San Francisco Music Blog

Melissa Gira’s Blogging Sex Workshop
Center for Sex & Culture
October 14, 2008
Review and photos by Bonnie Ruberg

Better Than: Sitting home blogging about sex all by yourself.
Download/Stream: The slides from the workshop, available at MelissaGira.com.

Ever been to the Center for Sex and Culture? From the street, it barely exists. No sign, no photos of naked people, not even a pride flag give away its presence to passersby near Mission and 11th streets. Climb up the unmarked stairs and into the workshop room, and even then you might think you were about to attend a poetry reading or a group therapy session –- if a cryptic sculpture or two of the nude female form didn’t give things away. Maybe that’s what happened to the poor, lost soul who ventured into the opening moments of Melissa Gira’s sex blogging workshop last night. He poked his head through the door, asked what we were up to, then promptly fled when he heard he’d accidentally stumbled upon a class about the discussion of sex.

No, it's not for some weird fetish booth, it's for a good cause. The folks at The Bay Bridged gave word that this year's Blood Drive for Ball Tickets is this Thursday, Oct. 9. The event promises each person who donates one pint of blood a free ticket to this year's Exotic Erotic Ball at Treasure Island. You get to be part of a sexy party quite likely resembling the image above and help out humanity while you're at it. Find out how to schedule an appointment at TheBayBridged.com. --Oscar Pascual

OK, so you don't have to be like this top-hat weirdo here and actually make art with your man-parts — but if you create erotic art of any sort and would like to display it during this year's Exotic Erotic Ball and Expo, the expo will pay between $500-$1,000 to subsidize your costs. "In addition," the press release goes on to note, "there are no application and processing fees, and no sharing of commissions — all artists retain 100% of all their sales." So whether you snap nude photos, fire ceramic dildos in a kiln, or merely do something kinky with Elmer's glue and craft supplies from Michael's, interested artists should click here for more info. — J. Graham

Fetishists (and gawkers) of all shapes, sizes, sexual orientations and kinks gathered together to celebrate their love of leather at the 25th annual Folsom Street Fair. The event included games, demonstrations, shopping and music from bands including the Presets, Shiny Toy Guns and the English Beat.

Unfortunately, the festival was so packed that it was difficult to navigate and almost impossible to adequately explore. There were people packed into each block so tightly it was almost challenging to walk. Cock rings, jock straps and chaps rubbed all over each person trying to make it through the crowd. However, the booze was flowing and the abundance of nudity and exceptional leather provided an excellent afternoon.

Between the bears and the bondage exhibitions there was more than enough to look at. One booth had Twister (with an option for spanking) taking donations to support a local bathhouse; another had a woman bound while several other women tweaked nipples, clits and anything else they could get their hands on. Shocking, but surely liberating. The most exciting aspect of the festival lies in the opportunity for fetishists to be themselves, even put their kinks on display. It also displays the diverse and involved sexual community to those not directly involved.

It's nice to see the San Francisco sex scene flourishing. Words cannot do the event justice, so check below the fold for photos that show what really went down. - Melissa Baron

SF artist Jeremy Fish aims to please with this little critter named Barry the Beaver. Looks like another cool PVC toy piece from Upper Playground, right? Nah dude, but it's still a toy -- sex toy. Pop some batteries in, then pop Barry in (literally insert Barry), and then cool stuff happens, if you're a woman. Visit your friendly neighborhood Upper Playground store to get yours, or choose between black or brown if you don't want to leave the house. —Oscar Pascual

Our sisters at Heartless Doll inform us that tomorrow is National Go Topless Protest Day. Women across the country will be stripping off at noon in the name of equal half-naked rights, and GoTopless.org notes that there'll be a sure show at Berkeley. (Surprise, surprise.) So be there, bare-chested from noon to 1 p.m. at Sproul Hall "on the Mario Salvio famous free speech steps." We wonder if this little protest will reach the ladies at Outside Lands tomorrow and will bring our cameras...just in case. --Janine Kahn

I take it you've never seen professional wrestling like this, but if you just so happen to have experienced a WWF event that employed tactics from UltimateSurrender.com, then may God have mercy on your tortured soul. Here's what this Friday's live event has in store:

UltimateSurrender.com is a female competitive sexual wrestling site unlike any other. UltimateSurrender.com features real wrestling: scissors, headlocks, pins, and the most intense holds of the sport. But at US, once one wrestler has another in a submission hold, she gets extra style points for fingering and fondling the helpless wrestler -- not to mention face sitting, breast smothering, open-mouth kissing with tongue penetration, and more – while the pinned wrestler earns shame points at the same time.

Sign up if you want to catch all lurid action because the event is for site members only. Click 'More' for all the info. --Oscar Pascual

There's not much more to say about pornography other than it's really awesome, and Tera Patrick is one of the reasons why. You can thank her in person for all the good times you've had with her, a box of tissues, and some Jergen's extra-moisturizing formula when she makes an appearance at Galleri's 6th year anniversary this Sat., July 19. You can even buy some discounted porn, listen to DJs, and eat food. Although I don't know how much of an appetite you can keep if you venture over to the "fetish" section. --Oscar Pascual

(Click the image for more Masturbate-A-Thon photos.)

By Ashley Harrell

If somebody had been standing outside of 1519 Mission Street, watching as people came and went beneath the pink awning on Sunday (quite possibly the unholiest Sunday in recent history), that somebody would have seen the stuff of legends. The Center for Sex & Culture was hosting its annual masturbate-a-thon, which has a way of drawing “San Francisco’s finest,” explained Sue, a voluptuous volunteer door greeter in a black corset and wild hair.

Though that door walked a hoary hippie who looked like Moses and was practiced in the way of tantra. He broke the world record for orgasming the most times (31). Then there was Kitty Kat, a 28-year-old erotic masseuse in pink cat ears, who masturbated with dildos, a vibrating five-fingered glove, and a sex machine, for seven hours (another new world record).

The surprise guests of honor were three Japanese men – all had come from Tokyo unannounced. One said he was an editor of a magazine similar to Maxim. The other two wore red jumpsuits with the slogan “New Adult Concept” printed up one side. They were apparently doing marketing research for the Tenga – a Japanese version of vagina in a can. They too became record breakers.

So May is "Masturbation Month" which means business as usual for most of our fine readers (and writers), but for those of you who truly want to celebrate, here are a few dates to mark on your calendars:

Saturday, May 3, 7–10pm - Opening reception for "I Touch Myself," a collection of erotic photos, steamy paintings and illustration at Femina Potens. Details here.

Thursday, May 8, 6:30pm - Ask The Doctors - Dr. Carol Queen and Dr. Robert Lawrence discuss the ins and outs of masturbation. Details here.

Sunday, May 25, 3pm - The 7th Annual Masturbate-A-Thon - Make some money for the Center For Sex & Culture by pledging your support for your favorite wanker. OR, sign up to masturbate on camera for the cause. Details here.

Anytime of the month - Post a Twittergasm and shame all your prudish friends.

Weekly Clubs Editor John Graham is surprised that Kleenex, Jergens, Johnson & Johnson, and/or any number of lubricant or shower massage-nozzle companies haven't seized the obvious marketing opportunities. Maybe they'll wise up while the month is young? That'll be the day. But then again this is San Francisco. --Janine Kahn