S-E-X

Y'all have heard the saying: Just because you're paranoid, doesn't mean they're not out to get you. Well, when it comes to any business related to sex, from toys to videos to music lyrics to books to contraception, they are out to get you.

Why?

One word: control.

Those who control sex control the world, and that's not an exaggeration. Think about it.

Sex is as natural as breathing. Who planted the notion in our minds all but the narrowest of sexual situations -- especially between consenting adults -- are sinful or shameful? More importantly, why?

Uh huh. Control. Control people and they'll buy your products, fight your wars, kiss your ass.

People who feel guilty or ashamed are even easier to control. They'll do what they're told, including the persecution of others who color outside the lines. It happens in politics. It happens in religion. It happens in media, advertising, and retail. It's pervasive. And people fall for it. Sheeple.

When you are conditioned from childhood to believe that having multiple sexual partners is undesirable, that having a same sex partner is scandalous, that masturbation is wrong, that bisexuality is slutty, that cross dressing is twisted, that anal sex is an abomination, and that polyamory is unnatural, you are being controlled. When you look down your nose at what trips someone else's triggers because those triggers are not on some arbitrary list of copacetic kinks, it is a direct result of you having been manipulated to believe that sex is dirty.

Nothing. Nothing, nowhere, ever, ever is going to expunge our desire for sex -- and our desire to be desired for sex. Look at all the money advertisers spend to push products geared to make you look, smell, taste, and feel sexy. You're being controlled. You're being told what to believe and when to believe it. Your body must look like this, your hair like that. You can't have wrinkles. It's not attractive. It's also bullshit.

There are some frightful forces at work these days. Corporate interests pushing politicians to behave like something out of 1984. And Big Brother has some serious hangups about sex. Anyone who truly believes the war on contraception and the war on hardcore erotica are unrelated needs to buy my beachfront property in Kentucky.

When it comes to censoring erotica, the manipulators are skilled. They first target the niches that are considered (again, due to that conditioning) unsavory. We're talking about fiction here. Fiction! Imaginary friends. Made up stuff. Legal stuff, even, between consenting adults. Sorry. Can't have it. They're systematically making it financially difficult for a business to supply a product for which there is a strong demand.

Readers need to understand that if they want to continue to have unrestricted access to their preferred fantasy fiction, they need to speak up. It might be uncomfortable. Overcoming the lifelong conditioning that it's sinful or shameful is damned difficult.

Authors need to understand that if they allow these forces to divide and conquer, they've ceded control -- creative control -- to Big Brother. We write to entertain, to enlighten, and to titillate. We don't write to further someone else's agenda.

Vendors need to band together and fight back against coercion from payment processors, because without authors, the vendors will not have a product to sell.

Voters need to be aware that the candidates spouting words about controlling sex, relationships, and contraception are not working for the people. They're working for Big Brother.

peace & passion,

~ Alessia