Hello, and welcome to the first issue of Boston's Sex-Positive Newsletter in 2020!
The goal of this newsletter is to make it easier for folks who want to get involved with the local sex-positive community to do so. You don't have to be queer, kinky, polyamorous, sexually active, or allosexual to be sex-positive. This newsletter is meant for all kinds of people.
This newsletter is supported by donations. You can donate via Venmo to @Nicole-Mazzeo-1 to help cover the costs of putting this out every month. Your support goes a long way — thank you!
Want to put a love note in the February newsletter? You can! Info in the "Other Stuff" section at the bottom of this email.
With pleasure,
Nicole Mazzeo
pleasurepie.org
P.S. As always, you can give feedback here.
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Local Sexuality-Related Events
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Thurs. 1/9: PLEASURE: Sparks Flying: An Intro to Electro-Stimulation
6:30 pm / Good Vibrations (Brookline) / Free!
Good Vibes has been killing it with the wide array of free workshops recently, like this workshop on using electric shock in erotic situations.
Sat. 1/11: POLYAMORY: Poly Lunch: Tasty, Accessible, Friendly Conversation
12:30 pm / Cambridge / $1 + cost of food/drink
A place to meet and share food with local polyamorous folks.
Sat. 1/11: SUPPORT: A Caring Gathering for Womxn: Centered on Reproductive Loss
2:00 pm / UU Urban Ministry (Boston) / Free!
A space to acknowledge reproductive loss, including abortion, with the help of a supportive community.
Mon. 1/13: FEMINIST: Women's Writing Circle
2:00 pm / Suffolk University (Boston) / Free!
A nurturing space where women can share vulnerability in writings. This month's theme is sexuality. Registration required.
Mon. 1/13: LGBTQ: Black and Latinx Pride Committee Meeting
6:30 pm / The Meeting Point (JP) / Free!
A planning meeting that aims to create programming that promotes diversity, inclusion, and equity for queer and trans people of color at Boston Pride.
Mon. 1/13: DRAG: Sister Bingo for Casa Myrna
7:00 pm / Club Cafe (Boston) / No cover
This drag bingo night raises funds for Casa Myrna, Boston’s largest provider of services to survivors of relationship abuse.
Tues. 1/14: PRO-CHOICE: NARAL Volunteer Meeting
6:00 pm / NARAL (Downtown) / Free!
Learn what you can do to help pass the ROE Act and support reproductive rights in Massachusetts.
Tues. 1/14: LGBTQ: LGBTQ+ in Public Service
6:00 pm / WeWork Beacon Street (Boston) / Free!
A non-partisan panel discussion on what it's like to be an LGBTQ+ person working in a government agency, department, or elected position.
Tues. 1/14: DATING: Riverway Cafe - Dating Ethics Edition
7:00 pm / Hops N Scotch (Brookline) / $10-12
A conversation to explore Jewish tradition's perspective on dating ethics, from whether Tinder is kosher to tips for fostering meaningful relationships.
Thurs. 1/16: MEN: Community Sexual Violence Series Infosession
6:00 pm / Democracy Center (Cambridge) / Free!
A community info session on sexual violence response and community accountability work. All genders welcome, with a focus on what men can do to take accountability for sexual violence and harm that men cause in our communities.
Thurs. 1/16: READ: Feminist Book Club: We Should All Be Feminists
7:00 pm / Somerville Public Library / Free!
A discussion of 'We Should All Be Feminists' by renowned Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
Fri. 1/17: WOO-WOO: Toys, Treats, and Tarot
6:30 pm / Good Vibrations (Cambridge) / Free!
Free 10-minute tarot readings at your local feminist sex toy store.
1/17-20: CONVENTION: Arisia 2020
Westin Boston Waterfront / $15-75
A sci-fi convention with an element of sex-positivity. Featuring workshops like: Sexuality and Gender Trends in Acceptance, BDSM for All, Body Positive Cosplay, and more!
Sat. 1/18: KINKY: SinOmatic
10:00 pm / Machine Nightclub (Boston) / $5-15
The second-to-last instance of this long-running kinky club night. Fetish wear is encouraged.
Sat. 1/18: LGBTQ: Gay Bash’d
10:00 pm / OBERON (Cambridge) / $15-25
A very queer evening of dancing, art, and performance. Featuring a queer market with art, jewelry, tarot, and more.
Sun. 1/19: KINKY: Boston Kinky People of Color Munch
6:00 pm / Downtown Boston / Free!
A place for people of color who are interested in kink/BDSM to meet and build community.
Wed. 1/22: POLYAMORY: Hump Day Poly Lunch and Cocktail Hour
1:00 pm / Medford / Cost of food/drink
Hang out, eat food, and sip cocktails with other polyamorous and poly-curious folks.
Thurs. 1/23: WELLNESS: Healthy Visions - 2020 Vision + Open Mic
5:30 pm / Thelma D. Burns Building (Roxbury) / Free!
Come make your wellness vision board for 2020 and learn about sexual health with Safer Is Sexy. Featuring an open mic and free HIV testing (with incentives!).
Thurs. 1/23: PLEASURE: Rough Sex for Beginners
6:30 pm / Good Vibrations (Brookline) / Free!
A workshop on trying out rough sex safely, consensually, and pleasurably.
Thurs. 1/23: KINKY: Book Club: 'Life Isn't Binary'
7:00 pm / Christopher's Restaurant (Cambridge) / Cost of food/drink
This month's kinky book club is reading 'Life Isn't Binary: On Being Both, Beyond, and In-Between,' which is about how breaking from the gender binary can help to see other issues in a less binary way. RVSP by 1/22.
