EDUCATION
WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY, Middletown, CT: Bachelor of Arts (American Studies) with High Honors, Phi Beta Kappa, 1993
BOOKS
- A Part of the Heart Can’t Be Eaten: A Memoir. Duke University Press.
2014. 50 Shades of Kink: An Introduction to BDSM. San Francisco: Cleis Press.
2011. Secrets to Great G-Spot Orgasms and Female Ejaculation. Quiver Books/The Quarto Group.
2010. The Big Book of Sex Toys. Quiver Books/The Quarto Group.
2009. The Anal Sex Positions Guide. Quiver Books/The Quarto Group.
2008. Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships. San Francisco: Cleis Press.
2006. The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women. 2nd Edition. San Francisco: Cleis Press.
2003. Down and Dirty Sex Secrets. New York: Regan Books/HarperCollins.
2002. True Lust: Adventures in Sex, Porn and Perversion. San Francisco: Cleis Press.
2001. Pucker Up: A Hands-on Guide to Ecstatic Sex. New York: ReganBooks.
1997. The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women. San Francisco: Cleis Press.
EDITED VOLUMES
2015. Sex Education. Special Issue: The Entertainment Media’s Evolving Role in Sex Education. Guest Editor with Alan McKee and Sara Bragg. Volume 15, Number 5. Routledge.
2013. The Feminist Porn Book: The Politics of Producing Pleasure with Celine Parreñas Shimizu, Constance Penley and Mireille Miller-Young. New York: The Feminist Press.
2012. The Ultimate Guide to Kink: BDSM, Role Play and The Erotic Edge. San Francisco: Cleis Press.
2012. Stripped Down: Lesbian Sex Stories. San Francisco: Cleis Press.
2011. Take Me There: Trans and Genderqueer Erotica. San Francisco: Cleis Press.
2010. Sometimes She Lets Me: Best Butch/Femme Erotica. San Francisco: Cleis Press.
Best Lesbian Erotica, 14 volumes (1996-2009). San Francisco: Cleis Press.
2007. Best Lesbian Bondage Erotica. San Francisco: Cleis Press.
2005. Best of the Best Lesbian Erotica 2. San Francisco: Cleis Press.
2005. Hot Lesbian Erotica. San Francisco: Cleis Press.
2000. Best of the Best Lesbian Erotica. San Francisco: Cleis Press.
1997. A Girl’s Guide To Taking Over the World: Writings from the Girl Zine Revolution. With Karen Green. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
1996. Ritual Sex. With David Aaron Clark. New York: Masquerade Books.
ARTICLES AND CHAPTERS
2017. “Feminist Porn: The Politics of Producing Pleasure,” with co-authors Constance Penley, Celine Parreñas Shimizu, and Mireille Miller-Young in Kristin Lené Hole, Dijana Jelača, E. Ann Kaplan, and Patrice Petro, Editors. The Routledge Companion to Cinema & Gender. New York: Routledge.
2014. “Practice Saying No,” in Sarah Mirk. Sex from Scratch: Making Your Own Relationship Rules. Microcosm Publishing.
2010. “Winter, Summer,” in Rachel Kramer Bussel, Ed. Fast Girls: Erotica for Women. San Francisco: Cleis Press.
2010. “Introduction,” in Paulie and Pauline, Off the Set: Porn Stars and Their Partners. Glen Rock, NJ: Aural Pink.
2009. “The Unkindest Cut: The Circumcision Debate,” in Russ Kick, Ed. You Are Still Being Lied To. New York: Disinformation Books.
2008. “Straight Men Who Have Sex With Men,” in LA Weekly.
2008. “Foreword,” in Mark A. Michaels and Patricia Johnson, Tantra for Erotic Empowerment: The Key to Enriching Your Sexual Life. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications.
2008. “Dangerous Dildos,” in Rachel Kramer Bussel, Ed. Best Sex Writing 2008. San Francisco: Cleis Press.
2006. “Introduction,” in Alison Tyler, Ed. Luscious. San Francisco: Cleis Press.
2006. “An Ode to Ass: Reflections on Sex Ed, Porn and Perversity,” in Felice Newman and Frédérique Delacoste, Eds. Best New Sex Writing 2006. San Francisco: Cleis Press.
2005. “On Crossing the Line To Create Feminist Porn,” in Carly Milne, Ed. Naked Ambition: Women Pornographers and How They Are Changing the Sex Industry. New York: Avalon.
