Yes, to our eternal surprise, my business partner, Dee, and I went from working in typical mundane business jobs and being over-protective moms (I wasn’t a soccer mom, but extend that to ice-skating and gymnastics and I fit right in) to founding a conference, MOMENTUM, that this year features, among other sexuality luminaries, Dr. Joycelyn freaking Elders, former Surgeon General of the US of A, is one third of a stellar closing plenary. The other two thirds are no less brilliant lights in their fields, journalist Lara Riscol and therapist and best selling author Esther Perel.
How did we get here? Blogging. That’s who we blame. As sex bloggers, in late 2008 we decided to do a 2009 calendar. And out of the chaotic and crazy last minute whirlwind, the NYC SexBlogger Calendar was born. We loved the sense of community it fostered and we donated the profits to Audacia Ray’s Sex Work Awareness project, now the Red Umbrella Project. We did a calendar up until 2011 and then decided to take on a more, ahem, much more ambitious project. This conference. We still shake our heads and pinch ourselves hard - okay maybe that’s just me and yeah, I like that - when we look at what an amazing space we’ve created.
It started innocently enough - isn’t that always the way? With equal parts naivety, passion and commitment, we forged ahead hoping that the kind of conference we wanted to go to, one where there was intelligent talk about all areas of sexuality, would resonate with others. If not, we figured at least our friends would show up. And they did and so did 250 other people! At our 2011 conference we found ourselves blessed with an opening keynote featuring author and Fox News sex columnist Jenny Block, sex educator Reid Mihalko, the legendary (and lovely) Dr.Carol Queen, feminist pornographer Tristan Taormino and UNLV professor Dr. Lynn Comella. We were utterly blown away when Susie freaking Bright contacted us and sat on our closing plenary along with Tristan.
Not only that but our presenters list was a veritable who’s who in the world of sexuality, the heavy hitters. At the same time, we feel that having letters after your name isn’t the only qualifier for someone to be able to convey great sexual information. And so we include writers, bloggers, educators and kink enthusiasts in our roster.
As much believers in feminism as we are in pleasure-centric sexuality, we wanted to develop a conference where sex workers are welcome and pornography can be discussed intelligently. And from commentary we’ve seen around the web as well as from comments made to us personally, we’re thrilled to say we’ve succeeded in that too. This comment, by Mistress Kalliope, actually made me cry, “I hear that this is one of the best conferences around. Dr. Carol Queen will be a key note speaker. The rest of their panelists and teachers look to be some very heavy hitters in the industry...From what I understand it's a very informative and rather emotionally moving time. I think it will feel really good to stand with other providers and practitioners in solidarity and educational opportunities. Just think - one day being an Adult Erotic Service Provider (AESPs) will have it's own booth at Career Fairs.”
So what can you expect if you choose to attend this year’s MOMENTUM? Well, in between viewing the cherry blossoms that will be blooming in DC, there are sessions on sex and spirituality, body image and sex online, using pleasure to help build strong relationships, monogamy and infidelity, sex and disability, senior sex, sex and the media, staying true to yourself, sex work and social justice, sex and cybercrime, consent, sexual abuse, pornography and so much more. With 40 sessions in addition to our opening and closing panels and entertainment in between, MOMENTUM 2012 promises to be a weekend filled with education and fun, seeing old friends and meeting new ones, bonding, fostering a sense of community, and gaining a sense of invigoration to see you through the coming months.
MOMENTUM really is unlike any other con you've been to. As if all that isn't enough, our opening plenary is preceded by a build your own ice cream sundae bar, because, like most moms, we like to feed people. Before we start to talk seriously about sex, we break the ice, and set the tone of the weekend to come, with the most amazing comic and sex educator you're likely to meet, the fabulous Maria Falzone. You'll eat sweet frozen dairy covered in hot fudge and whipped cream and a cherry on top, you'll laugh your ass off and you'll learn all about current issues in sexuality.
It still amazes me what two harried moms can create when they work with a “build it and they will come” philosophy combined with passion and determination (and endless bugging of friends and associates). We dared to dream and we dared to build it and they came, and we hope after reading this, you’ll come too.
No comments:
Post a Comment