visit our website at hours of 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday National Employment Standards (NES) (AEST) via the Employer Assist hotline www.indigolegal.com.au number 1300 054 542 or via email to • Workplace Health and Safety [email protected] . to send a contact request • Long service leave All enquiries will be answered by qualified • Enterprise Agreements Human Resources, Workplace Relations and/or legally qualified professionals.
15 16 the new eros journal 17 Images by Vertigo Photography
Victim Blaming 101: Radical Feminists Say Pole Dancing “Normalises Violence Against Women” by Alessandra Izzo
I am a pole dancer. Then, one day I encountered the My outrage and despair over the evangelical “Feminazis” I had heard so opposition we face by our very own And a feminist. much about in the myths and legends of sisters recently resurfaced when the putrid Men’s Rights Activists misogyni- London Abused Women’s Centre (LAWC) For a while after I discovered dens. I briefly stalked these places while very publicly withdrew support for the investigating the dudebro hell-lounges “Take Back the Night” march in London, the feminist path I floated that spawn such delightful creatures as Canada. Julien Blanc and Roosh V. If you want This occurred because organisers along in a love bubble to lose all faith in humanity, by all means initiated an open discussion over explore the Return of Kings website. thinking it was just “us inclusion of a pole fitness demonstration One day while surfing the black hole of at the event. A discussion! The against the patriarchy” and Facebook, I came across a post that had organisers raised the question and in attracted a crowd of people hell bent response, the LAWC - like a petulant naively wondered how we on shaming women in the sex industry. child - not only announced they would couldn’t muster the woman- It was on the Young Greens Facebook not be supporting the event, but page of all places, and the shamers also created an offensive meme that power to purge this evil were identifying as feminists. This was a went viral. watershed moment for me. systemic oppression. While I passionately believe in the feminist fight for equality and smashing the patriarchy, I’m nonetheless shocked when reminded that I am also pitted against other feminists who sit on the opposite side of the sex-positive fence. Thus making me, a pole dancer and supporter of women’s autonomy in the sex industry, the enemy.
18 the new eros journal The Australian Pole Dancers Magazine was launched in 2013 as the brainchild of Editor Jane Blair. In 2015 she joined forces with industry figure Alessandra Izzo (aka Ally Cat) and together they create a quarterly publication which aims to inform and inspire the pole community. Quarterly issues cover feature artists and key industry players, competitions, health and wellness advice, recipes, tutorials, and some regular fun pole dancing whimsy. APDM Online (www.auspoledancersmag.com.au) provides coverage of important issues facing the pole community as they happen, as well as being a primary learning resource for pole dancers.
Needless to say, this sent waves of cause rape. A man allows himself to outrage through the pole community, and behave in a particular way, and hence the rightfully so. man can also choose to modify his own behaviour. The particularly galling thing about the situation was that other women were None of these situations warrant blaming labelling our sport/art form/passion as of the woman, and should certainly not something which “normalises violence require her to adapt her own behaviour against women”. In other words, the lest the man be “unable to control LAWC were saying to us “your chosen himself”. That is a clear message of “it’s activity is telling men it’s ok to be violent your fault for being raped”, and “he can’t against you”. Welcome to Victim Blaming help it so you need to stop what you’re 101. doing to provoke it”. How about we start expecting more from our men, and Now, pole dance in its many and varied not just assume they are a slave to their forms can appear vastly different from testosterone? Can’t we give them more the stereotypical “strip club derived” credit? or exotic-style pole dancing the LAWC were talking about, but for the sake of In September we saw SlutWalk take to argument let’s just focus on that. It is the streets of Melbourne to protest this ludicrous to attribute the symbol of pole ongoing propensity of men (and women!) dancing to the normalising of violence to victim blame and slut shame. There against women. Connections to the sex are so many people who “get it”. Why industry is by association suggesting is it so hard for organisations like LAWC that the sex industry itself is to blame for whose fundamental principles are about violence against women. supporting equality, to see that they are engaging in the very behaviour that Now, I can see the strong arm of creates rape culture? patriarchy inside some strip clubs I have frequented (and having worked as a In fact, the irony is that somehow pole stripper), however this does not mean dancers have taken an activity historically that the very existence of strip clubs in geared towards the male gaze, and any way “normalises” violence against morphed it into something that helps women. large swathes of women find deeper self-appreciation, self-worth and inner Sure, some men disrespect women and strength (as well as outer). If that isn’t the may even abuse them after visiting a strip perfect symbol to include in a “Take Back club. But one does not cause the other, the Night” rally, I honestly don’t know in the same way that short skirts do not what is.
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I love sucking cock. I firmly believe I explored being sexual without actually passion, and my blowbang scene was that you can be a strong independent having sex. And getting on my knees orchestrated to convey my agency and feminist and also enjoy slobbering on to deliver a blowjob was a great way desire at every moment. a hard dick. However, after receiving to avoid being painfully finger-banged I excitedly undid their jeans and blowback for shooting my first blowbang, by teenagers who had no idea what exposed their dicks for me to devour. I I realised that not everybody agrees they were doing. This is partly why you enthusiastically and energetically worked with me. Some of my fans panicked don’t see me getting fingered in my their shafts and throated their cocks until and sent me anxious emails about the blowbang-fantasy-come-true. I’ve come I choked myself. I communicated my patriarchy and the supposed ‘pressure’ to positively associate blowjobs with a pleasure and desire throughout the scene I am under to perform in harder scenes denial of my own pleasure… except that I and unapologetically demanded more. to remain relevant. White knights offered gain pleasure from that very denial. You can practically see a sign in my wild their encouragement to leave the porn Everything is always more complex than eyes flashing: I LOVE SUCKING COCK! industry and regain my self-respect. But it appears. what these well-meaning supporters Yet, even with so much evidence that missed is that… I LOVE SUCKING But the negative mythology that cloaks I desperately want to be in the scene COCK. porn production in a blurry bukkake haze sucking dick, people still question prevents some viewers from being able my desires. It’s demoralising and And when I say that I love sucking cock to analyse porn in the same way they belittling to have anyone tell you that I’m not saying it to stroke your ego or might analyse mainstream film; with a you don’t actually enjoy something, or give you permission to enjoy my blowjob keen awareness of multiple and deeper worse, that you are experiencing false or blowbang scenes with a little less guilt. meanings. There is also a deceptive consciousness. I actually, legitimately, LOVE SUCKING amount of work and decision-making DICK, in a way that is deeply rooted in As a feminist, I believe that we should all that goes into a scene that on the my sexual awakening and the story I tell be able to ethically express our sexual surface may look like I’m just on my myself about how I ‘became a woman’. desires without shame. knees sucking seven cocks (yes, seven) When I was younger, sucking cock was for 30 minutes. When I direct, produce Now excuse me, but I have some cocks something I could do while retaining my and perform in pornography I showcase to suck! precious virginity. Through giving head, and capture authentic chemistry and Angela
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23 infections means that there are realised Prop 60 Defeated commercial losses. It’s likely that the same could be said for adult performers. By Joel Murray And while at least in the gay adult film California, USA - The heavy-handed condoms in adult films is outdated and space, there is market competition at California Proposition 60 was recently paternalistic. play with some studios adopting their defeated by more than a seven point According to proponents of the own mandatory condom policies. The margin. The proposition would have proposition, the legislation was “poorly choice then is for the performer to assess seen the demise of California’s adult film drafted” and would be “the creation of an their own risk of HIV acquisition, aim industry by making condoms mandatory unprecedented lawsuit bonanza that will to reduce that risk through a range of to wear in all adult films. Thankfully due cost taxpayers millions of dollars.” options and work with the studios that to the campaign by the Adult Performer support the performer’s ethics. Advocacy Committee and the Free In fact, the proposed legislation would Speech Coalition, this backward law have enabled private citizens to mount The AIDS Healthcare Foundation who won’t come into place. lawsuits against both production were behind the proposition, threw a lot companies and performers. Clearly of money and resources to defend their As someone who works also in the HIV the positive health outcomes cited by undefendable position. The fact is that and sexual health sector, the proposition proponents was a smokescreen for adult film performers do not represent surprised me when I first heard about it ideological opposition to the industry a significant risk of HIV acquisition — in for a few reasons. If this was the 1990s itself. my opinion, the money would have during the height of the AIDS epidemic been much better spent on targeting then it would have made some sense Let’s not forget the notion of informed individuals within the Californian that mandatory condoms could be a way consent. One reasonably assumes community who are at risk and a broader to protect performers from HIV. However, that the adults who are performing in education campaign about all the tools with HIV treatment being so effective these films are making decisions that in HIV prevention. Just use condoms is for people living with HIV and other are informed and rational. Research no longer a nuanced message, especially biomedical tools such a preexposure shows us that sex workers in Australia when their effectiveness is only 70% prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention, are sexual health experts because compared with at least 96% for HIV the idea of state-enforced mandatory the presence of sexually transmitted prevention medicines.
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24 the new eros journal 25 Dawn of the Sexbots By David Levy from the Daily Mail.
It is as sinister as it is compelling − a shocking still because it comes in the computer-generated conversation, futuristic theme park in which saloon girls sphere of intimate human relationships. robots will develop the skills needed for are raped, townsfolk are pumped full of seduction and the whispering of sweet As an expert in consumer electronics, bullets and native Americans are actually nothings during love-making. Hanson this is a field I’ve studied for some time. I scalped. Robotics, based in Hong Kong, has been first wrote about love and sex with robots at the forefront of ultra-lifelike robots But the storyline of new Sky Atlantic TV a decade ago, arguing not only that for some years, as has Japan’s leading drama Westworld, in which lifelike robots people would fall in love with robots and humanoid robotics designer Professor are abused for human pleasure, has have sex with them, but that we would Hiroshi Ishiguro in Osaka. provoked a host of disturbing questions also be marrying robots by the year about violence, sexual exploitation – and 2050. I’ve seen nothing since then to In fact, Ishiguro’s robotic versions of when exactly this world of near-human change my prediction. himself are so convincing that he often robots will become a reality. And the sends them to deliver lectures when he is The key elements for creating sex robots answer is very soon indeed. Because, too busy to go himself. The appearance, are a combination of an adult-sized sex with Far Eastern manufacturers already at least, is breathtakingly lifelike. But doll of the type selling in the US for prices creating machines of astonishingly when it comes to ‘sexbots’, Abyss of $5,000 upwards, together with some accurate appearance, the first Creations, which started life 20 years of the attributes of electronic sex toys commercially available sex robots are ago, is leading the way. Don’t forget that such as vibration technology. now expected to go on sale next year. electronic sex toys – the technical term There are some additional technologies, is ‘dildonics’ – have been available for This coming wave of sex robots will such as heating elements to simulate decades. be humanlike in appearance and size. bodily warmth, and synthetic speech They will have human-like genitals. And The field is expanding rapidly. And in to enable a robot to talk to its lovers they will allow intercourse according December the Second International in an attractive, sexy voice. We can to their owner’s sexual orientation and Congress on Love and Sex with Robots expect the first ones to resemble the tastes. The machines in question are is taking place at Goldsmiths University current RealDolls, a range of expensive being developed by Abyss Creations at in London. The event was cancelled but extraordinarily detailed silicone sex their Californian factory, and are likely to last year when it was due to be held in dolls made in America, but with more retail for around $15,000 (£12,300). But Malaysia, because the Chief of Police in ‘functionality’. This will be comparatively we can be certain that rival companies Kuala Lumpur decreed that the subject limited at first – some basic words, in America, Japan and Korea are was immoral and announced that he some simple movements and vibrations scrambling to catch up. would throw the co-organisers, of whom in response to touch. The real point, I am one, in jail if we went ahead. Scientists have already created robots though, is this: as time goes by they will capable of walking, playing soccer, become ever more lifelike as technology I’ve no doubt some will find it creepy, climbing the stairs, playing the trumpet, advances and new material becomes but we can be clear on this: the arrival creating works of art, and many other available and affordable. of sexually responsive robots will have things besides – artificial creatures not enormous consequences. We have Synthetic skin embedded with electronic unlike Gemma Chan’s Anita, the robot already seen rapid changes in human sensors will enable the robots to react servant ‘synth’ in Channel 4’s popular relationships thanks to the internet, with (artificial) pleasure as they are drama Humans, which returns tonight. mobile devices and social media. That caressed by their owner-lovers, for same proliferation of technology has also But the latest advance in the field of example. And as Artificial Intelligence brought about an explosive increase of social robotics is a revolution more researchers improve the quality of
26 the new eros journal David Levy is the author of Love And Sex With Robots (Harper Collins). He has a PhD from the University of Maastricht for a thesis on the same subject, entitled Intimate Relationships With Artificial Partners.
