Sept 6: Justin Vivian Bond on Becoming Mx America

Sep 032013
 

Justin Vivian Bond — Weimar New York for Obama — by David Kimelman

Join me this Friday, September 6th at 8 pm ET / 5 pm PT for an unforgettable hour of Sex Out Loud with one of the most talented, unique, and boundary-busting people in the entertainment industry: writer, singer, painter, performance artist, and activist Justin Vivian Bond. Mx Bond’s chosen pronoun is the gender-free “v” (instead of he or she), and v will talk about how the pronoun came about. V is currently preparing for a residency at Joe’s Pub where v’s show Mx America will be running from Sept. 20-Oct. 5th and we’ll hear about the origin of v’s personally designed perfume, The Afternoon of a Faun. We’ll also discuss the award-winning memoir Tango: My Childhood, Backwards and in High Heels, the collaborative book with photographer Gina Garan, Susie Says, and v’s latest album Silver Wells.

Mx Justin Vivian Bond is a writer, singer, painter, and performance artist. Mx Bond is the author of the Lambda Literary Award winning memoir Tango: My Childhood, Backwards and in High Heels, published by The Feminist Press and Susie Says
… a collaboration with Gina Garan (Powerhouse Books, 2012). V’s debut CD Dendrophile was self-released on WhimsyMusic in 2011 and was followed by Silver Wells in 2012. In 2011 Justin Vivian’s art exhibition The Fall of the House of Whimsy was presented at Participant Inc. in New York City. Mx Bond was nominated for a Tony Award for Kiki and Herb Alive On Broadway in 2007. Other notable theatrical endeavors include starring as Warhol Superstar Jackie Curtis in Scott Wittman’s production of Jukebox Jackie: Snatches of Jackie Curtis as part of La Mama E.T.C.’s 50 Anniversary Season, originating the role of Herculine Barbin in Kate Bornstein’s groundbreaking play Hidden: A Gender, touring with the performance troupe The Big Art Group and appearing in John Cameron Mitchell’s film Shortbus. Other films include Sunset Stories (2012), Imaginary Heroes (2004), and Fanci’s Persuasion (1995). Mx Bond is a recipient of The Ethyl Eichelberger Award, The Peter Reed Foundation Grant, and The Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists Award for Performance Art/Theater, an Obie and a Bessie. Please visit www.justinbond.com to download and enjoy v’s music and blog, Justin Vivian Bond is Living!

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Nov 2: Sex Toy Innovators: Kandi Burruss from The Real Housewives of Atlanta, plus the staff of Smitten Kitten

Oct 292012
 

Join me this Friday on Sex Out Loud for an hour focused on sex toy innovators and creators. First, we’ll feature staff from Smitten Kitten, talking about how they got started in Minneapolis, what toys are the most popular, and which ones are the most recommended by their experts. They’ll make recommendations for all types of sex toys, including ones for those who think they’ve seen it all. Then, Tristan talks to Kandi Burruss on the eve of the premiere of the fifth season of her hit reality show The Real Housewives of Atlanta on Bravo. We’ll discuss why she decided to create her award-winning sex toy line Bedroom Kandi, sexual conservatism in the African American community, and how to bring sex toys to partner sex. Plus, we’ll hear about her relationship with her mom and daughter and how she plans to take her newfound status as a sex educator to the next level.

Whether singing, songwriting, running her Atlanta-based clothing store T.A.G.S., raising her adorable daughter Riley, running her own production company or showcasing her life on the insanely popular Bravo reality show The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Kandi does it with trademark tenacity and an unstoppable grind. Kandi‘s songwriting skills have made history twice. She is the first African American woman to win the prestigious ASCAP “Songwriter of the Year” award (2000) and the first woman ever to win ASCAP’s Rhythm & Soul Music Award (2000). In 2011, she paired with OhMiBod to create a line of sex toys for her new venture, Bedroom Kandi. She also hosts the weekly Internet talk show “Kandi Koated Nights” (kandikoatednight.com) every Wednesday, which features frank discussions of sex and relationships.

The Smitten Kitten is a hub of community activity. We consider ourselves sex-positive culture makers and community members. That’s with purpose. When we opened in 2003, there were only a handful of places like this in the country—in the world even. We were tired of scouring the internet for helpful and relevant information about sex, and we were totally exhausted by shopping online for toys and supplies that too often ended up being disappointing. So, for the better of our own sex lives, we opened our own sex toy store. What you’ll find at Smitten Kitten today is the place we wish we had when we were first adult retail consumers ourselves. Our store is welcoming. The folks who work here are friendly and honestly helpful. The products that we sell are well-researched, are good quality, and represent the best value in their class. Read some of our reviews online and you’ll see that it’s not only us who think we’re doing a pretty good job. Basically, you won’t find any bullshit at Smitten Kitten because that’s just not our style. What you will find are wholesome, sexy Midwestern folks and visitors of all ages, races, abilities, sexual orientations, and genders shopping with common purpose: a happier, healthier, sexier and more inspiring love life.