Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power and A World Without Rape (46 page)
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Authors: Friedman,Jaclyn Friedman,Jessica Valenti
BOOK: Yes Means Yes: Visions of Female Sexual Power and A World Without Rape
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LEE JACOBS RIGGS
lives in Chicago, where she talks a lot about sex. She’s hoping for an end to sexual violence, the prison-industrial complex, and Chicago winters.
lives in Chicago, where she talks a lot about sex. She’s hoping for an end to sexual violence, the prison-industrial complex, and Chicago winters.
SAUNDRA
is an African American sex worker who entered the world of adult entertainment at the age of nineteen as a nude model. Having worked in the hospitality industry as a concierge and travel guide, she soon became interested in the realm of paid companionship. Sandra is a linguist with an excellent memory, an eye for detail, and a warm, adventurous spirit—which she attributes to her success in the business of adult companionship.
is an African American sex worker who entered the world of adult entertainment at the age of nineteen as a nude model. Having worked in the hospitality industry as a concierge and travel guide, she soon became interested in the realm of paid companionship. Sandra is a linguist with an excellent memory, an eye for detail, and a warm, adventurous spirit—which she attributes to her success in the business of adult companionship.
JULIA SERANO
is an Oakland, California-based writer, spoken-word artist, trans activist, and biologist. She is the author of
Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity
(Seal Press, 2007), a collection of personal essays that reveal how misogyny frames popular assumptions about femininity and shapes many of the myths and misconceptions people have about transsexual women. Julia’s other writings have appeared in anthologies (including
BITCHfest: Ten Years of Cultural Criticism from the Pages of
Bitch
Magazine
and
Word Warriors: 30 Leaders in the Women’s Spoken Word Movement
), and in feminist, pop culture, and literary magazines (such as
Bitch, Out, Clamor, Kitchen Sink, make/shift, other, LiP,
and
Transgender Tapestry
), and have been used as teaching materials in college-level gender studies courses across the United States. For more information about all of her creative endeavors, check out
www.juliaserano.com
.
is an Oakland, California-based writer, spoken-word artist, trans activist, and biologist. She is the author of
Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity
(Seal Press, 2007), a collection of personal essays that reveal how misogyny frames popular assumptions about femininity and shapes many of the myths and misconceptions people have about transsexual women. Julia’s other writings have appeared in anthologies (including
BITCHfest: Ten Years of Cultural Criticism from the Pages of
Bitch
Magazine
and
Word Warriors: 30 Leaders in the Women’s Spoken Word Movement
), and in feminist, pop culture, and literary magazines (such as
Bitch, Out, Clamor, Kitchen Sink, make/shift, other, LiP,
and
Transgender Tapestry
), and have been used as teaching materials in college-level gender studies courses across the United States. For more information about all of her creative endeavors, check out
www.juliaserano.com
.
KIMBERLY SPRINGER
, a black American expat feminist, has said yes to casual-encounter sex many times via Craigslist. She writes and teaches on race, gender, and sexuality in media, cultural representations, and social movements. Her current projects include an analysis of black female sexuality and censorship; an anthology, coedited with Dr. Angela Cotten, on Oprah Winfrey; and a social history of Norman Lear’s socially responsible television productions. Kimberly’s columns on race and sexuality have appeared in the online journal Sexing the Political. She has written about technology for PopMatters and Shiny Shiny: A Girl’s Guide to Gadgets, but is currently weaning herself off gadget news. With a doctorate in women’s studies, Kimberly teaches American studies at Kings College London.
, a black American expat feminist, has said yes to casual-encounter sex many times via Craigslist. She writes and teaches on race, gender, and sexuality in media, cultural representations, and social movements. Her current projects include an analysis of black female sexuality and censorship; an anthology, coedited with Dr. Angela Cotten, on Oprah Winfrey; and a social history of Norman Lear’s socially responsible television productions. Kimberly’s columns on race and sexuality have appeared in the online journal Sexing the Political. She has written about technology for PopMatters and Shiny Shiny: A Girl’s Guide to Gadgets, but is currently weaning herself off gadget news. With a doctorate in women’s studies, Kimberly teaches American studies at Kings College London.
CEDAR
/
HAZEL TROOST
is a trans and polyamorous femme living in Chicago, practicing explicit verbal consent, and passionate about ending trans misogyny. Ze is a former member of the University of Minnesota Transgender Commission, the co-organizer of the 2007 Twin Cities Trans March, and the original author of the Cisgender Privilege Checklist, currently residing at
T-Vox.org
—but hir real love is gardening.
/
HAZEL TROOST
is a trans and polyamorous femme living in Chicago, practicing explicit verbal consent, and passionate about ending trans misogyny. Ze is a former member of the University of Minnesota Transgender Commission, the co-organizer of the 2007 Twin Cities Trans March, and the original author of the Cisgender Privilege Checklist, currently residing at
T-Vox.org
—but hir real love is gardening.