Read more: www.dailymail.co.uk/ sciencetech/article-3885592/ Dawn-Sexbots-new-TV-Westworld- s-future-tourists-romance-robots-just- sick-fantasy-No-soon-buy-androids- talk-touch-feel.html#ixzz4P8ImDSj4
intimate encounters of every kind that we do not require empathy. By promoting I, though, believe sex robots will be can experience on our screens. and cultivating these objects, we are in a great boon to society and will, for effect promoting non-empathetic forms example, encourage greater frankness The next major advance will enable us of living as adults,’ she says. in sexual matters. Robots could to use our technology to have intimate certainly act as sex therapists. People encounters with the technology itself – to Certainly, the arrival of robot sex partners experiencing psycho-sexual problems will fall in love with the technology, to have raises difficult questions about the no longer need the expensive service of sex with robots and to marry them. future of relationships. After all, it seems humans. Then there are the downright People have already shown a propensity inevitable that humanoid robots will lonely. Sex robots will eradicate a to engage in some kind of relationship eventually acquire sophisticated artificial huge void in the lives of lonely, unloved with technology, for example the millions emotions and artificial personalities. people, creating emotional and sexual who have attempted to flirt with or insult My research over the past decade has satisfaction for them in place of the Siri and other virtual assistants online. revealed that the main reasons people loneliness and sexual frustration which The YouTube video ‘Making *Siri* Talk fall in love could equally apply to human- blights their lives. Dirty!’ has 1.3 million hits, and the sequel robot relationships. There are many millions of people in has been even more popular with 2.2 One example is similarity − people tend this world who are very lonely because million. to like other people who are similar to they have no one to love and no one Fantasies featuring relationships between themselves in one or more important who loves them. This might be for any human beings and robots are nothing aspect, perhaps in level of education, of a number of reasons. They might be new, from Ira Levin’s book The Stepford attitudes or a common interest. shy. They might have psychological or Wives, first filmed in 1975, to the psycho-sexual hang-ups. They might be And it will be possible to simulate all of growing list of more recent and current socially unacceptable for one reason or these characteristics with sophisticated productions: Lars And The Real Girl, another − ugliness, personal hygiene, Artificial Intelligence software. Another Her, the TV series Humans, and now totally lacking in social skills, unable to common reason for falling in love is Westworld. make interesting, amusing conversation knowing that one is liked by the other at the right level with those who they find Matt McMullen, the founder of Abyss person. attractive. For these socially challenged Creations, is keen to ensure that in Again, it will be relatively straightforward people, a more appropriate question future his dolls give every appearance of for researchers working on artificial to ask is not ‘Why is it better to love or enjoying their ‘sexual’ experiences. personalities to develop software which have sex with a robot than with another ‘I want to have people actually develop simulates a liking, or a loving, for the human?’, but ‘Is it better to love or have an emotional attachment to not only the robot’s human partner – and to spark the sex with a robot or to have no love or sex robot but the actual character behind interest of the human in return. at all?’ it. To develop some kind of love for this There are some obvious and rather tricky Certainly that will be the view of Abyss being,’ he says.and the Wild questions: is it cheating your spouse or Creations as they prepare to release the Of course, there are those with doubts. partner if you have sex with a robot, for planet’s first commercial ‘sexbots’. And Dr Kathleen Richardson, of De Montfort example? The answer, in my opinion, is for the moment at least, the future is University, has started a campaign ‘No’. If using a vibrator is not cheating for theirs. against sex robots, arguing that they the estimated 2.5 million women per year will encourage us to regard real human in the UK who buy one, then why should beings as no more than ‘things’. ‘Sex sex with a robot be considered cheating? dolls are inspired by ways of relating that
27 28 the new eros journal 29 Won’t somebody think of the children? Gonzo puts teens in conversation with porn stars A new play reveals porn performers can be the key to teen porn literacy, writes Zahra Stardust
reminds viewers that consent may The boys care about the be impaired if a person is intoxicated, and in Stoya’s ‘Porn Star’s Guide to women involved, how they Sexual Consent’ she discusses safe words, saying no and the right to are referred to and whether retract consent. Gala Vanting runs they are having a good time. sex education workshops focusing on women’s pleasure, emotional safety, They want to know if the Sarah Walker: Sol Rumbl, Ari Maza Long, clear communication and avoiding goal- Sam Salem and Jack Palit in Gonzo. orientation. Even the many ‘porn stars activities are consensual without makeup’ photo shoots online can ‘humanise’ performers and illustrate the and even pay attention to In September Clare Watson’s sold out labour of performing femininity to break theatre piece Gonzo brought together down gender stereotypes of the ideal whether the performers are two demographics whose voices are pornographic body. underrepresented in pornography using lube. debates: teenage boys and porn Gonzo addresses concerns that teenage performers. boys are being increasingly ‘exposed’ to Many porn performers – some of whom pornography, learning sexist behaviours, are mothers and feminists – are invested The Malthouse play, featuring four teens and that porn is affecting relationships. in conversation with queer kink performer in political change and actively role- Instead of representing young boys model consensual sexual negotiation, Gala Vanting and sex documentarian as blank slates upon which media is Helen Betty Corday (aka Liandra Dahl), bodily autonomy and respect in their films projected, Gonzo, based on peer-led and behind the scenes footage. Sensate posits teens as savvy media-literate porn focus groups among teenage boys consumers and reveals the potential in Films let viewers know in advance aged 12-18 in Melbourne, depicts teens whether the performers in a scene engaging with performers to make sense as ‘conscious and critical consumers’ of online pornography. are an off-screen couple, particularly developing a sense of ‘porn literacy.’ experienced, fluid bonded, or just have This is not the first time porn performers In digital culture, we are no longer negotiated certain activities in advance. have collaborated on projects to discuss viewers but users who interact, sex education, safety and consent, and Madison Young has documented an participate and generate content. And example of a behind-the- scenes sex nor should it be the last. In 2015, Helen indeed, the boys on stage are curious. Betty Corday worked alongside Fitzroy scene negotiation where the performers In the conversational, improvised scene discuss the effects of anti-depressant High School to host five community with Gala and Helen, they want to know forums, including ‘Pornography and medication on libido, their preferred everything from the artistic aspects of speed, pace and pressure of penetration, Teenagers: Developing Porn Literacy’ (run films to maintaining romantic relationships twice due to high demand), where porn and how they like to orgasm. Lesbian to labour conditions on set. How did you and same sex attracted women’s performers spoke alongside sexologists, get into it? Have you ever had a bad time family planning and psychologists. Health health project Claude have worked at work? with porn performers to create sexual professionals on the panel reported to Helen that ‘the presence of a porn health resources with information about women’s anatomy, pleasure and safety. performer… removed the scepticism the teenagers had toward community The value in speaking with performers is concern and lent credibility to the sexual in its deconstruction of the production health nurses in the eye of the teens.’ process. It takes away the power of Porn stars have also created public pornography to be represented as ideal resources on sex and consent. In a or proscriptive. Instead, it reinforces Buzzfeed clip veteran Nina Hartley that performers are ‘real people’ outside their work personas, invests viewers
30 the new eros journal in performer health and wellbeing, and The visual backdrop of Gonzo features a helps them differentiate between fantasy montage of pixilated, bouncing breasts, and reality. erotic art, neon animation, and pandas masturbating to barrage the audience with both the absurd and the mundane array of clips available on the Internet. The images are juxtaposed with banal conversations among the boys about the Kardashians, Donald Trump, terrible bosses and favourite pets. The message is: pornography is just one of many mediums young people encounter online. It is no more exceptional than other Zahra Stardust is writing Gonzo star Gala Vanting suggests porn media. And like other media, research producers create work that models consent indicates that pornography is used for a her PhD on pornography in and safer sex practice. Photo: ABC variety of reasons, including boredom. Pornography is not a substitute for Australia at the University sex education. But in the absence of of New South Wales. She The irony is that porn performers, comprehensive sex and relationship those arguably best able to assist in education, young people are turning has chapters in books understanding screen sex, are deterred to the internet to fill in the gaps. Being from dialogue with teens. Performers competent in mediated sexuality has such as Coming Out Like must be vigilant in ensuring their work been identified by Australian researchers is only available to 18+ audiences, and as a crucial part of healthy sexual a Porn Star: Pornography, face barriers to open discussion of development. Porn literacy could Protection and Privacy pornography in educational settings. A easily be included within sex education New Zealand teacher who posed for curriculums, and porn performers could (3L Media, 2015), Queer Australian Penthouse was deregistered be a valuable part of this process. and in the United States a woman was Sex Work (Routledge, charged with conduct “unbecoming a Gonzo takes a step in this direction. Even teacher” for writing about her prior sex the plays’ title reflects a genre of porn 2015) and The DIY Porn work experience. Porn performers are in which the performer interacts directly accused of bias, recruitment or being with and speaks to the camera-person. Handbook: Documenting Bringing teens in conversation with inappropriate influences for young people Our Own Sexual Revolutions instead of experts in the field. performers is a bold and necessary step towards equipping our youth with porn literacy, sexual ethics, and responsible (Greenery Press, 2016). She media consumption. Porn stars hold the has published in journals key. Porn Studies, Research for Sex Work and the World Journal of AIDS, and written articles for The Conversation and Hustler Magazine. Photo: Sarah Walker
31 Vaping and Public Policy By Nick Wallis
After six years of observing as subversive marketing of cigarettes, through candy products such as fads, or regressive vaporiser and toy cigarettes or anything else that might get into the hands of children and start nicotine policy and some them mimicking smoking behaviour. pretty shocking prosecutions, you do start to wonder So here’s a law that is intended to protect children from mimicking cigarette whether some of the older smoking behaviour, which is being used to prosecute an adults-only business generation in public health selling products that give smokers an drank the infamous ‘Kool-Aid’ alternative to tobacco. made famous by Tom Wolfe In 2014 the Judge presiding over the in his groundbreaking 1960s case found in favour of the prosecution, expanding the conclusion to determine book, the Electric Kool-Aid that in effect, any product that involves a hand-to-mouth action and results in Acid Test. the expulsion of ‘vapour’ does, in fact, resemble a tobacco product.
