Over here atHM4Her we are huge fans of sex educator/author/porn director (2011 AVN Award-winning) Tristan Taormino, so we were extra shocked and frustrated when we received word today that she was uninvited as keynote speaker for Oregon State University’s Modern Sex conference in February. Apparently the university cited Taormino’s resume and website as the reason for their change of heart. And this is after they gave her the go to book travel arrangements, which are now not covered by OSU.
Something smells a little fishy to me. Wouldn’t you know who you were booking before you asked them to be keynote speaker?? It’s not like Tristan hides anything she does, and if there was to be a veto on having such a “risque” speaker, wouldn’t they think to get approval before ever asking her? I don’t get it, and frankly I guess that the OSU officials don’t deserve someone as awesome as Tristan Taormino, though I do feel badly towards all the folks that are forced to miss her speech. Awesomely, Tristan has extended that if OSU students and others still want to hear her speak, she will be teaching two workshops at She Bop in Portland on February 13 and 14.
Here’s what Tristan had to say about the situation:
I’m extremely disappointed that OSU has decided to cancel my appearance. I’ve been protested before, but never uninvited. I have never misrepresented who I am or what I do. I am proud of all the work I do, including the sex education films and feminist pornography I make,” says Taormino. “The talk I planned to give at this conference, titled “Claiming Your Sexual Power” has nothing to do with porn, but the porn is such an easy target for anti-sex conservatives and censors. I find it ironic that one of the missions of the conference is to understand diverse perspectives of sexuality. Apparently, my perspective—one of educating and empowering people around their sexuality—isn’t welcome at OSU.
(via press release)
Way to go OSU. Not cool.
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Definitely check her out!
xoxo
-JD