Thurs. 1/23: HEALTH: Science by the Pint - A Conversation on Reproductive Healthcare
7:30 pm / Aeronaut Brewing (Somerville) / Free!
A discussion on sexual health, STI management, family planning, and birth control with Fenway Health and Planned Parenthood. Drink beer and learn stuff.
Fri. 1/24: HIV: A Night for Us
5:00 pm / Codman Square Health Center (Dorchester)
A community gathering to bring awareness to LGBTQ+ youth of color living with HIV. Featuring an HIV+ youth panel, artistic performances, food, and more.
Fri. 1/24: PLEASURE: Tease and Please: Sensation Play 101
7:00 pm / Good Vibrations (Cambridge) / Free!
A workshop on making use of the wide variety of sensations, from feathers to floggers, hot to cold, and more.
Sat. 1/25: READ: All She Wrote Popup Book Shop
1:00 - 5:00 pm / JP Knit & Stitch / Free!
A new/used pop-up bookstore featuring woman, queer, and non-binary authors of all genres.
Sat. 1/25: SUPPORT: New Hope's Moonlight Wine, Beer, & Food Gala
7:00 pm / North Attleboro, MA / $50
This gala will transform a greenhouse into an elegant, moonlit pavilion filled with select wines, craft beers, and tastings from the area’s favorite restaurants. All proceeds go to New Hope's important work supporting people who have experienced sexual assault and relationship abuse.
Sun. 1/26: FEMINIST: Queens Talk Meetup
12:00 pm / Old Oak Dojo (JP) / $15
A meetup for women, femmes, and non-binary folks to explore their wellness plans for the new year.
Mon. 1/27: ASSAULT: Jennifer Hirsch and Shamus Khan: 'Sexual Citizens'
6:30 pm / WBUR (Boston) / $5-20
An author talk on the book 'Sexual Citizens: A Landmark Study of Sex, Power, and Assault on Campus,' which looks at sexual assault as a public health issue.
Tues. 1/28: DISABILITY: Learning Collaboratives on Sexual Assault Survivors with I/DD
11:00 am / Braintree, MA / Free!
A class on how to support people with disabilities who have experienced sexual assault.
Tues. 1/28: TRANS: 'Becoming a Man' with P. Carl
7:00 pm / Trident Booksellers (Boston)
Becoming a Man is the striking memoir of P. Carl’s journey to become a man after fifty years of living as a woman.
Tues. 1/28: BDSM: Rope Handling
7:30 pm / Boston / $20
A hands-on workshop on the art of rope handling for all levels.
1/29: TRANS: Transfemme-nominal Sex!
6:30 pm / Good Vibrations (Brookline) / Free!
A class on the ins and outs of hot and steamy sex for pre-op, post-op, and non-op bodies.
1/29-2/2: TRANS: First Event 2020
Park Plaza Hotel (Boston) / $20-295
One of the longest running conferences in the U.S. for transgender and gender expansive people and those who love and support them.
Thurs. 1/30: BURLESQUE: Days of Future Pasties
7:30 pm / OBERON (Cambridge) / $15-25
A Spiderman and X-Men themed burlesque show!
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These events aren't related to sexuality, but they looked so great that we couldn't NOT recommend them.
Fri. 1/10: MUSIC: Afro-Latinxs In Hip-Hop: Nitty Scot
7:00 pm / WBUR (Boston) / $5-10
A conversation on what it means to be Afro-Latinx -- and how music is a space to reclaim this identity -- with Afro-Latina rapper and poet, Nitty Scott.
Tues. 1/14: HOUSING: Lift the Ban on Rent Control: MA State House Hearing + Action!
10:30 am - 3:30 pm / MA State House / Free!
A rally (and hearing) that will argue for the right of MA cities and towns to use rent control and protect residents from eviction and displacement.
Sun. 1/19: STORIES: Palestinians, Live!
4:00 pm + 7:30 pm / OBERON (Cambridge) / $13
I am bummed that I will be out of town for this! It's an evening of true and compelling stories told by Palestinians. If you go, let me know how it is!
Thurs. 1/23: TABOO: Death Cafe
7:00 pm / Somerville Public Library / Free!
An open discussion of death with no agenda, objectives, or themes. With cake!
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Jobs in the Sexuality Field
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Boston Area Rape Crisis Center offers free counseling for people who have been sexually assaulted (and their loved ones).
The Network / La Red provides support for people experiencing relationship abuse.
Planned Parenthood's Sexual Health Counseling & Referral hotline is 877-686- 5772, option #3.
Fenway Health offers walk-in STI testing on Wednesdays.
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Harbor Health Services offers free walk-in HIV & Hep C testing on Wednesdays and Thursdays in Dorchester.
The Sexual Freedom Legal Defense and Education Fund helps people with alternative sexual lifestyles.
Here's a list of culturally competent local resources for LGBTQ survivors.
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Fun movie: Booksmart is like a sex-positive feminist update of Superbad. I took it out on DVD from the library because I still live in 2004, but it's also playing at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge on Saturday.
Love notes: Want to put a ♥ love note ♥ in the February issue of this newsletter? Email your note to me at thepleasurepie@gmail.com, then send me $5 via Venmo (@Nicole-Mazzeo-1), and your note will appear in the next newsletter, just in time for Valentine's Day! Up to 35 words; nothing offensive please. :)
Want to support this newsletter? You can make a donation to Pleasure Pie here. Donations start at $1 a month. There are perks!
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