Back in 2011, a West Australian vape retailer, Vince Van Heerden of Heavenly Let’s just remind ourselves here for Vapes, experienced the full force of these a moment that vaporisers and the defenders of health first hand. A discrete fluids they use, that sold in Australia, court order for search and seizure was do not contain nicotine. Nicotine is a obtained by the WA Department of scheduled poison and requires a doctor’s Health, who sent three black SUV’s to prescription for people to be able to his residence and spent an hour and a access it (unless its in the form of a half ransacking his place, putting all of his cigarette). There has been an urban myth hardware into big, black garbage bags. floating around recently that suggests There was no warning for Vince or his people can legally import personal family. Over the next five years, Vince amounts of nicotine. It appears that in spent over $100,000 battling the WA these cases, people generally still need Department of Health over vaporisers. to obtain a prescription – even though And in the end, he lost. this may or may not be enforced.
What happened? The devices we are talking about contain Like several Australian states, Western none of the components that tobacco Australia’s tobacco control legislation has contains and yet politicians are happy a small section in it to prohibit the sale to make laws saying they ‘resemble’ of products that, ‘resemble a tobacco tobacco products. From that madness product, but are not one’. These laws they then justify $100,000 fines and were added to tobacco controls to try public funding of five year court cases and stop what public health experts saw aimed at prohibiting these devices -
32 the new eros journal all the while protecting the market for There is something admirable and smoked tobacco. It sounds like the sort important about those who seek to of politics you get from a third world rectify wrongs, such as informing a dictatorship but no….it’s Australia’s State previously uninformed market of the of Excitement in 2016. risks of a product they are consuming. Also admirable is assisting vulnerable people and making sure they aren’t being Vaporisers are products that are targeted taking advantage of by big multinational at adults and based on new technology companies. But treating everyone as if that is designed to reduce the harmful their decisions, their choices and their effect of smoking - while still giving thoughts are irrelevant unless they fall people a similar experience to smoking. in line with the orthodoxy? That’s just They are banned because they are said authoritarian. to resemble the far more dangerous product they are trying to displace. Welcome to the politically correct and Many smokers have shared their stories illogical world of modern public health online and offline about how using policy! vaporisers has helped them reduce or cease their use of tobacco. Mid-way through 2015, the UK’s Public Health stated that their current estimate of the Across Australia, states evidence showed vaporising to be 95% and territories have less harmful than smoking. Of course it follows that completely abstaining would passed laws that equate give a 100% success rate, but this sort of the use of a vaporiser to absolutist thinking doesn’t allow people to make their own choices. using a cigarette. Public health officials argue the Vaporisers are pieces of technology, inconsistencies of their designed to vaporise liquids, often position by saying they containing a chemical flavour in a base of vegetable glycerine or propylene glycol. don’t want to undo the Ideally, they would also contain a specific good work of tobacco concentration of nicotine. The device controls. Yet tobacco quickly heats the liquid, turning it into a vapour which can be inhaled. Most is still a widely available vaporisers are customisable products, product that many with options for different battery packs, cartridges, mouthpieces, atomiser, wick Australians choose to use, and chamber. despite all the efforts to get them to stop. Innovation in these industries should not be discouraged just because there Perhaps there’s a missed lesson in may be some harms involved. The this? Perhaps there is some percentage people who are in these industries are of the population that no matter how usually there because of a passion and well they are educated, no matter how often want to make things better for many messages featuring rotten teeth everyone. This is the cornerstone of and cancerous limbs are put to them good capitalism. Unfortunately, it is being to change their behaviour, they won’t. undermined by those who would prefer Maybe there are going to be roughly five that we made only choices that they per cent of the population who will seek approve of. out and consume tobacco no matter what.
33 LEGISLATION SURROUNDING E-CIGARETTES AND VAPORISERS
The rise in popularity of vaporising sales, with more customer engagement technology has caused a stir in some and a wider range of products relating WESTERN AUSTRALIA circles who wish to see the products to the equipment itself rather than the It is an offence to sell any product that is more heavily regulated. The Therapeutic consumable material. These products are not a tobacco product, but is designed to Goods Administration (TGA) note that electronic devices after all, and legislation resemble a tobacco product or packaging. any product that is sold to, “help people that allows for appropriate display and [26] A Supreme Court decision in 2014 quit smoking”[1] is a therapeutic good sale should be taken into account when has set a precedent that, “any product and therefore regulated by the TGA. If considering consumer understanding E-Cig or otherwise that involves a hand to mouth action and results in the expulsion a product that claims some therapeutic and safety. These small businesses of vapour does in fact resemble a tobacco benefit has not been approved by should be able to access appropriate product and therefore falls under section the TGA, then it is illegal. Nicotine licenses for selling e-cigarettes and 106a of the Tobacco Products Control Act is considered a Schedule 4, 6 and 7 personal vaporisers, including nicotine of 2006.”[27] substance by the TGA, depending on vaporiser liquids, ensuring that they meet how it is prepared and presented. It is industry regulations. Here is a breakdown also controlled (usually as a component of the legislation as it currently stands. of tobacco) under state and territory legislation to different levels. Some states and territories also have legislation prohibiting the marketing of products that resemble tobacco products. The TGA notes several concerns surrounding e-cigarettes, particularly
around potential quality issues with [1] “Electronic Cigarettes”, http://www.tga.gov.au/consumers/ products, “delivering unreliable doses ecigarettes.htm#.U36e4i_Nfea 12/03/13 [2] “Electronic Cigarettes”, http://www.tga.gov.au/consumers/ of nicotine (above or below the stated ecigarettes.htm#.U36e4i_Nfea 12/03/13
quantity), or containing toxic chemicals or [3] Section 3 of the Poisons Act 1971 (TAS)
carcinogens, or leaking nicotine. Leaked [4] Division 5, Section 15N & 15O of the Tobacco Act 1987 (VIC)
nicotine is a poisoning hazard for the [5] Section 4 of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act user of electronic cigarettes, as well as 1981 (VIC) [6] Tobacco Amendment Bill 2016, www.legislation. others around them, particularly children. vic.gov.au/domino/Web_Notes/LDMS/PubPDocs. nsf/ee665e366dcb6cb0ca256da400837f6b/ Dangerous and lethal doses of nicotine f8f457d545b7b0c7ca257fbd0081d68e!OpenDocument accessed can be absorbed through the skin.”[2] 04/10/2016 [7] Part 4, Section 9 Tobacco Amendment Bill 2016
This industry understands better than [8] ibid.
most the need to separate adult products [9] DICTIONARY in the Tobacco Act 1927 (ACT)
from those available to the general [10] Section 19 of the Tobacco Act 1927
population and to ensure that appropriate [11] Part 3.2 Section 14 of the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic regulatory standards are put in place. Goods Act 2008 (ACT) [12] Section 9 of the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2008 (NSW) The Eros Association supports the sale [13] Section 10 of the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2008 (NSW) of nicotine vaporisers as a competitive [14] Section 22 of the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2008 (NSW) alternative to tobacco. We also support a [15] Section 21 of the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2008 (NSW) SOUTH AUSTRALIA number of regulations on the market for [16] Section 58 of the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2008 (NSW) nicotine vaporisers, including: It is an offence to sell any product (other [17] Section 22,23 of the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act than a tobacco product) that is designed 1998 (QLD) • Product safety including manufacturing to resemble a tobacco product.[21] A [18] Section 23A of the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998 standards, quality testing, tamper proof (QLD) ‘tobacco product’ is any preparation of tobacco for consumption and any product packaging and appropriate labelling [19] Section 26A of the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998 (QLD) that does not contain tobacco but is • Age of sale restrictions (18+) [20] Section 26ZS of the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act designed for smoking.[22] 1998 (QLD)
• Appropriate restrictions on marketing [21] Section 36 of the Tobacco Products Regulation Act 1997 (SA)
and advertising [22] Section 4 of the Tobacco Products Regulation Act 1997 (SA)
[23] Section 6 of the Tobacco Control Act (NT) The market for personal vaporisers is [24] Section 20 of the Tobacco Control Act (NT) currently made up of a number of brick [25] Section 14 of the Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act and mortar and online retailers. Most (NT) of these are small businesses, where [26] Section 106 of the Tobacco Products Control Act 2006 (WA) the retailing of vape products tends to [27] HeavenlyVapours - http://forums.aussievapers.com/e-cigarette- vaporization-political-media-discussion/22715-heavenlyvapours-court- operate quite differently from tobacco loss-results-total-ban-all-e-cig-model-sales-wa.html
34 the new eros journal COMMONWEALTH NORTHERN TERRITORY A ‘tobacco product’ is any product containing tobacco or other lawful plant matter that is Nicotine is considered a Schedule 4 designed for human consumption by smoking, but not any nicotine product regulated by the (prescription only) medicine except for Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act.[23] Tobacco products must not be displayed use as an aid in withdrawal from tobacco for sale.[24] smoking in preparations for oromucosal or Nicotine is not specifically controlled under the Northern Territory legislation. The Medicines, transdermal use. It is considered Schedule Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act picks up the TGA’s SUSMP.[25] 6 (poison) in preparations of 3 per cent or less of nicotine when labelled and packed for treatment of animals and a Schedule 7 (dangerous poison) except if in preparations for human therapeutic use or in tobacco prepared and packed for smoking.
