Sex in the Public Square

This year my partner and I both missed our anniversary. A week after it had passed, as we were talking on the phone while I was in my mother's hospital room, he said to me: Do you realize our anniversary was a week ago? I had not. And in a similar way I almost missed the second birthday of SexInThePublicSquare.org. Yesterday on Twitter CatalinaLoves said to me "So I read on the @NYCSexBlogCal that SITPS turns 2 tomorrow? RU Celebrating in some way?" I had specifically put the birthday on the calendar so that I would not forget it. And what happened? I forgot it!

It is hard to believe that it's been two years since Chris Hall and I launched this site. In that time we've welcomed new regular contributors (Lou FCD, Michael Goodyear, Caroline) and have been honored by the contributions of guests (Lorraine K, M. P. Clark, Lolita, LisaVNYC, Rebecca Deos). We held a very productive forum on sex work, trafficking and human rights, and we've created a space for the stories of outed sex workers who want to speak out.

Click here to read more about our past two years and get a glimpse into the future!

Audio Smut is a very cool radio show produced by a feminist collective in Montreal. It is part of a weekly radio series called Hersay and is broadcast on CKUT, from McGill University. Tonight I was interviewed by Seska Lee, one of the Audio Smut collective, about Sex in the Public Square and about the forum we had last week.

Click here to download the show. [http://secure.ckut.ca/64/mp3.20080305.18.00-19.00.m3u]

If you like what they're up to you can see their archives here and can subscribe to their podcast too.

Meanwhile, I'm taking off on tomorrow for SXSW Interactive and won't be back until Monday. It's my first SXSW, so if you have any advice leave it in the comments! If I get a chance to do some blogging while I'm in Austin, I will. I'm really looking forward to two sex-related sessions in particular:

These photos are just a sampling from Viviane's Flickr set. Thanks Viviane!

Me, with co-founder Chris Hall and Rachel Kramer Bussel

Audacia Ray, Lux Nightmare and Rachel Kramer Bussel

I'm sleepy and exhiliarated after our "coming out party" last night. It was really amazing to meet so many friends of Sex in the Public Square face-to-face, in one place and at one time! Your enthusiasm for this project was palpable, and I can't wait to see where that energy takes us.

Slowly throughout the day today and tomorrow we'll be getting pictures together, so if you took any you want to share send them along to me at elizabeth at sexinthepublicsquare dot org or drop me a link to your Flickr page or just let me know where to find your shots.

Here are just a few to get you started. They're of our fabulous speakers, who I really can't thank enough for honoring our project by sharing their work. You really did demonstrate all the different kinds of things we want this site to accomplish!

Lux Nightmare's exploration of the pink ghetto...

I'm headed north and west for 6 days. I'm going to a land where marriage is legal for couples regardless of gender or sexual orientation, and where the national anthem starts with a great big O.

I'm going to Alberta and British Columbia.

I'm going to see family. I'm going to see wilderness. I'm going to see glaciers (before there are no more). I'm going to spend lots of time driving through mountains in a rental car with my partner and I'm going to face the fact that my sabbatical is just about over.

And when I come back we're having a party, to which you are all invited. It's our Sex in the Public Square coming out party. Join us!

While I'm gone, here are some things to read, ponder, get excited about or get outraged about.