Babeland has teamed up with the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, the Center for Sex and Culture and journalist Miriam Axel-Lute to launch the
Sexies - sex positive journalism awards. There's a lot of bad journalism out there. From spineless journalists who refuse to call public officials on their bullshit, to outright myth production and management. I'm tired of reading articles that offend me and I'm sure you are too. Sometimes, the best way to change things is to thank those who are doing things right.The
awards will be given in four categories: News, Feature, Opinion and "unsexy" and there are categories for dailies, weeklies and biweeklies and online newspapers. Submissions can be entered until March 23, 2008 and must have been published in 2007. Readers and writers can submit so if you read something that you think is amazing for its sex-positivity,
submit it! But, make sure it follows these
criteria.The best articles will be judged by an amazing
panel of experts:Dan Savage: Author of the best sex advice column out there:
Savage LoveCarol Queen: Writer, educator and all around GoddessClaire Cavanah: Co-founder of BabelandJack Hefferkamp: Journalism professor and editor of
LIBIDO: the Journal of Sex and SensibilityLisa Featherstone: Author of
Sex, Lies and Women's MagazinesJudith Levine: Journalist and author of
Harmful to Minors - an amazing book about censorshipDoug Henwood: Contributing Editor to the
NationMarty Klein: Sex therapist and author of
America's War on SexHere's what some of the creators of the Sexies have to say about them.
"For the past decade, the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom has dealt with media reports that include sensationalized and false information about sexual issues," says Susan Wright, NCSF spokesperson. "These articles cause harm by encouraging discrimination and persecution of adults who engage in consensual sexual expression. NCSF is proud to support the Sexies and sex-positive journalism in America.""All but the most confident and self-assured among us are affected by the messages we receive about sex," says Claire Cavanah, co-founder of Babeland.com, a founding sponsor of the Sexies. "It's freeing to read an article that assumes that most people want a pleasurable, vibrant sex life. Sex-positive media creates space for readers to think about sex in a way that goes against some of the damaging messages that our culture perpetuates."