QUEENSLAND
Cigarettes and herbal cigarettes must only be sold in packages containing 20 or more and loose tobacco must be sold in packages of 25g or more.[17] Loose smoking blends must be sold in packages of 15g or more.[18] A supplier must not display a smoking product.[19] It is an offence to supply an object, other than a tobacco product, which resembles a tobacco product. If a reasonable person considers the object or its packaging to resemble a tobacco product or if it has been declared under regulation, then to supply the product is an offence. [20]
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL NEW SOUTH WALES TERRITORY Smoking products are more rigorously controlled in New South Wales. Both tobacco products and non-tobacco products that are sold with the intention that they be smoked are regulated. Herbal products are controlled in a similar Displaying these products or any smoking accessory is considered an offence, whether inside way to tobacco products in the A.C.T. and or outside of the premises.[12] These products must also be sold from only one point of sale are defined as a, “product prepared for on the premises.[13] smoking that contains a herb or other plant It is an offence to sell either product to a person under the age of 18.[14] matter but does not contain tobacco or a A person must not sell a product that resembles a tobacco product or is packaged to resemble controlled drug within the meaning of the a tobacco product.[15] Criminal Code, chapter 6 (Serious drug There are a number of regulations that retailers may have to adhere to when selling tobacco offences).”[9] or non-tobacco smoking products.[16] These regulations can be found in the Public Health (Tobacco) Regulation 2009, which does not currently contain restrictions for non-tobacco It is an offence to sell cigarettes (tobacco or products. herbal) in a quantity of less than 20.[10]
Nicotine is not specifically controlled under the ACT legislation. The Medicines, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 2008 picks up the TGA’s SUSMP.[11]] VICTORIA
Under the Tobacco Act 1987, the Secretary may recommend to the Minister that a product or class of products be banned via Government Gazette if the product[4]: i. Is a tobacco product and the product or its smoke possesses a distinctive fruity, sweet or confectionery-like character; or ii. Is a tobacco product and has packaging that appeals to children or young people; or iii. Is not a tobacco product but resembles a tobacco product; or iv. Is of a nature or is advertised in a way that may encourage children or young people to smoke.
Nicotine is not specifically controlled under the Victorian legislation. The Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Act 1981 picks up the TGA’s SUSMP, meaning nicotine is controlled through proximity to the federal legislation.[5] The Tobacco Amendment Bill 2016[6] will mean a number of changes for those operating in the vape industry. These provisions have not yet been passed by Victorian parliament and a number of amendments have been proposed, which may affect the following points: • Vaping is likely to be defined as ‘smoking’. This means that restrictions on smoking in certain TASMANIA areas will also be restrictions on vaping.[7 • Retailing in vaporiser products will be considered the same under the regulations as retailing Nicotine is not specifically controlled traditional tobacco products.[8] under the Tasmanian legislation. The • It is not clear whether components of vaporisers (such as wicks, tanks and flavoured juice) Poisons Act 1971 picks up the TGA’s will be considered as ‘tobacco products’ and regulated as such. SUSMP.[3]
35 The Eros Association
Founded in 1992, the Eros Association is Australia’s longest serving adults-only industry association. Eros is an incorporated, not-for-profit membership-based organisation. Eros’ core focus is ensuring its members’ success through a combination of representation, education, liaison, advocacy and service provision. The Eros Association is the first port of call for many adults-only businesses that required assistance, referrals or advice Australia’s Adults-only Industry
The Australian adults-only industry is a growing force, expanding to a broader market of customers with a greater diversity of products. The modern Australian adults-only industry is a contemporary landscape of superstores, emporiums, industry suppliers, and web stores. Our members include adult retail stores, wholesalers and distributors, tobacconists, herbal shops, adult entertainment, tattoo parlours, body piercers and adult film producers. providing protection and advocacy for australia’s adults-only industry
Contact Rachel today on 03 9629 9295 to discuss the best membership package for your adults-only business or click on to ‘Memberships’ at www.eros.org.au Email: [email protected] The Eros Association
36 the new eros journal Membership Benefits
• Legislative | a range of laws affect the adults-only industry, varying between local, state and federal jurisdictions. Eros staff can provide general advice about current laws as well as update members when changes in legislation occurs. • Customs | customs issues are a stalling point for many adult businesses. The Eros approved protocol ensures that Eros Members take necessary steps to minimise the possibility of objectionable material being imported. • Media relations | advice to members on how to deal with negative media, assistance with media releases and media liaison. • Eros member directory | an online directory of Eros members available to the public. • Eros holographic sticker program | for approved
certified products that are compliant with legislation and the 99,999 Eros Code of Practice. • Affiliate Partners | access to a range of allied industry partners.
• Industrial relations | complimentary industrial relations advice provided by the IR Group.
• Advocacy | Eros provides liaison services between members and local, state and federal governments, including preparing submissions and lobbying for changes to policy and law reform. • Members only | access to member’s only articles on the Eros website, discounted rates on advertising in the Eros Industry Journal, discounted tickets to Annual Industry Conference, and Education and Networking Events regulation respect referrals
recognition representation
37 SEXPO IS NOT JUST Featuring: > Miss Nude World 2015 ABOUT SEX. > SEXPO tours with multi-award winner Madison Missina IT’S ABOUT > Local geek and Aussie favourite Lucie Bee CELEBRATING ALL > International adult stars Jayden Jaymes and Adriana Chechik LIFESTYLES AND > International trans adult star Venus Lux SEXUALITIES. > American Sensation BLACK MAGIC > Melbourne’s own MenXclusive SEXPO® HEALTH, SEXUALITY & LIFESTYLE > Brand new MCs Sam Bramham (Gold Medallist EXPO IS THE WORLD’S LONGEST-RUNNING Paralympian and O.A.M. recipient) and SEXPO ADULT EXHIBITION AND IS DESIGNED favourite Belinda Love TO PROVIDE A FUN, VIBRANT AND SAFE > SEXPO Sexy Cosplay Competition ENVIRONMENT FOR OPEN-MINDED ADULTS. (with Australia’s largest cash prize) > Live stage shows every 45 minutes > Hourly S.H.A.R.E. Seminars with special guest Dr. Janet Hall > The Fetish Playroom presented by the House of Cadifor > The Goldfingers Laporium > The MenXclusive All Male Revue Lounge Experience: V.R. Gaming V.R. Adult Content Robotics 60% 57% Sex Tech of all of patrons patrons are couples attend with between a partner 18-35
MELBOURNE EXHIBITION CENTRE
Thurs NOV 24th, 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM | Fri NOV 25th, 11:00 AM – midnight | Sat NOV 26th, 11:00 AM – midnight | Sun NOV 27th, 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
38 the new eros journal SEXPO IS NOT JUST Featuring: > Miss Nude World 2015 ABOUT SEX. > SEXPO tours with multi-award winner Madison Missina IT’S ABOUT > Local geek and Aussie favourite Lucie Bee CELEBRATING ALL > International adult stars Jayden Jaymes and Adriana Chechik LIFESTYLES AND > International trans adult star Venus Lux SEXUALITIES. > American Sensation BLACK MAGIC > Melbourne’s own MenXclusive SEXPO® HEALTH, SEXUALITY & LIFESTYLE > Brand new MCs Sam Bramham (Gold Medallist EXPO IS THE WORLD’S LONGEST-RUNNING Paralympian and O.A.M. recipient) and SEXPO ADULT EXHIBITION AND IS DESIGNED favourite Belinda Love TO PROVIDE A FUN, VIBRANT AND SAFE > SEXPO Sexy Cosplay Competition ENVIRONMENT FOR OPEN-MINDED ADULTS. (with Australia’s largest cash prize) > Live stage shows every 45 minutes > Hourly S.H.A.R.E. Seminars with special guest Dr. Janet Hall > The Fetish Playroom presented by the House of Cadifor > The Goldfingers Laporium > The MenXclusive All Male Revue Lounge Experience: V.R. Gaming V.R. Adult Content Robotics 60% 57% Sex Tech of all of patrons patrons are couples attend with between a partner 18-35
MELBOURNE EXHIBITION CENTRE
Thurs NOV 24th, 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM | Fri NOV 25th, 11:00 AM – midnight | Sat NOV 26th, 11:00 AM – midnight | Sun NOV 27th, 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
39 exposure over time. The more people How to make Facebook react to, share and comment on the post (called interaction), the more likely your Overview post will appear in people’s timelines. social media Create a personal profile and connect Don’t forget to respond to people’s with people you know by adding them comments on your posts. as ‘friends’. Users post content to Scheduling posts work for your their ‘wall’ and can also ‘like’ business ‘pages’. Content from friends and pages Scheduling posts can be an excellent you like appear in your ‘news feed’. way to keep business and personal separated and avoid getting lost in a adult business Pages vs Profiles: ‘social media time vortex’. It’s also a By Joel Murray Profiles are for people, pages are good way manage content across a for businesses. There are a range of number of pages, for example if you have one page for each of your store locations, Social media has been a part of our useful business tools such as ‘insights’ or if you wish to delegate responsibility lives for over two decades and includes (analytics) and the ability to schedule to a specific staff member. Unlike most a range of different websites with an posts that you cannot get from creating other retail businesses, adult retail emphasis on the sharing of ideas and a profile. businesses are open late. This provides content between individuals, private Content an opportunity to schedule posts in the companies, government and the Content should be diverse with sales and evening when people are at home. community/not-for-profit sector. Although product promotion integrated with other it is tempting to think social media is the Insights posts. Share content from other pages easiest and cheapest way to promote (for example, from the official page of an This is the data centre for your page. It your business, it should be considered adult toy that you stock) and don’t forget tells you demographics about the people as one part of the marketing mix. As the to have fun. Content should drive positive who like your page across a range of popularity of social media has increased, emotional responses with your audience. indicators. Knowing your audience so has the competition for your Keep it relevant. should inform content creation. You business to be heard. However, with an can also review statistics on each of understanding of how different platforms Content must adhere to Facebook’s your posts, such as audience reach. work, who your audience is, and a focus community standards (www.facebook. Reflect on what works for your page and on content and customer relationship com/communitystandards/#) which audience as it will be different for every management, your brand can stand out includes a restriction on posting images business. amongst the crowd. This article will focus that contain nudity. You can restrict on the three most commonly used the audience of your page through the Paid advertising and boosting posts social networking sites settings, meaning that as a responsible Facebook is driven by data and Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin. retailer you are not allowing people under algorithms and they want businesses the age of 17 to see or like your page to pay for this powerful marketing (based on US content ratings). tool. If you post to your page without Less is more - a couple of posts per spending any money, it will turn up in the day allows for those posts to have more newsfeeds of only around five per cent of
40 the new eros journal your all your page’s likes. It’s good to first to click on the media to show it. This test content to see how much organic an opt-in feature based on a user’s Linkedin reach you can achieve. Posts that settings. Many adult performers and Overview perform well can then be boosted. businesses love Twitter for this as it offers an opportunity for direct engagement of This is like Facebook but for business. It is much easier to convert sales with adult content with followers. Individuals and businesses can create existing customers rather than with profiles, allowing connection between new customers. Facebook Custom Unlike other social media, Twitter allows colleagues and business to business. Audiences is one way to find and direct users to be anonymous and so there Colleagues can endorse your skills or your advertising to existing customers. is a higher incidence of spam, trolls provide written references for specific role You can upload your email lists or data and haters, especially where adult you have listed on your personal profile. on visitors to your website through media, adult entertainment or sex work Businesses can list job advertisements, Facebook’s secure business servers. is concerned. Watch out for the anti- post information about their business Facebook uses these emails to find sex feminists and we have seen some or projects or start discussions about your customers. You can then segment attacking Eros members with false and particular topics. Individuals can join this audience using demographics and misleading allegations. There is the ability groups and follow businesses. then target advertising that is relevant to to report users if they are impersonating that segment. More information can be or defaming your brand. You can mute Adult retail okay but not some forms of found at www.facebook.com/business/a/ users if they are annoying you or block adult entertainment custom-audiences them if they are really pissing you off (they There are no restrictions for adult retailers won’t be able to see your posts). Or you to have a business listing. This is one can simply choose to ignore. Twitter excellent feature of Linkedin - you can Time is money post job advertisements without worrying Overview about having the listing removed (as It is very easy to spend a lot of time has happened with with some of our You have 140 characters for you to on twitter, especially if you get into a members on other job listing websites). communicate from your ‘handle’ (ours discussion with another user that spans Linkedin do make a distinction between is @eros_assoc). All content is public a number of tweets. It is important for adult retail and some forms of adult and ‘tweets’ appear in live time to your businesses to consider whether the time entertainment, stating that “prostitution” ‘Twitter Feed’ from those you follow. You invested in Twitter is about generating (sex work) and “escorting” businesses can use #hashtags to group your tweet sales or building customer relationships. are not permitted to use their site. with other tweets on the same subject You can use third-party tools such as It is unclear if this includes adult manner. ‘Retweet’ to share content from HootSuite to manage and schedule entertainment venues such as a strip someone you follow with your followers, tweets - using this will maximise your club. reply to tweets and mention followers. reach in the least amount of time. Again Twitter: for adults this is great for delegating responsibility to one staff member or team. But if a Unlike many other social media business cannot measure outcomes, platforms, Twitter treats adults like then time and money might be better adults and does not censor content per spent on other social media platforms se. Twitter may issue warnings about that do generate sales or improve sensitive content that requires a person customer service.