CRISTINA MEZTLI TZINTZÚN
lives in Austin, Texas. She is a staff member of Workers Defense Project/Proyecto Defensa Laboral (PDL), an organization that works to achieve racial and economic justice for Latina/o immigrant workers. Her work has appeared in
Colonize This! Young Women of Color on Today’s Feminism
and
The Women’s Movement Today: An Encyclopedia of Third Wave Feminism.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, running, and riding her bike.
lives in Austin, Texas. She is a staff member of Workers Defense Project/Proyecto Defensa Laboral (PDL), an organization that works to achieve racial and economic justice for Latina/o immigrant workers. Her work has appeared in
Colonize This! Young Women of Color on Today’s Feminism
and
The Women’s Movement Today: An Encyclopedia of Third Wave Feminism.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, running, and riding her bike.
JESSICA VALENTI
is the founder of
Feministing.com
and the author of
Full Frontal Feminism: A Young Woman’s Guide to Why Feminism Matters
and
He’s a Stud, She’s a Slut . . . and 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know.
Her writing has appeared in
The Nation, Ms.,
the
Guardian
(U.K.), and
Bitch,
and on
Salon.com
. In 2007, she received a Choice USA Generation award for her commitment to reproductive rights issues and was named one of
ELLE
magazine’s IntELLEgentsia. She lives in Queens with her cat, boyfriend, and dog (acquired in that order).
is the founder of
Feministing.com
and the author of
Full Frontal Feminism: A Young Woman’s Guide to Why Feminism Matters
and
He’s a Stud, She’s a Slut . . . and 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know.
Her writing has appeared in
The Nation, Ms.,
the
Guardian
(U.K.), and
Bitch,
and on
Salon.com
. In 2007, she received a Choice USA Generation award for her commitment to reproductive rights issues and was named one of
ELLE
magazine’s IntELLEgentsia. She lives in Queens with her cat, boyfriend, and dog (acquired in that order).
ACKNOLEDGMENTS
GREAT THANKS go to Krista Lyons and Brooke Warner of Seal Press and to our agent, Tracy Brown, for their ferocious belief in this project. Thanks to Rita Henley-Jensen, of Women’s eNews, for being both argumentative and open-minded, and for challenging Jaclyn to put her pen where her mouth is. Endless gratitude to the many, many writers and activists who wrote for this collection, whether or not their work is included here—their talent and passion give us great hope for change. We’d also like to thank everyone who participates in the feminist blogosphere for helping to hash out many of the ideas represented here, especially those who took the time to critique our initial call for submissions, including Tekanji, Sylvia, Sudy, Fire fly, and many others.
JACLYN thanks Lisa Jervis and KL Pereira for their unwavering friendship and generous guidance while she figured out how to be an editor, the Center for New Words for being the most fertile and supportive workplace a writer could hope for, and Keith McNamara for putting up with her total abandonment of the housecleaning. And, of course, thanks to Roy MacKenzie. She could have done this without you, but she’s grateful every day that she didn’t have to.
JESSICA is incredibly grateful for the love and support of her family—especially her sister, Vanessa, who is downright amazing. Tremendous thanks also go to Andrew Golis, whose patience and love in difficult times have made all the difference.
INDEX
abortion
abstinence initiatives
see also
sex education
see also
sex education
Abu Gharib scandal
adolescent boys
Advocates for Youth
aggressive sexuality
alcohol use
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
Antioch College sexual conduct code
anti-rape activism
counseling services
gray rape
self-defense strategies
sex education
sexual stereotypes
apologist arguments
Ashcroft, John
Asian Pacific Islander women
assholes/nice guys double bind
assumptive touch
Augustine, Saint, Bishop of Hippo
Babes in Toyland
BDSM acts
Begg, Moazzam
Berry, Halle
Birth of a Nation
(1915)
(1915)
Black Sexual Politics
(Collins)
(Collins)
black women
see also
women of color
see also
women of color
B, Mya
body sovereignty
bondage/discipline/domination/ submission/sadism/masochism
see
BDSM acts
see
BDSM acts
Boykin, Keith
Brawley, Tawana
Brown, Foxy
Califia, Patrick
California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CCASA)
censorship
chastity movement
The Clansman
(Dixon)
(Dixon)
class distinctions
clitoris
coercion
see
commodity model of sex; consent; interrogation strategies
see
commodity model of sex; consent; interrogation strategies
Cohen, Cathy
Collins, Patricia Hill
commodity model of sex
immigrant women
limitations
milk-cow analogy
Nice GuyÔ model
pickup artists
right-wing groups
sex workers
women of color
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI)
Confessions of a Video Vixen
(Steffans)
(Steffans)
consent
enthusiastic consent
explicit verbal consent
gray rape
military interrogation strategies
performance model of sex
proactive behaviors
sex education
sex-negative/sex positive culture
sexual initiation
sexual stereotypes
submissive sex
women of color
see also
commodity model of sex
commodity model of sex
conservative values
gender equality
predator/prey mindset
rape-culture enablement
slut/commodity model
virgin/whore myth
contraception
female bodily autonomy
reproductive freedom
sex education
Coontz, Stephanie
Cosmopolitan
coverture laws
Cox, Renee
coyotes
criminal justice system
culture of rape
explicit verbal consent
not-rape experiences
overweight women
predator/prey mindset
right-wing groups
sex-negative/sex positive culture
sexual purity
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