Sex Positive Chicagoans: Clarisse Thorn 05/06/2011
Name: Clarisse Thorn
Age: 26
Neighborhood: Hyde Park
How do you promote sex positivity in Chicago?
Well, I'm a writer and I've published a number of sexuality-related articles online. My main blog is at clarissethorn.com, plus I have a sex and gender link blog with Time Out Chicago.
I've got a few Chicago-local activities, though .... My big thing is that I co-created the Sex+++ Sex-Positive Documentary Film Series at Jane Addams Hull-House Museum. Every second Tuesday of the month, we show a documentary about sexuality and host a discussion afterwards. It's free, and there are snacks... everyone should totally attend. We've shown films about everything from BDSM, to gay parenting, to butch lesbians of color, to sex worker activist organizing ... seriously, just attend. The next Sex+++ film night is May 10 and it's going to be totally awesome. Here's the Facebook event.
Hmm, what else? I'm into BDSM, so I'm around local BDSM events sometimes, too. I also volunteer at your friendly neighborhood BDSM museum, The Leather Archives & Museum-- right now they have me in charge of a really interesting project for which I'm collecting interviews with people who practice BDSM, but don't identify as part of the BDSM community.
Lately I've been really excited to hear about the development of a new Chicago coalition called Sexuality Health Education to End Rape (SHEER). I'm a certified rape crisis counselor, and sexual assault is obviously an incredibly important issue -- but I really want to encourage people to focus on the positives of sex, not just the ways it can be used negatively. SHEER is trying to build a holistic approach, one that recognizes and works against the horror of rape while valuing and promoting all forms of consensual sexuality.
Last but not least, I've been known to give lectures and workshops on a few different sex-positive topics.
What sort of changes would you like to see in Chicago in regards to sex positivity?
The entire city should show up to the Sex+++ film series ... the museum will collapse under everyone's weight, or possibly there will be a riot.
More seriously, I'd love to see more cross-pollination and solidarity between different sexuality communities -- that's a lot of what Sex+++ is trying to achieve. And in general, I'm a fan of trying to improve sex education and open up conversation about sexuality and consent whenever possible.
Why do you support SlutWalk Chicago?
Everyone deserves to feel safe, and everyone deserves to have their boundaries respected. That's true for people of all genders, and it's even true for sluts! I hate that people who have a lot of sex, a lot of partners, who are known for having sex in certain ways, or who simply dress in certain ways are seen as having no boundaries. SlutWalk is all about questioning that; therefore, I love SlutWalk. Plus, I can't wait to see what everyone wears.
Clarisse's Links
-Sex+++ Film Series Facebook page
-ClarisseThorn.com
-Clarisse on Twitter
Do you want to be SlutWalk Chicago's next Sex Positive Chicagoan? Send us a picture and your answers to these questions!
Age: 26
Neighborhood: Hyde Park
How do you promote sex positivity in Chicago?
Well, I'm a writer and I've published a number of sexuality-related articles online. My main blog is at clarissethorn.com, plus I have a sex and gender link blog with Time Out Chicago.
I've got a few Chicago-local activities, though .... My big thing is that I co-created the Sex+++ Sex-Positive Documentary Film Series at Jane Addams Hull-House Museum. Every second Tuesday of the month, we show a documentary about sexuality and host a discussion afterwards. It's free, and there are snacks... everyone should totally attend. We've shown films about everything from BDSM, to gay parenting, to butch lesbians of color, to sex worker activist organizing ... seriously, just attend. The next Sex+++ film night is May 10 and it's going to be totally awesome. Here's the Facebook event.
Hmm, what else? I'm into BDSM, so I'm around local BDSM events sometimes, too. I also volunteer at your friendly neighborhood BDSM museum, The Leather Archives & Museum-- right now they have me in charge of a really interesting project for which I'm collecting interviews with people who practice BDSM, but don't identify as part of the BDSM community.
Lately I've been really excited to hear about the development of a new Chicago coalition called Sexuality Health Education to End Rape (SHEER). I'm a certified rape crisis counselor, and sexual assault is obviously an incredibly important issue -- but I really want to encourage people to focus on the positives of sex, not just the ways it can be used negatively. SHEER is trying to build a holistic approach, one that recognizes and works against the horror of rape while valuing and promoting all forms of consensual sexuality.
Last but not least, I've been known to give lectures and workshops on a few different sex-positive topics.
What sort of changes would you like to see in Chicago in regards to sex positivity?
The entire city should show up to the Sex+++ film series ... the museum will collapse under everyone's weight, or possibly there will be a riot.
More seriously, I'd love to see more cross-pollination and solidarity between different sexuality communities -- that's a lot of what Sex+++ is trying to achieve. And in general, I'm a fan of trying to improve sex education and open up conversation about sexuality and consent whenever possible.
Why do you support SlutWalk Chicago?
Everyone deserves to feel safe, and everyone deserves to have their boundaries respected. That's true for people of all genders, and it's even true for sluts! I hate that people who have a lot of sex, a lot of partners, who are known for having sex in certain ways, or who simply dress in certain ways are seen as having no boundaries. SlutWalk is all about questioning that; therefore, I love SlutWalk. Plus, I can't wait to see what everyone wears.
Clarisse's Links
-Sex+++ Film Series Facebook page
-ClarisseThorn.com
-Clarisse on Twitter
Do you want to be SlutWalk Chicago's next Sex Positive Chicagoan? Send us a picture and your answers to these questions!