41 Porn Panic! Don’t Under Estimate It.
My book Porn Panic!,which It’s no secret that authoritarians will And similarly, the grassroots backlash always target sexual libertines, nor was to be expected. What took me by was published in August by that authoritarian states consistently surprise was the nature of the backlash. attempt to suppress the sexual urge. In a country where religion has withered Zero Books, is an unusual This is a lesson that has been learned to a point of virtual irrelevance, a book, and has had strong repeatedly through history; every spike Christian campaign for decency would in sexual freedom has eventually been be simply laughed off. Instead, the anti- reviews - from those on both met with a conservative backlash. The sex fury came from my tribe, the political pattern is so marked, and so consistent, left. A conservative strand of feminism, sides of the porn debate. that it almost seems burned into our born in the USA in the 1980s, was at DNA. And of course, it is: sex is such a the core of the anti-sex reaction. Its first The book charts attacks on fundamental part of the human psyche victims were strippers in east London, that it plays a hidden role in most of our who fought back as feminists and trade pornography - in part from a behaviours. Sex is about far more than unionists attempted to put them out of personal perspective - and either reproduction or pleasure. It forms well-paid work and kill a niche culture. a vital role in our economic and social One of the strippers, who features in then takes a big step back life; it is probably the most valuable Porn Panic!, referred to herself as the commodity we as humans trade, and it “canary in the coalmine”. She understood to take a broad look at the was certainly the first. Sexual freedom like few others that a tsunami was offends, because it threatens so many building. state of our society today; vested interests. From strip clubs, the movement surged and concludes that we’re not So when, as a tech entrepreneur in the forward, attacking sexual expression in all mid-90s, I built some of the earliest forms, and then expanding to attack free in a good place, nor moving Internet porn sites, I was uniquely speech in general. It was a movement in a good direction. This is positioned to watch the backlash unfold. of the left that embodied all the worst Indeed, I fully expected the backlash, and attributes of the old conservative right: more than a book about watched with interest. After all, I live in it began to attack concepts of racial the UK, a country that has gone through and sexual equality that had been the pornography: it’s a book more contortions than almost any other outcome of the liberal revolutions of the to stop its citizens watching smut. 1960s. It was inherently anti-science, about fascism. Would our prudish authorities simply roll preferring to create new facts that suited over as the digital network swept away its ideology. This was a new fascism, and their carefully assembled powers of its ideas were entering the mainstream. censorship? Not a chance. Porn Panic!, by Jerry Barnett, is published by Zero Book, and available through all good book outlets.
42 the new eros journal 43 44 the new eros journal 45 The Most Explicit Book Ever Classified - Part 3
In this edition of the Eros Journal we continue with part three of our serialisation of a book by Eros consultant and writer, Robbie Swan. It was a catalogue of erotic art, craft and memorabilia that had been classified by the Australian Classification Board in 2014, amidst some controversy over the use of some usually banned images.
From Repression to Expression
>> Erotic art offers us a great guide to were tightly held. It is perhaps the first But Whitely also picks up on the changing sexual attitudes in society. truly pornographic piece of artwork by developing post-porn, tantric themes While this catalogue showcases a major Australian artist. Drawn in the that Osho’s taught and even Eckhart Australian erotic art from many different early 1980s, Whitely senses the coming Tolle’s mindfulness. This couple’s gaze eras and through many different genres X rated video revolution, Internet porn is inward and their eyes are closed. it’s sometimes hard for Generation and the whole ‘re-positioning’ of sex They’re totally absorbed in the moment. X and Y to grasp how prudish and in society. This is a couple that is into With Whitley’s eroticized Olgas selling old-fashioned Australia used to be. sex for the sheer pleasure it brings for a record $3.36 million in 2007, he Baby boomers are well aware of how them and they aren’t afraid to let it all may well have been a tantric master in repressed the 50s and the early 1960s hang out. Their position is the preferred his own right. were but those in their 80s and 90s will position of porn stars - her heels Signed 11/20. tell you that that was nothing to the around her ears and him plunging in lack of sexual freedom that artists had there, deep and rhythmical. It’s all there. in the early 1900s. The artworks on The big cock, the big hair and even the these pages show the two ends to that porno moustache! spectrum. The beautiful pair of early 1920s watercolours by Sydney chocolate box illustrator, Ozzie Brock are filled with sexual suggestion and innuendo but because of the tenor of the times, they are extremely subtle and repressed. The opened flowers, the shawl falling off the shoulder, the wistful downward glance, the comb and the strange hybrid fox/marsupial, all have their own hidden and suppressed meanings. When placed alongside Brett Whitley’s 1980s ‘The Lovers’, the contrast could not be greater. The Museum purchased this after much hunting around. Most of the 20 copies that Whitely made,
46 the new eros journal 2001- 2014
cataloguethe of national museum of erotica
Approved as suitable for adults to read by the Australian Classification Board. Classification # L13/0795.
RESTRICTED CATEGORY 1 R SONS UNDER 18 YEARS TO PER NOT AVAILABLE
MEDIA Blackmarket No fixed address... No known associates
1
Salvatore Zofrea
>> Zofrea is a bit of an enigma. He is one of sex as this painting above. The failure characters is rich and luscious. Has the best religious painters in Australia and to locate this piece in any of Zofrea’s Zofrea painted himself into it as the little has had some impressive commissions books or exhibitions is probably due to demon growler? And who is the young by big businesses over the years. the fact that reputable art galleries would woman at the receiving end? Despite However, a section from his work (mainly consider such artwork controversial or the mystery behind this painting, The from the 1960s and 70s) is highly erotic not to their ‘taste’. Besides, this painting Growl is one of the finest expressions of and full of sexual passion. This 120 x 90 was done in 1969- the year of the moon eroticism to surface in the late 1960s in canvas was purchased by the Museum landing and Norman Lindsay’s death, Australia. in the late 1990s and is probably Zofrea’s so young Zofrea was probably up to his most explicit work to have surfaced into eyeballs in the swingin’ sixties! the mainstream art community. He did But this painting (which we have called a number of mildly erotic pieces in this ‘The Growl’) is no ordinary painting. period including Girl Undressing and The Against two relatively unemotional faces, Old Madam but none were quite as bold Zofrea’s use of colour and texture to in their depiction of the physical act of convey the inner feelings of the two
47
Geographies of Pornography by Assoc. Prof. Paul J. Maginn, University of Western Australia
Here’s a question for you: What has geography got to do with ensure that costs are not prohibitive. pornography? Finally, there is a comparative advantage of the adult NO! It’s got nothing to do with the fact that geography and entertainment industry being based in LA due to the pornography rhyme with one another! agglomeration and spillover effects that stem from the mainstream entertainment industry being located in Hollywood. If you were thinking that a number of performers have a country, city or physical geographical feature within their As the porn industry flourished in Los Angeles during the 1970s name then you are getting hotter. Here’s a short list of some and 1980s it attracted hundreds, if not, thousands of women geographically-inspired performer names: Alexis Texas; Phoenix and men from around the US and the world. An analysis of the Marie, Savanna Samson, Asia profile of adult performers listed on Carrera, Houston, Aletta Ocean, the Internet Adult Film Database India Summer, Madison Ivy, Kylie (www.IADF.com) by John Millward Ireland, Bambi Woods, Pandora (2013)2 found that almost half Peaks and Christy Canyon. (48.3%) of performers (N=1,941) were from California. This was And who said geography was followed by Florida (11.1%), Texas boring! In fact, I wonder how (8.9%), New York (7.6%) and Ohio many adult performers have (4.7%). These five states alone majored in geography whilst at accounted for four out five US- University. based performers. To Pornlandia and beyond In terms of the nationality of porn As an academic geographer- performers (N=5,291), Millward planner, geography plays a vital found that almost 54% were from role in understanding the where, the US. The next most popular why and how of the production, countries of origin were: (i) Hungary distribution and consumption (13.3%); (ii) Czech (10.1%); (iii) UK of pornography. For example, (4.8); and (iv) Russia (4.6%). All most people will probably know up, these 5 countries accounted that Los Angeles, the ‘San for approximately 87% of all Pornando Valley’ to be more performers. precise, is the global epicentre of This geographical pattern of adult porn production; relatedly, San performers raises the question of Francisco is the home of queer why are so many performers from and, fetish porn production. Paul Maginn, AVN Expo, Las Vegas, 2015 these relatively few locations. Is it Whilst porn is produced in because they are sexually liberal Australia there is no ‘porn valley’ per se. Instead, the porn environments? Or, is it because they are sexually repressive industry and production is highly dispersed. This is largely societies and doing porn is a way of rebelling against so-called because, as Zahra Stardust, an Australian-based performer social norms? Did they get into the adult industry intentionally? and scholar, notes: ‘In most states in Australia, the production, Or, did they fall into the industry by accident? Or, are there some exhibition, advertising and sale of pornography is criminalised’1 other factors at play. The spatial concentration of the porn industry in LA/San There is a growing body of scholarly sociological (think Francisco did not just happen by accident. Rather, the Chauntelle Tibbals and Shira Tarrant), cultural (think Clarissa emergence of the San Pornando Valley is a result of a complex Smith and Mirielle Miller Young) and film studies (think Linda set of inter-related legal, economic and social processes. White) research on pornography. You may have noticed that these various scholars are all female. Despite all this research First, the right legal and regulatory frameworks need to be in there is an absence of systematic scholarly research on the place in order to ensure that commercially-produced adult social, cultural and economic geographies of pornography. films can be legally produced on a film set or on location; that production crew and performers are permitted to be on sets Adult Performers: A minority migrant Community? and take part in productions; and appropriate occupational Given the various geographical backgrounds of adult performers health and safety regulations are in place and adhered to. based in LA it is probably fair to view them as migrant sex Next, economic factors such as land costs and rents for workers. For those performers that work in LA, but live production and distribution facilities need to be right in order to elsewhere, in say California, interstate or even internationally,
