UK's draconian and ill defined "Extreme Pornography" ban set to go into effect 1/26

To say "I'm offended" would be a gross understatement.

The section of the act of the of the UK Criminal Justice and Immigration Act (CJIA) banning possession of so called "extreme pornography" is scheduled to go into effect January 26th.

Rather than attempting to characterize it myself, I'll point readers over to the Spanner Trust January Newsletter for a brief overview.

Before the new law goes into effect there will be a protest at Parliament-

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Protest-

Consenting Adult Action Network at Parliament Sunday January 25th

Join us to mark the death of another freedom.

At 2-5pm

On Sunday 25th January 2009

Parliament Square Westminster, London (UK)

Download the flyer!

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Being in the United States, much of what I have come to understand about the situation comes by way of web research and media reports, but I'll pass along some useful links for those interested.

Resources-

The commencement notice

The CJIA clauses criminalizing "extreme pornography"

Ministry of Justice further guidance


Opponents-

Backlash (see their about us page) monitors the implementation of the law. Their site chronicles the development of the law and the oppositional efforts working against it. It also includes a very useful media coverage roundup.

Also be sure to see Backlash's piece, Your Rights Upon Police Search, Arrest and Detention and their legal advisory.

Other useful links include-

The Spanner Trust

The Sexual Freedom Coalition

And The Consenting Adult Action Network

So Slitherings is now 1

Today is Slitherings' first blogiversary!

Yup, a whole year of sexblogging- who'd thunk? Not that I post all that often, just that it's been a year since I started on this little pet project.

So what's it all mean? Why do this?

Well, the short answer is living in a broader culture that still views so much of what I do as pathological, asserting one's own ability to self define and actually communicate with others who are likewise so often stigmatized holds value.

The ability to eeek out corners of space to assert that there is value to these aspects of my life, and actually let others see such in that process may just help them eeek out a little more space of their own to assert their own ability to be fully who they are.

I know through my time spent reading other bloggers that these acts of claiming space to speak our truths about our real lives can be a useful tool, helping others, often without even realizing they've done so. Other times we interact, bloggers and readers, and we learn from one another about the ways we each carve out our own ways of being.

Slitherings is one of many ways I claim just a little space to say that yes, womyn like me do exist. Relationships such as mine do exist.

These forms of womyn's sexuality, often so difficult to find first person voice about, most assuredly are alive and well, if you know where to look.

I recently stumbled across a quote that bears repeating,

“History that is not preserved is history that never happened.”

For that reason alone, I write.

So Happy Birthday little Slitherings, and thanks to the friends I've met along the way so far.

Most of all though, thanks to my Sir, who not only lives it all alongside me, but has also allowed me to divulge these details about him as well. I would not be able to tell my own story without exposing these aspects of both our lives, and so I'm grateful that he has been willing to set aside some of his own privacy, despite being otherwise a very private person, that I might speak these truths about my here and now.

While I at times grow shy and quiet when I find he's read these posts (quite out of character for me,) I think we both find important conversations sometimes come in the aftermath of such.

I do not view my writing here as any kind of present to my Sir, though. This blogging is more about my own process.

In the upcoming year, I'll see what I can do about posting here a bit more often.

'Til then, though spanking is definitely not my kink, I think I'm off to see about a Slitherings birthday swat.

After all, I can count to one.

It's about quality, not quantity- right?