So, as often happens to me on Wednesday afternoons, shit can get a little depressing. You know, cause the economy is kind of failing, politicians are crazy, the trolls are out in full force and every day there is another immigration raid.
So you know what I do when the state of the world starts getting me down? I revert to my favorite topic of all time (and the ultimate picker upper) SEX. Yup, yup kids. It's a guaranteed way to get your mind off the economy, John McCain's ridiculousness and the general misogyny of the world.
This weekend, after an intense few days at the Critical Resistance conference, I had the pleasure of stopping by the Folsom Street Fair. Never heard of it? Well, it's probably the most unique thing I've ever witnessed.
Folsom is a street fair that happens during an eight day Leather festival in SF. Basically, it's a space for all those whose sexual interests and appetites might involve things like leather (you know, wearing it and such) or also other alternative practices, like bondage, domination, sadomasochism. I won't get into too much detail, but suffice to say there is something for everyone.
What was particularly cool about being at the fair was just how open and accepting the atmosphere was. For a group who usually has to keep their sexual desires and practices underwraps and behind closed doors, it was nice to see the community having a day to let it all hang out (pun intended). I also think it's refreshing to see alternative sexual lifestyles (that are heavily based in philosophies about consent) supported and celebrated.
0 TrackBacks
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: Hump Day Picker Upper: Folsom Street Fair.
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://www.feministing.com/cgi-bin/movabletype/mt-tb.fcgi/9609
I Love the Folsom street fair!! god how I miss living in San Francisco!
Thanks for covering this, Miriam. As an East-coaster, I've never been. Friends tell me there used to be a fair amount of public play, but the lookie-loos and the profusion of video on the internet have made that virtually impossible. Still, I feel like I should go one of these years, if only for the historical significance.
This is interesting. I'm glad people had an opportunity to be excepted for who they are and what they do. I never would have known there is a festival to celebrate different sex practices.
One of these years I need to get out to San Fran for Folsom. Looks like a blast.
Thanks for sharing this, Miriam. It really, really makes me smile to see kink-positivity on the front page of Feministing.
Thomas, there is "Folsom Street East" in NYC later this month for us East Coast-ers. But alas, if you really want to see or do outdoor public play, you have to go to events at campgrounds, e.g. Dark Odyssey.
So you did Folsom, huh? It's a fucking experience, to say the least. The only other must-do in my opinion is the SF Dyke March. 30,000 dykes sitting in the grass with picnics and makeout parties and costumes and music.
Ahhh SF. How I love thee.
But for me and my leatherdyke peeps, the ONLY way to deal with the 400,000+ crush over 10 blocks of Folsom was to:
get up super early
put on our skimpy outfits
show up at 10am
walk around, see friends, shop
come noon, run to the women's corner and hide from:
the THOUSANDS of disgusting straight creepy dudes and their cameras
suburban families hiding their toddlers' eyes
stupid people walking their dogs in 90 degree heat and a bazillion people
While there isn't anything of that scale here in DC, it's ok. There's plenty of fun dirty stuff for those of us that know where to look.
:: wink ::
Peggy Sue
dl, I know some folks who have been out to DO and it's on the list when I'm not busy raising small children. Public play isn't something that's particularly important to me, but it's important in the sense of claiming the space. I mean, the great thing about something like FSF, or any leather event, is that it's a space where BDSMers and other sexual minorities and dissidents belong, where the sense of outsiderness temporarily abates.
Of course, my life experiences are on the privilege side of just about every division. Even the limited contact with spaces like that remind me how much privilege I have, how much I unconsciously adapt to a sense of belonging that lots of other folks don't have in most public spaces.
buy wow gold
cheap wow power leveling
my wow gold
cheapest wow power leveling
BUY wow gold
cheap wow power leveling
CHEAP rs gold
good wow power leveling
MY lotro gold
CHEAPEST aion gold
buy wow gold
cheap wow gold
CHEAPEST wow gold