1 http://www.nswp.org/sites/nswp.org/files/Performer-Centred%20Pornography%2C%20Stardust%20-%202016.pdf 2 http://jonmillward.com/blog/studies/deep-inside-a-study-of-10000-porn-stars/
50 the new eros journal they can be seen as DIDO (drive-in drive-out) or FIFO (fly-in fly- out) workers. There are clearly some porn-related puns to be derived from the terms DIDO and FIFO… but I’ll let you decide on what they might be. Furthermore, given the fact that only a small proportion of the population are employed in commercial porn, performers can be seen as a minority community. This minority status is compounded further by the social stigma that often surrounds performers and porn more broadly. As Mireille Miller-Young notes in the preface to Jiz Lee’s edited book, Coming Out Like a Porn Star3:
Coming out as a porn star has critical consequences for one’s relationships, one’s sense of self and integrity, an one’s livelihood and social mobility. Coming out means risking everything
There is something of a paradox, then, when one considers We know for example from studies of other minority migrant the ubiquity and mass consumption of porn in the 21st communities such as African Americans, Irish, Italians, Chinese, century. We seem to live in a world where it’s perfectly fine to Koreans, Jews and Muslims that such groups tend to initially watch porn – data from Pornhub (www.pornhub.com/insights) cluster in certain neighbourhoods. Such clustering provides an for example indicates that millions of people access their opportunity for intra-community support and helps sustain a websites on a daily basis. Furthermore, there has been what sense of identity. In short, and to use a sociological term, it’s all I call the pornification of suburbia. That is, many couples are about building social capital! exploring their ‘inner porn star’ if the volume of sales of fetish Furthermore, after migrant communities have established and kink-related products since the publication of 50 Shades themselves they have a tendency to move outwards and upwards of Grey, and the number of people who record sex acts on to newer and better housing and neighbourhoods. Conversely, their smartphones are any measure of things. when some minority communities move into an established Despite all this, there still appears to be a reluctance within area this may provoke negative attitudes, claims and reactions society and amongst policymakers to acknowledge that from pre-existing residents thereby stifling minorities chances of consensual commercial porn constitutes a real job or a realising their dreams and aspirations. professional career. Furthermore, there is a need to recognise Towards a Human(istic) Geography of Pornography that just because someone is in porn that porn does not completely define who and what they are as an individual. So, all of this has got me thinking over the last couple of years about whether some or all of the above applies to adult There is a need to look beyond the porn aesthetic as performers in some way: presented on the tube sites, DVDs and magazines and recognise that adult performers are essentially just ordinary Do adult performers live and concentrate in particular people from ordinary backgrounds. neighbourhoods – i.e. porno-burbs? As a minority migrant community that tends to live mainly in Do performers, especially those new to the industry and LA/San LA/California this raises a number of interesting geographical Francisco, live as room-mates with one another? and sociological questions about the migratory pathways, Do performers tend to date other performers thereby maintaining settlement and housing patterns and social networks within tight social networks? the adult performer community.
3 http://www.comingoutlikeapornstar.com/
51 Geographies of Pornography
Assoc. Prof. Paul J. Maginn is Programme Co-ordinator of the What type of social relations do performers have with their Masters of Urban and Regional neighbours, especially when/if their neighbours find out that they work in porn? Planning at the University When performers become successful and financially secure do of Western Australia. His they move house and suburb? co-edited book, (Sub)Urban What other career and study paths have performers taken prior Sexscapes (Routledge), won to, whilst in and after working in the adult industry? the Planning Institute of As a ‘sexademic’ with an interest in the geographies and Australia (National) Cutting regulation of the sex industry, exploring these questions and others about the who/what/when/where/why of the adult industry Edge Research and Teaching and porn performers can help challenge the stereotypical Award in 2016. perceptions that wider society tends to have about porn and those involved in it. I realise of course that developing such an evidence base is a major challenge. For a start, porn performers along with other types of sex workers have long been suspicious of researchers on account of how research has often been used against them, with, as Miller-Young notes, some researchers ‘misrepresenting Angela White, AVN Expo, Las Vegas, 2015 [performers] as dupes complicit in their own exploitation’. In short, I am interested in conducting what might be termed a humanistic geographical analysis of porn performers. In a sense, I want to turn Jiz Lee’s Coming out Like a Porn Star inside out - in a positive manner of course – and conduct a project tentatively called More than just a Porn Star: A Human(istic) Geography of Adult Performers.
This article is part of my ongoing efforts to advance this research idea, which I have discussed with a number of US- and Australian-based performers over the last year or so, to the next stage. In order to ensure that the research that I am trying to develop is robust it is vital that it is performer- and industry- informed. To that end, if you’re a performer, an agent, director or producer based in Australia or Los Angeles/San Francisco and interested in hearing more about what I am trying to do and, ultimately, assisting or partnering in some way I would very much like to hear from you.
You can find out more about me by visiting my university homepage: http://www.web.uwa.edu.au/people/paul.maginn. And, you can also find me on Twitter - @planographer.
I will be at SEXPO in Melbourne in late November 2017 so can meet up with any performers and adult industry representatives then. And, I am also planning on being at the AVN Expo in Las Vegas in January 2017 to work on a project with Prof Barb Brents (UNLV) and Prof. Crystal Jackson (John Jay College, NYC) looking at peoples’ attitudes and experiences of the AVN Expo and Las Vegas.
52 the new eros journal 53 INTRODUCES
TORI BLACK NICOLE ANISTON JENNA HAZE RILEY REID STOYA JESSE JANE ALEXIS TEXAS CHRISY MACK TORRID FIT OBSESSION UTOPIA DESTROYA GAUNTLET OUTLAW ATTACK
WWW.FLESHLIGHTDISTRIBUTION.COM / [email protected] / +617 3493 0172 54 the new eros journal 2016 Interactive Life Forms, LLC. All rights reserved. Fleshlight, Fleshlight Girls & all associated logos are designs or registered trademarks of Steven Shubin, used under license. INTRODUCES
TORI BLACK NICOLE ANISTON JENNA HAZE RILEY REID STOYA JESSE JANE ALEXIS TEXAS CHRISY MACK TORRID FIT OBSESSION UTOPIA DESTROYA GAUNTLET OUTLAW ATTACK
WWW.FLESHLIGHTDISTRIBUTION.COM / [email protected] / +617 3493 0172 2016 Interactive Life Forms, LLC. All rights reserved. Fleshlight, Fleshlight Girls & all associated logos are designs or registered trademarks of Steven Shubin, used under license. 55 Online Security by Nick Wallis
In late 2014, the Federal Government A number of academics have written The road to hell is paved passed a law that required Internet about the fall of violence in the 20th Service Providers (ISP) to collect all century, while attributing what some see with good intentions. metadata of their customers. as an apparent rise of violent atrocities The panopticon may have across the world as a perceptual error, We are living through one of the pivotal created by our fast-paced global media. changing points in history. When early once been an architectural The suggestion is that in prior centuries, humans first moved from a nomadic societies were far more violent and design, but with the advent lifestyle to an agricultural lifestyle, we inhumane to their population, but word of developed new ways of communicating of new technology, it is atrocities did not travel as quickly. There to manage the needs of an agricultural may be some truth to this but there is also now possible to monitor society. The same thing has happened a darker side. time and time again with the citizens more widely than development of new technologies. Philosopher John Gray counters these ever before, in even more academics, noting that many of the Economist and advisor to the European enlightenment ideas from which they have sophisticated ways. Union Jeremy Rifkin has written built their ideas had a darker side. extensively on these patterns of change. “John Locke denied America’s indigenous That brings us to the Australian government’s “The great pivotal economic changes peoples any legal claim to the country’s requirement that all ISPs collect everyone’s in world history have occurred when metadata. Metadata has been described “wild woods and uncultivated wastes”; new energy regimes converge with as similar to the writing on the outside of an Voltaire promoted the “pre-Adamite” new communication regimes. When envelope. But imagine that the envelope is also theory of human development according that convergence happens, society is GPS traced from writer to receiver. There are a to which Jews were remnants of an earlier restructured in wholly new ways… In the surprising number of things that can be learned and inferior humanoid species; Kant late nineteenth century and throughout by tracking metadata, without actually seeing maintained that Africans were innately the first two thirds of the twentieth the content that is being tracked. Who you inclined to the practice of slavery; the century, first generation electrical forms interact with, at what time, how regularly, where utilitarian Jeremy Bentham developed of communication—the telegraph, you go, where you live, where you work, where the project of an ideal penitentiary, the telephone, radio, television, electric you shop etc. Panopticon, where inmates would be kept typewriters, calculators, etc.—converged in solitary confinement under constant Surveillance of this scope and nature does with the introduction of oil and the surveillance… More generally, there is no have an effect on the way people interact. For internal combustion engine, becoming mention of the powerful illiberal current those who internalise the knowledge that they the communications command and in Enlightenment thinking, expressed in are being watched all the time, they may start control mechanism for organizing the Jacobins and the Bolsheviks, which to do things differently and act from a place and marketing the second industrial advocated and practised methodical of constant low-level paranoia. For those who revolution.” 1 violence as a means of improving society.” the idea seems more abstract to, they may be Each shift requires new methods of 2 unwittingly giving away information that could governance. The internet allows us be incriminating in the future. to structure that governance world in Regardless of whether or not you break any a more connected and dynamic way. law, recording information about what you’ve But it has also meant that those with been up to and making it available in the future, criminal and inhumane intent can use on the premise that maybe, someday you’ll do this technology to structure and carry out something wrong doesn’t seem very just. There much more sophisticated attacks. are ways for you to legally defend yourself.