2004. “Introduction,” in Tobias Morchner, Patric Fouad: Frauenzimmer-Brothels in Germany. Heidelberg, Germany: Kehrer Verlag, 2004.
2004. “Electric Shocks/Lesbian Cocks,” in Stacy Bias and Rachel Kramer Bussel, Eds. Up All Night. San Francisco: Alyson Books.
2004. “Untying the Knot,” in Greg Wharton and Ian Philips, Eds. I Do/I Don’t: Queers on Marriage. San Francisco: Suspect Thoughts Press.
2002. “Two’s Too Tough,” in Russ Kick, Ed. Everything You Know is Wrong. New York: Disinformation Books.
2001. “The Female Hard-on,” in Russ Kick, Ed. You Are Being Lied To. New York: Disinformation Books.
2001. “I Was A Pro-Dom Virgin,” in Trixie, Ed. Faster Pussycats. Los Angeles: Alyson Books.
2001. “My Father’s Eyes,” in Catherine Reid and Holly Iglesias, Eds. His Hands, His Tools, His Sex, His Dress. New York: Harrington Park Press.
2000. “My Father’s Eyes,” in Noelle Howey and Ellen Samuels, Eds. Out of the Ordinary. New York: St. Martin’s Press.
1999. “Caution: Sharp Object,” in D. Travers Scott, Ed. Strategic Sex: Why They Won’t Keep It In The Bedroom. New York: Harrington Park Press.
1999. “This Girl is Different,” in Joan Larkin, Ed. A Woman Like That. New York: Avon Books.
1996. “Caution: Sharp Object,” in Cris Mazza, Jeffrey DeShell and Elisabeth Sheffield, Eds. Chick-Lit 2: No Chick Vics. Normal, IL: FC2.
MEDIA COLUMNS AND EDITORIAL POSITIONS
Columnist, Taboo Magazine 1998-present
Columnist, “Pucker Up,” The Village Voice 1999-2008
Syndicated in The Loop, Outlook, Spectator, and in the digital editions of LA Weekly, Seattle Weekly, OC Weekly, Minneapolis City Pages, Phoenix New Times, Denver Westword, Dallas Observer, Houston Press, Miami New Times, Broward-Palm Beach New Times, San Francisco Weekly, Riverfront Times, The Pitch (Kansas City)
Columnist and Editor, On Our Backs 1998-2002
Contributing Editor, HX for Her 1996
Publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Pucker Up 1995-1996
MEDIA ARTICLES
2010. “Some Like It Rough.” Richardson, A4: 22-23.
2006. “The Danger of Protecting Our Children: Government Porn Regulation Threatens Alternative
Representation and Doesn’t Save Kids.” Yale Journal of Law and Feminism 18(1): 277-282.
2004. “Sweet Spot: Sex Positive Store Design.” Print, July/August 2004: 54-59.
2003. “The T in Community: Trans Inclusion in ‘Women’s Space.’” Velvetpark 4: 48.
2002. “Lesbian Public Sex Beyond the Bars.” The Village Voice, July 2, 2002: 45.
2002. “Queer Co-Ed Lust.” Velvetpark 2: 12-13.
2002. “Sexual Healing.” Vibe 10(7): 50.
2002. “Stone Femme.” Velvetpark 3: 48.
2002. “The Evolution of Femme.” Velvetpark 6: 14-15.
2002. “Lights, Camera, Sex.” Playgirl, 50-54.
2001. “The Name of the Rose.” Nerve.com, February 13, 2001.
1999. “Thorns and Roses.” The Village Voice, August 10, 1999: 47-48.
1998. “Women in Porn in Power.” Paper, July 1998: 50.
1997. “Rear Guard: Shocking the Unshockable.” The Boston Phoenix, January 1998.
1997. “Adults Only.” The Boston Phoenix, January 1997: 15.
SELECTED UNIVERSITY PRESENTATIONS (Full list of 75 available here)
Invited Speaker, “The Body’s Politics: Sex and Social Justice,” Tulane University, New Orleans, LA, 2018.
Invited Speaker, “My Life As A Feminist Pornographer,” Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, 2017.
Artist in Residence, Allen Hall, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 2016.
Keynote Speaker, The Five College Queer Gender and Sexuality Conference, Hampshire College, Amherst, MA, 2014.
Invited Speaker, “The Truth Behind the 50 Shades of Gray,” University of Maryland/College Park, 2013.Invited speaker, “My Life As A Feminist Pornographer.” University of Oregon, 2011.
Invited speaker, “Claiming Your Sexual Power.” Oregon State University, 2011.