1 ‘The Hydrogen Economy - The Third Industrial Revolution: Leading the Way to a Green Energy Era and a Hydrogen Economy’, Jeremy Rifkin,
56 the new eros journal VPN Turn OFF your mobile BACKUP A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is a way to device location tracker This is just general advice if you use any kind of encrypt your internet data by tunnelling it computer, including smart phones. You should There are many apps that use your through a secure server. If you’re serious about always ensure you backup your data, especially geolocation to track you and Google records using a VPN and encrypting your data online, your administrative and Point Of Sale machine everywhere you’ve been. You can even see it’s worth paying for one. It will still be recorded data. When you do back it up, don’t store it in it, if you want to be creeped out by your little that you visited a VPN, but everything else you the same building as the original. It might be fine pocket stalker. Go check out this website: do on the internet will be encrypted. There is if your equipment just reaches the end of its life, maps.google.com/locationhistory nothing wrong with using a VPN. but if something awful happens, such as a fire, a This is your location metadata. Turning off backup copy that isn’t far from the original could Some VPN providers you can lookup: IPVanish, your location tracking on your mobile device(s) perish too. There are many online services and ExpressVPN, Slick VPN, Ivacy or NordVPN. won’t stop this information being collected all out of the box products that make backing up together, but it certainly helps to make it a little your data very easy. harder to access.
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preferences flowed, he was unfortunately ACT Election pipped at the post by a few hundred The recent ACT election was a votes. It was an incredible effort and sets watershed moment for the Australian Sex the party up for a possible win in four Party in the national capital. years time. It was the first time that the party had run There were many positives to come a large campaign for a territory election from the ACT’s campaign. The party and the results didn’t disappoint. The scored enough of the vote in two of team ran in three of the five electorates. three electorates to gain a small amount of electoral funding in return – another they wanted me to write about what it Steven Bailey, our lead candidate in the first for the party. Congratulations should was like to make that transition and more electorate of Brindabella, took out the be given to Steven and his team of importantly to comment on how my highest percentage vote for any Sex candidates and volunteers who worked background influenced my politics. I’m Party candidate at any election. Together tirelessly spreading the Australian Sex not sure that I’ve done that but anyway, with running mate, Venus de Siren, they Party message across the territory. the book is out there in the bookshops if claimed an incredible 7.9% of the vote anyone wants to have a look. while the Greens could only manage Around the same time I was also asked 5.1%. In the electorate of Yerrabi, lead to contribute a chapter to a new book candidate Andrew Dewson took out Getting Published called Things My Mother Taught Me. 4% of the vote and in Murrumbidgee, My mum sadly passed away only a few Robbie Swan raked in a respectable At the beginning of the year I was asked years ago and so she never saw me 3.5% without even doing an interview or to contribute to a new University of take a seat in parliament but she knew placing an ad. Queensland Press book on women and feminist attitudes to sex and especially where I was headed and I think that she The Sex Party promoted a wide great sex. As a member of parliament still guides me in many ways. Writing a range of alternative policies that were who had come from the adult industry chapter in this book was quite exacting markedly different from the as it forced me to put down on majors. Liberal, Labor and the paper the many things that my Greens fought the election mother had done for me which based around the local issue had helped me in my career. of light rail. You were either You forget the influences that for light rail (Labor/Green) or your parents have on you until you were against it (Liberal). It you actually think about it and was cut and dried. So offering put it down on paper. Even the a completely different set of way you work with staff, front ideas seemed to attract voters the media and do your tax is who were sick of the one- often using the skills (or lack sided debate that was taking of!) that a parent bequeathed place. Bringing back fireworks, you. renovating the iconic Telstra tower, legalising cannabis, taxation of religious institutions and building a speedway in Canberra’s south, all captured the voter’s imaginations and sparked much debate. The long campaign time advantaged the party as well. Steven had been out and about as a candidate for nearly two years and this was a huge help. Voters clearly knew who he was and what he stood for and this was reflected in his vote. After
62 the new eros journal 63 Bodypolitics with Fiona Patten
And of course there was the Herald Sun It is simply unbelievable that institutions magazine cover story that billed me as Making Paedophile like the Catholic Church, failed to act the ‘rock star’ politician. A couple of on the abuse in the first place. Now it days later they billed me as a ‘dope’ Religious Institutions looks like they are being let off the hook for having a very small number of again when it comes to compensation shares (openly declared) in a medical Pay for survivors. The Federal Government marijuana company. They were trying should stop protecting the institutions The Federal Government is proposing to suggest that if I voted for medical that let the abuse happen by actually a ‘free pass’ for religious institutions marijuana in the parliament, there could implementing the Royal Commission’s who have sexually abused children be a conflict of interest. Apart from the recommendations. Recommendation via a national compensation scheme fact that members of parliament should 35(a) of the Redress and Civil Litigation for survivors funded by the taxpayer! and are able to own shares in public Report issued by the Royal Commission Mr Turnbull and the religious right companies, I’m proud of the fact that states: The institution in which the abuse extremists in his party need to re-read I’m choosing to back medical marijuana is alleged or accepted to have occurred the recommendations of the Royal rather than invest in the ANZ Bank or a should fund the cost of redress. Commission into Institutional Responses weapon’s manufacturer for my super. Its to Child Sexual Abuse. The Commission Recommendation 36 states: The called ethical investing and I encourage did not recommend an ‘opt-in’ scheme. Australian Government and state and everyone to do it! territory governments should provide ‘funder of last resort’ funding for the redress scheme or schemes so that the governments will meet any shortfall in funding for the scheme or schemes. Is it any wonder that the Catholic Church’s Truth, Justice and Healing Council applauded the Government’s announcement? It places no obligation on the Church to contribute. The Royal Commission also called on State and Territory Governments to introduce legislation reversing the onus of proof, so institutions are held liable for abuse unless they show they took reasonable steps to prevent it. The Australian Sex Party was the first party to call for a Royal Commission into child sex abuse in religious institutions. It’s time for abuse to be stamped out. Reversing the onus of proof to make institutions show that they are actively taking steps to prevent these horrendous crimes is the first step towards much needed transparency on how institutions actually deal with abuse.
64 the new eros journal The Federal Government should stop protecting the institutions that let the abuse happen by actually implementing the Royal Commission’s recommendations.
have made them deaf though, because when I pointed out that the 2,600 cannabis related arrests per year are a massive waste of taxpayer’s money, there was no response. The final vote was lost 6 votes for with 32 against, but that is only the beginning of the long march toward change. Fight against discrimination continues Discrimination has been a constant theme over the last few sitting weeks, starting with the Government’s bill to bring back the “inherent requirements” test so religious institutions have to explain why they want to discriminate. I pointed out that religious bodies shouldn’t have any exemptions in the Meeting Group Legalising Cannabis first place and called for them to be scrapped. Rather than just tweeting, There were lots of sparks but not much I also took action on the “boots off Captain Cate smoke when my motion to legalise campaign” seeking equality for the personal use of cannabis was debated women’s AFL teams. In my open letter McGregor in Parliament. Even though quite a few in to the Premier I highlighted the gross All my friends in the adult industry know the chamber would have at least inhaled inequality in conditions and pay, despite that I like a party and so when I got an at some point, my fellow parliamentarians the women’s teams forming part of invite to the opening of Lisa Wilkinson’s were heckling that cannabis is a the existing AFL teams and training recent photographic exhibition, Women “gateway drug”. All their heckling must alongside their male of Influence, I was there in a flash. After counterparts. a few champers I started to really look at the portraits on the walls and before I I’ve also tabled a motion could blink I came face to face with one in Parliament for the of those women - the out trans woman, Economic, Education, Cate McGregor. Jobs and Skills committee to inquire into I was always a fan from a distance but the discrimination faced having had a decent discussion with her by the Adult Industry, now, I realise what an incredible person calling for an investigation she is and what a fabulous role model for of legal changes all trans people she is. necessary to ensure In 2012, McGregor was appointed a no-one is discriminated Member of the Order of Australia for against because of their exceptional service to the armed forces. occupation or calling. I’ll In November 2013 she became the provide an update when highest-ranking transgendered person in the motion is due for the Australian Army. debate.
65 Eros Designer Snapped Up by Big Business
Well it had to happen sooner or later. You get someone with exceptional skills, pay them peanuts and before you know it, they get snapped up by a bigger fish!
Our long time magazine and website designer, Ilia Chidzey, has taken the bait and is moving on to bigger and better things. Ilia’s design has been part of Eros for nearly 20 years. She has helped to make us the professional and successful industry association that we are, by giving us a highly original and visual corporate identity that has been the envy of way more wealthy industry associations. Her trademark swirling curves and licks have stood out in sea of standardised corporate design and her palette has made the Eros trademark instantly recognisable – whether it be on the door of an adult shop or on a submission to a Senate Committee.
Ilia has also been a brilliant artist and illustrator in her own right and has done design and illustration for many Eros members over the years. A few years ago she started her own art and artist’s website called Visual Emporium (https://visualemporium. com.au). Last year her portrait of Eros consultant, Robbie Swan, was amongst the finalists for Australia’s premier satirical art competition, the Bald Archys (http://www.baldarchy.com.au).
All Eros members will wish her well in her new career which will see her managing other artists as well as creating top level corporate designs for a major Queensland company. And when you see her name up in lights in the future as the creative genius for this event or that campaign – you can proudly say she was once one of ours. Good luck Ilia!
The good news for Eros is that Ilia is being ably replaced by another old Eros stalwart in Rebecca Lanning. Bec worked in the Eros office as far back as the late 1990s and has also been a candidate for the Sex Party.. Bec completed a Bachelor of Graphic Design and has turned out some very impressive work since graduating. So… welcome back Rebecca!
66 the new eros journal 67 Drug Testing Kits By Nick Wallis Summer is nearly upon us and across that makes the person feel like their Australia, young and old will be skin is crawling. It’s much more difficult heading outdoors to chase the music to manage risks when you don’t know and experience Australia’s diverse what to expect. festival scene. Many of them will also A number of festivals have taken to choose to take an illicit drug at one of selling drug testing kits, known as the many festivals, despite warnings re-agent test kits. These relatively from authorities and potential criminal inexpensive vials come with a chemical convictions. that produces a variable colour No one deserves to die because of the reaction, depending on the drug. choices they make. Though there are One of the most popular commercial risks involved with drug use, they are products comes from EZ Test, though nowhere near the ‘Russian Roulette’ there are others available with a quick rhetoric often pulled out by authorities Google search. following an incident. Many of the These products are not stocked by risks of drugs are quite manageable. many retailers, usually relegated to This year, many festival-goers will face adult stores or head shops. There the added risk of potentially buying a is no legal grey area in selling these drug that they think is one thing and products. They are not illegal to sell at receiving something else. Imagine all. Stocking and promoting them may buying a glass of wine and ending up be a worthwhile endeavour for your with something that tastes similar, but business over the summer period. is fifty times the alcohol content. Or isn’t even alcohol, but is a substance
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68 the new eros journal 69 Around the traps
ABC Airs ‘Meet the Pornographers: Ethics, Virtual Reality and Cams’ ABC radio national’s Download This Show aired a very positive program on Australia’s adult film industry, in late October 2016. Online adult producer and director Michelle Flynn (Lightsouthern) and adult performer Lucie Bee talked about the push to make ethical adult entertainment. They also commented on how technology has been changed by erotic content and how porn is changing, with new digital innovations like virtual reality and more. The program followed hard on the heels of the first Eros Journal’s profile of Michelle Flynn who is now building quite an international profile for her film and production work.
Priceline Pharmacy Stocks Vibrators
Priceline Pharmacy, a branch of the such as Honey Birdette to sell vibrators popular health and beauty chain, as part of their standard leases, without Priceline, has started stocking the having to go through the planning and Swedish brand of adult products - Smile development requirements adult retail Makers. The move is reminiscent of a stores endure. If Club X, Sexyland Woolworths initiative only a couple of or Adultshop tries to lease space in a years ago when the supermarket giant shopping centre to sell similar products, started stocking Ansell’s vibrating bullet. they have traditionally been denied. Woolworths withdrew the vibrators after only a couple of weeks in the face of Priceline are not pretending that their what appeared to be a Christian group new line is some sort of novelty or toy or inspired backlash. Little did they know that they are not adults only products. that Eros had also registered complaints They are stocking them on higher shelves on behalf of a few of its members and a away from children and in order to see few media outlets quoted Sex Party MP, the listings on the Priceline website Fiona Patten, as saying that the move you have to go through an age check. created issues around unfair trading. Interestingly, in some states like NSW, Priceline will actually be breaking the The Priceline move will also cause plenty law by selling these vibrators from an of adult shop owners around the country unrestricted premises. to see this as unfair and anti-competitive. This is comparable to Westfield and other retail corporations allowing lingerie stores
70 the new eros journal 71 Around the traps
National Video Rental Association Closes Down The Australian Video Rental Retailers adult internet sites on family computers if needed. “Like vinyl became retro again Association (AVRRA) has announced because they leave a trail that innocent and sort of bounced back,” he said. The that it is shutting up shop. It’s a sign that young eyes can easily pick up on and ABC reported that in 2001 there were even the large DVD distributors have now so it’s safer to go down to the local adult about 2,600 video stores nationally; acknowledged that the internet has won shop and pick up a DVD. There are also today there are about 750 according to the movie wars. an increasing number of people reporting AVRRA’s executive director Ross Walden. viruses from porn sites, which is another He blames the internet and piracy as Adult retailers have been feeling the shift reason to choose a DVD. the “worst enemy” of video stores, from DVD to internet viewing for many compounded by the lack of government years now and indeed some adult shops The AVRRA wound up its association assistance. He said at the peak of his do not even stock media anymore. on October 31.The not-for profit business, back in 2008, on a Friday or However, as Eros Board member, membership body represented video Saturday night 600 to 700 DVDs would Michael McGregor has pointed out, X18+ stores across the country. Board director be rented out. “It’s less than half now, DVDs will still make up a profitable line Scott Dew, said that it signaled an end to so maybe 280 to 300 [and] that’s a (up to 20% of turnover) for many older the careers of many of his members but combination of weekly, three-day hire, consumers for quite a few years to come. even through the association had folded, TV series and new releases”. Many parents, he argues, do not want he said it would come back
Seller’s and Buyer’s Rights Lawstuff.org.au is an Australian website that defines and deconstructs many complicated legal issues including the rights of people who are buying goods and the rights of those who are selling. http://www.lawstuff.org.au/nsw_law/ topics/shopping-laws Here’s an example of the straightforward way they explain laws:
I’ve bought something but I’ve changed my mind – can I return it and get a refund? Clitoris Crop Circle Appears in No, you can’t get a refund just because you’ve changed your mind. However, France some bigger stores may still give you a It sounds a bit like a riddle. What’s 400 “The clitoris still has no visibility in biology refund or gift card if you ask nicely, but feet long, French, and guaranteed to textbooks,” Lanuit said to the Midi-Libre they don’t have to. make a woman smile? The answer newspaper. “Either it’s absent or it is You also can’t get a refund just because: is this representation of a clitoris that included but with no mention that it is the • you bought the goods for someone materialized in a field in the village of organ of female pleasure,” Montferrier-sur-Lez in the department of else who does not want them anymore; Ms Lanuit said,“Female pleasure is taboo Hérault near the Mediterranean Sea. • you found out you could get it cheaper in the medical world. Only the vaginal from somewhere else; The image is the handiwork of two pleasure is taught where the clitoris plays sexologists named Marie-Noelle Lanuit a secondary role, with arguments that are • you knew about the problems at the and Jean-Claude Piquard, and a protest often incompatible with anatomical data. time of purchase but bought it anyway; against the taboos that prevent the It is sometimes named, but it is never or depiction of lady parts in public places, drawn in textbooks in the complete form. • you damage the product by using it especially in textbooks, which, according In books it is usually presented as a small in a different way from how it should be to the two professors, become curiously bean.” used. euphemistic when female sexuality is the topic.
72 the new eros journal Around the traps
Jim Hamill with the first commercially produced prototype vibrator ever made in 19th century hand cranked Vee Dee vibrator used to cure Australia. The Museum of Erotica still holds this fascinating piece of equipment and ‘Hysteria’. Article held by the Museum of Erotica. the incredible story of how he manufactured and sold them in Sydney during the mid 1960s.
ABC Runs History of the Vibrator The ABC has aired a very informative and patients of their symptoms. Various In the 1920s, thanks to the emerging non-judgmental radio program on the gadgets were invented to deal with adult film industry, it became clear that history of the vibrator. The program was the problem, including a steam-driven the personal massager was only being called The history of the vibrator: From vibrating device called the Manipulator, used in one way. Advertising ceased, steam power to the Magic Wand and created in 1869, which had a vibrating shame followed and lips were sealed. it aired on Radio National’s Blueprint ball set within a tabletop. That is, until the women’s movement for Living, in late October. The listening in the 1970s called for women to take It was the British — ever inventive, audience, after repeats and podcasting, matters into their own hands again. mindful of time management and, would probably be in the vicinity of a at that time, fearful of matters below Hitachi came up with the battery-driven quarter of a million. the belt — who finally came up with Magic Wand, a bestseller, and since The program went on to say: a simple machine in 1883. Dr Joseph then sales (and use) of vibrators has Mortimer Granville’s invention, which become commonplace and acceptable, ‘The idea that the womb is the seat of had a vibrating part attached by wires if still somewhat shyly. In 2009, a study irrational and emotional behaviour in to a generator, was soon popularised. showed that 53 per cent of American women has seemed perfectly logical to Many doctors saw how successful women and 45 per cent of American men throughout history. (and indeed popular) it was in relieving men had used a vibrator. The word In 1801 the condition was finally labeled the tensions of patients. By 1902 there “hysteria” now has more comical hysteria, from the Greek word for the were electrical versions that could be connotations, which must imply that womb. The treatment of this disorder used in the privacy of the home, which people get a buzz out of different things was carried out by doctors who used were also a great commercial success. these days’. pelvic massage to bring the patient to These personal massagers were widely Programs like this send mainstream what was called a “hysteric paroxysm”, advertised, with one American catalogue audiences into adult shops looking for relieving the patient of that troublesome labelling the product a “delightful pleasure products and normalise seeking tension. companion” that would enable “all the out such products. pleasure of youth ... to throb within you”. Horse-riding was an alternative, and The devices promised to deal with all in the 1860s, the French advocated kinds of complaints, from headaches and directing a powerful stream of water flatulence to hair loss and gout, but they to the area. But hysteria continued to were especially good at bringing about spread and doctors complained of the relief of tension. spending too much time relieving their
73 Product Reviews
Cyndi Darnell is one of Australia’s leading, trusted well- being therapists and relationships educators. She is also a speaker and media spokesperson on modern relationships, well-being and sexuality, specialising in helping people develop the transformational life skills they need to create a satisfying life and meaningful connections from the boardroom to the bedroom. Follow her on Facebook @thecyndidarnell, Twitter @cyndi_darnell or subscribe to her newsletter www.cyndidarnell.com
The Satisfyer Pro 2 Let it be said, I am not much of a fan of gentler option. But don’t let this fool it overseas; unlike the plug in wands adult toys - in general! you. The Satisfyer Pro 2 yields extremely which are much larger, bulkier, heavier powerful results time after time. and require converters and adapters to I know. Astounding! Especially for a sex function. Careful though not to store it therapist who liaises with the adult retail The SP2 is based on the same near magnetic credit cards or your phone industry – to be poo-pooing adult toys is technology as the Womaniser but I am due to the powerful magnetic receptors. just ridiculous! So when I have something told the SP2 is significantly superior good to say about a toy, you know that I while coming in at a cheaper price point Available only in metallic rose gold (at this am SERIOUSLY impressed. for the consumer. I have never tried a stage…are they making a wider range?) Womaniser and quite frankly I don’t see it’s an inoffensive colour to suit all clit But here is the thing, it’s not that I think why I would now that I have discovered owners. It’s ideal for solo use with easy sex toys are rubbish, I do not. It’s just the Satisfyer Pro 2. While a different to manage controls that you can feel that a lot of sex toys simply do not offer shape to the Womaniser, the SP2 nozzle without having to look down or change much in the way of innovation, variety nor fits over the glans of the clitoris and offers positions to adjust the speed. And it do they deliver what they are supposed a sucking and pulsating sensation that surprisingly delivers incredible sensations to; endless waves of self-stimulated (or is unlike anything a standard vibrator on the lower speeds as well as the higher partner-stimulated) pleasure. For this offers. It is advised you use the toy with ones. Another feature is it can be used reason I have always been a fan of the lubricant which creates a seal around the easily during partnered activities such as magic wand style vibrators. Powerful, nozzle to intensify the sensation. Even on penis-in-vagina intercourse or fingering, reliable and guaranteed to please even the lower speeds, this product delivers or with other toys that stimulate the the most inexperienced or anxious. That EVERY.SINGLE.TIME. vagina, anus and g spot as well. It’s small is, until I became acquainted with The enough to not get in the way of another Satisfyer Pro 2! A game-changer in the And as an added bonus the SP2 is body and big enough for you to not lose sex toy field ! completely waterproof and works even grip of. more powerfully when used underwater! The Satisfyer Pro 2 boasts an entirely Can it get any better? Overall, this product is the single different sensation all together, and best new toy I have tried this century. for some this may take a little getting Yes! Never since the wand have I been used to. Unlike the magic wand style This little beauty is made of a light-weight this impressed. I have a new favourite vibes which vibrate and pound you hard, non-porous washable plastic that companion… and I haven’t used my into exquisite orgasm (the downside is fits easily into a handbag or toiletries bag, wand in months! they can create a numbing effect which while the suction nozzle is made of a means it’s curtains for your orgasm if it The Satisfyer Pro 2 is available at removable and washable softer silicone. hasn’t arrived before you numb out), the Windsor Wholesale Australia It’s USB chargeable with a magnetic SP2 creates a pulsating and sucking www.windsorwholesale.com.au charger so there are no issues using sensation which is localised and a much
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