Keynote speaker, “Calling The Shots: The Rise of Feminist Pornography” at Porn Reborn: New Movements and Markets in Pornography Conference. University of Toronto, 2010.
Keynote speaker, “Dangerous Bodies: Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming People in Sexual Spaces” at TRANSforming Gender Conference. University of Colorado-Boulder, 2010.
Invited panelist, Sex, Gender and Pornography Panel, Sex Week. Yale University, 2010.
Keynote speaker, “The Path to Sexual Empowerment” at Sexual Health Week, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2009.
Invited speaker, “Sexploration on College Campuses.” Cornell University, 2009.
Invited speaker, “Beyond Monogamy: The Case for Open Relationships.” Princeton University, 2009.
Invited speaker, “Alternative and Queer Pornography” at Porno Punk Feminism Conference. San Sebastian, Spain, 2008.
Invited panelist, Sex Work in Academe and the Industry panel at Console-ing Passions 2008: An International Conference on Television, Audi, Video, New Media and Feminism. University of California-Santa Barbara, 2008.
Invited panelist, Sex for Sale Symposium. Yale Law School, 2006.
Invited speaker, “Queer Sex Now” at Swarthmore Sager Symposium. Swarthmore College, 2006.
SELECTED CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Featured Speaker, “Challenging Shame & Stigma: A Sex Positive Education Model,” Albuquerque Area Indian Health Board, Albuquerque, NM, 2020.
Invited Speaker, “An Intersectional Approach to Non-Monogamies,” Sexual Health Alliance/Gold Coast, Los Angeles, CA, 2019.
Invited Speaker, “Toward a Sex Positive Perspective,” New Mexico State HIV/HVC Conference, Albuquerque, NM, 2019.
Keynote Speaker, “What’s on the Edge? Treating Gender and Sexual Minorities and Tackling Taboos in Therapeutic Settings,” University of Michigan Sexual Health Certificate Program, Ann Arbor, MI, 2018.
Invited Speaker, “Sex-Positivity and Social Justice in Sexual Health Education,” State of Michigan Annual HIV & STD Conference, 2016.
Invited Speaker, “The Politics of Porn and Representation,” Centro Diseño Cine y Televisión, Mexico City, Mexico, 2012.
Invited Speaker, Sexual Liberation Institute at Creating Change, Dallas, TX, 2010
Keynote speaker, “Drag and Gender Performance: Power, Possibility, and Community,” International Drag King Extravaganza XII, Baltimore, MD, 2010
Keynote speaker, “Everyone’s Invited to the Pool Party, Or How To Build A Supportive, Inclusive Community,” Transcending Boundaries Conference, Worcester, MA, 2009
Keynote speaker, “Leatherfolk and Lifelong Learning,” Winter Wickedness, Columbus, OH, 2009
Keynote speaker, “Polyamory, Pride, and Family Values,” Poly Pride Rally, New York, NY 2008
Invited speaker, Xplore: Festival on the Art of Lust, Berlin, Germany, 2004
Invited speaker, Queer Sex in the New Millennium, Queer Paradise, Richmond VA, 2004
Invited speaker, “Trans Inclusion in ‘Same Sex’ Space,” Leather Leadership Conference, Los Angeles, CA, 2002
SELECTED AWARDS AND HONORS
2012 Lambda Literary Award for Take Me There: Trans and Genderqueer Erotica
2011 Lambda Literary Award for Sometimes She Lets Me: Best Butch/Femme Erotica
2010 Feminist Porn Trailblazer Award for Lifetime Achievement
2009 Sex-Positive Journalism Award-Opinion for “In Partial Defense of Eliot Spitzer” in The Village Voice
2008 Sex-Positive Journalism Award-Regular Column for “Pucker Up” Column in The Village Voice
2004 Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Erotica 2004
2003 Black Rose Vaughn Keith National Educator of the Year Award
2003 Lambda Literary Award for Best Lesbian Erotica 2003
1998 Firecracker Alternative Book Award for The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women
1998 Vice Versa Award for Excellence in Gay and Lesbian Journalism
1998: Amazon’s #1 Bestseller in Women’s Sex Instruction for The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women
1993 Carol B. Ohmann Memorial Prize for Best Senior Thesis in Women’s Studies, WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
1993 Gay, Lesbian, and Sexuality Studies Prize for Best Research and Writing in Queer Studies, WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY
1993 Geraldine J. Murphy Prize For Outstanding Critical Essay, WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY