Congratulations are in order for Luis Acosta, winner of the NYC Condom wrapper design competition run by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Decided by popular vote, Acosta’s design, featuring a yellow power symbol (IEC 5009 – line partially within a broken circle), drew my attention to the many puns that can now be made when you turn on your computer.

Here’s what New York City Health Commissioner, Dr Thomas Farley, had to say about the design (from NPR):

“When I saw [the design], I said this is pure genius,” Farley told the crowd. “Everyone recognizes that symbol on their PC. People should use their own power to control their sexual health.” And once you see the power-on logo in a sexual context, it does have a dirty vibe to it. That’s the beautiful thing about designing a condom wrapper: It makes the most simple image seem erotic.

I didn’t even know New York City had a branded condom (they are specifically branded Lifestyles condoms). Apparently the program has been running since Valentines Day 2007 with the cute tagline – Get Some!

♺ Ping: NPR, Robert Smith, “Official Condom Design: New York’s New Sex Symbol”, 9 March 2010. Also listen to the radio broadcast version. Photo: Adaptation of Roadside ads for condoms by Alaskan Dude (crop and resize). This version and the original available under a CC BY 2.0 Generic licence.

i really like the art work of slava mougtin. self-proclaimed “exiled dissident, porno activist, homo terrorist, pinko commie fag,” his exploits saw him become the target of three high publicity criminal cases which ultimately resulted in his forced move to america.

his highly sexualised installation and photographic works are a paradox. at once they are challenging to the feminised concept of the gay man present in the social psyche, yet subtle features, expressions, clothing and props continually reinvent and reinvigorate the fem nature of gay boys. his installation and photographic work effortlessly obliterates sex/gender stereotypes, to present new, masculinised and hyper-masculinised portrayals of mid-20s gay men.

from pref no 9, 2006

he’s obsession with queer ’straight guys’ as sex objects is paramount to his masculine homosexual idea. his object of desire is wiggas, “generally used to describe a young, middle or upper-class mimicker of certain affectations of hip hop culture.” red hat (xevi), 2003 is one example. his boys are quintessential of this fashion and lifestyle, often skaters, always lean and regularly well built and muscular. and because they are probably the ‘wrong end of town’ they are imbued with adding hardness and dangerousness, adding to their heightened masculinity). which is exactly how mogutin wants them.

the jock strap—both a practical item used by sportsmen, a symbol of masculinity and a gay fetish item—is an important feature as well. the photograph from pref magazine for example features the model buff and with body hair in a jock strap. but he is wearing jock straps, adorning himself in them, and smelling them. they are fetish objects.

anton_helmet, 2000

another aspect of his work that focused on power is his depiction of men in uniform, violence and sexual powerplay. he fetishises power in a way rarely equated with gay men. flipping through lost boys, a book cataloguing much of his photo work, there are hundreds of images of men in military uniforms, coupled with images such as anton_helmet. a link is established between authority and gay eroticism.

even his most feminised subjects—like phiiliip (see phiiliip & grant, 2003)—are powerful. despite his waif build and his eye make up he is still violent, predatory. his stare is cold and unforgiving, even as he is ‘caught’ (by the viewer) strangling his boyfriend. as patrik, author of cobain in a coma says:

The models glare into the lens like you’re staring at them in gym class and they’re about to kick your ass but they’re so hot you can’t take your eyes away.

phiiliip & grant, 2003

what draws me to his work is his complete disregard for the conventions of sex, sexuality and gender. he diverges from any socially accepted understanding of these and consistantly creates new ideas, merging a hyper-masculine gay male identity with aspects of feminine gay norms.

i am particularly impressed with his ability to easily push his ideas into the mainstream. his work has been published in magazines such as vogue, artforum, ArtUS, the new york times, visionaire, the village voice and i-D.

possibly most important to the success of his new sex/gender identities is the fact that he is living testament to his own ideology. in february last year he did a shoot for playgirl in which he was dressed in wigga wear and allowed himself to be sexualised in the way that he places before his masculine homo gaze in his works.

see slava mogutin’s blog
x-posted: pop-cult ejaculate + elliott’s artwank blog

i really like the art work of slava mougtin. self-proclaimed “exiled dissident, porno activist, homo terrorist, pinko commie fag,” his exploits saw him become the target of three high publicity criminal cases which ultimately resulted in his forced move to america.

his highly sexualised installation and photographic works are a paradox. at once they are challenging to the feminised concept of the gay man present in the social psyche, yet subtle features, expressions, clothing and props continually reinvent and reinvigorate the fem nature of gay boys. his installation and photographic work effortlessly obliterates sex/gender stereotypes, to present new, masculinised and hyper-masculinised portrayals of mid-20s gay men.

from pref no 9, 2006

he’s obsession with queer ’straight guys’ as sex objects is paramount to his masculine homosexual idea. his object of desire is wiggas, “generally used to describe a young, middle or upper-class mimicker of certain affectations of hip hop culture.” red hat (xevi), 2003 is one example. his boys are quintessential of this fashion and lifestyle, often skaters, always lean and regularly well built and muscular. and because they are probably the ‘wrong end of town’ they are imbued with adding hardness and dangerousness, adding to their heightened masculinity). which is exactly how mogutin wants them.

the jock strap—both a practical item used by sportsmen, a symbol of masculinity and a gay fetish item—is an important feature as well. the photograph from pref magazine for example features the model buff and with body hair in a jock strap. but he is wearing jock straps, adorning himself in them, and smelling them. they are fetish objects.

anton_helmet, 2000

another aspect of his work that focused on power is his depiction of men in uniform, violence and sexual powerplay. he fetishises power in a way rarely equated with gay men. flipping through lost boys, a book cataloguing much of his photo work, there are hundreds of images of men in military uniforms, coupled with images such as anton_helmet. a link is established between authority and gay eroticism.

even his most feminised subjects—like phiiliip (see phiiliip & grant, 2003)—are powerful. despite his waif build and his eye make up he is still violent, predatory. his stare is cold and unforgiving, even as he is ‘caught’ (by the viewer) strangling his boyfriend. as patrik, author of cobain in a coma says:

The models glare into the lens like you’re staring at them in gym class and they’re about to kick your ass but they’re so hot you can’t take your eyes away.

phiiliip & grant, 2003

what draws me to his work is his complete disregard for the conventions of sex, sexuality and gender. he diverges from any socially accepted understanding of these and consistantly creates new ideas, merging a hyper-masculine gay male identity with aspects of feminine gay norms.

i am particularly impressed with his ability to easily push his ideas into the mainstream. his work has been published in magazines such as vogue, artforum, ArtUS, the new york times, visionaire, the village voice and i-D.

possibly most important to the success of his new sex/gender identities is the fact that he is living testament to his own ideology. in february last year he did a shoot for playgirl in which he was dressed in wigga wear and allowed himself to be sexualised in the way that he places before his masculine homo gaze in his works.

see slava mogutin’s blog
x-posted: pop-cult ejaculate + elliott’s artwank blog

national institutes of health director Dr Elias Zerhouni said: “Male circumcision performed safely in a medical environment complements other HIV prevention strategies and could lessen the burden of HIV/Aids, especially in countries in sub-Saharan Africa where, according to the 2006 estimates from UNAids, 2.8 million new infections occurred in a single year.”

the claim is related to cells in the foreskin which “may be potential targets for HIV infection” but also on the reduced sensitivity of the skin under the foreskin after circumcision, reducing the likelihood of bleeding and thus exposure to potential infection.

interestingly the trials were halted because it was deemed “unethical not to offer circumcision in the men who were acting as controls,” which throws into question an issue that this report has neglected to comment on. namely, the physcial and psychological effects of circumcision on men.

the foreskin has unique nerve receptors and stretch receptors totally roughly 1000. it is designed to protect the head which can maintain the intended thinness, texture and sensitivity. i don’t really see any rational reason to remove it.

but equally, there is evidence that the removal of the foresking can and does have lasting traumatic effects, as well as physical ones. there’s a good article from the lancet which notes that boys who are circumcised are more sensitive to pain than the uncircumcised boys. They say that “neonatal circumcision may induce long-lasting changes in infant pain behavior because of alterations in the infant’s central neural processing of painful stimuli.”

They also state that “the long-term consequences of surgery done without anaesthesia are likely to include post-traumatic stress as well as pain.”

plus the foreskin experiences sensations of its own. in a way cutting it off is giving the boy worse sex.

national institutes of health director Dr Elias Zerhouni said: “Male circumcision performed safely in a medical environment complements other HIV prevention strategies and could lessen the burden of HIV/Aids, especially in countries in sub-Saharan Africa where, according to the 2006 estimates from UNAids, 2.8 million new infections occurred in a single year.”

the claim is related to cells in the foreskin which “may be potential targets for HIV infection” but also on the reduced sensitivity of the skin under the foreskin after circumcision, reducing the likelihood of bleeding and thus exposure to potential infection.

interestingly the trials were halted because it was deemed “unethical not to offer circumcision in the men who were acting as controls,” which throws into question an issue that this report has neglected to comment on. namely, the physcial and psychological effects of circumcision on men.

the foreskin has unique nerve receptors and stretch receptors totally roughly 1000. it is designed to protect the head which can maintain the intended thinness, texture and sensitivity. i don’t really see any rational reason to remove it.

but equally, there is evidence that the removal of the foresking can and does have lasting traumatic effects, as well as physical ones. there’s a good article from the lancet which notes that boys who are circumcised are more sensitive to pain than the uncircumcised boys. They say that “neonatal circumcision may induce long-lasting changes in infant pain behavior because of alterations in the infant’s central neural processing of painful stimuli.”

They also state that “the long-term consequences of surgery done without anaesthesia are likely to include post-traumatic stress as well as pain.”

plus the foreskin experiences sensations of its own. in a way cutting it off is giving the boy worse sex.

i wonder if these are targeted ads to people identifying as gay or bi?

The point of this inaugural column is simple: boys are scared of sex toys. Now, I know that this is a massive generalisation, and while we’re generalising I am going to also say that for a society that seems to be so ‘sexed’ – think about the rhetoric around sex in advertising, sexual ‘liberation’, sex classes in secondary schooling, even think Big Brother controversy – we certainly have a conservative attitude towards “marital aides”, and men especially so.

Men seem to be scared of them! And fair enough if you’re being introduced to sparky: a red and black 12-inch studded dildo with ‘life-like’ texture, 15 accessories, and a 8-speed controlmechanism powered by a 4-stroke engine. But before the image of a giant donger towering above you like some clichéd take off of Kubrick’s monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey influences your judgement let’s explore this phenomenon a bit. it seems that straight men and some gay men, are particularly on-edge in the presence of a vibrating, disembodied wang!

The article continues by proposing two sex myths that seem to perpetuate this social anxiety:

1. the ‘lousy in bed’ myth: apparently a rubber cock means you’re inadequate as a lover, a myth quintessentially marked by ‘Why would she need that when she’s got me?’-type statements; and

2. the ‘you’re a fag’ myth: equally absurd is the idea that using sex toys on you or your partner somehow means you’re a ‘poofter’ (excluded gay men of course).

From this I get the feeling that somehow an inanimate sex object can challenge masculinity and sexuality at the same time! But boys, sex toys do not make you obsolete; they do not make you any less of a man; and they do not make you inadequate. And, in the case of straight men, they do not make you gay (or any more or less gay than you already are). If anything it shows you are an openminded lover, comfortable with your sexuality and as interested in getting them off as you are getting yourself off.

The main points the column goes on to make are:

- the vibrator will stay hard a lot longer than you can: generally boys just blow and end of show, regardless of who else is left waiting to get off. A vibrator will pick up the slack (pardon the pun).

- the vibrator doesn’t have to replace your cock: they can be used to enhance the sexual experience. Run it on a low setting gently over their body, concentrating on naughty bits; nipples, thighs, clitoris, balls, shaft. Use it to stimulate your partner while you’re keeping up the pace. And remember, you have another hand and a mouth. Why should the dildo have all the fun?

- some men argue that ‘there aren’t that many toys out there for us [men] anyway’: but that’s untrue, there are heaps (see belwo). But even if that were the case, market economics applies so prove there is demand and you will be supplied.

So to inform men’s demands, I provide a a snapshot of what is out there on the market.

DILDOS
Dildos come in an assortment of shapes, styles and colours (and even flavours). I suggest starting smaller and more basic, maybe something like the Wonder Bullet or the waterproof Essence (because fun shouldn’t be limited to the bedroom). When you’re ready go a bit more heavy duty, like the 10-speed Love G or explore some of the range with clip-on attachments, interchangeable heads, oscillating beads or even double ended ones, strap ons and ones with suction caps to mount to different surfaces. And if you’re a bit of a music freak, you can always invest in the iBuzz, a portable vibrator that plays rock songs to get your rocks off to.

VIBRATORS
Who wants to keep dashing out of the bedroom in your jocks and with a hard on to flog the TV remote batteries? Thankfully there is quite a range of plug-in and rechargeable vibrators as well. And if you’re using a multiple-speed vibrator, bear in mind it is not like gear changes in a rally race. Sometimes coming in across the line first doesn’t make you the ultimate winner.

BUTT PLUGS
As well as dildos there are butt plugs and anal beads to consider. Butt plugs tend to be more pyramid shaped than dildos. If its for everyone’s enjoyment consider something like the Acute or the Beaded Rotator. If it’s for you, check out the Aneros MGX designed specifically for guys. And remember, inserting anything in your anus does not make illegitimate your sexuality. You have a prostate and you are allowed to use it.

OTHER TOYS
But sex toys are not limited to “plugs for holes” (as somebody so inaptly described dildos), there is a whole range of devices for your pleasure and the pleasure of your partner. Masturbation sleeves can be fun (but roll them around between your palms to warm them up before getting going), cock rings (which can help you maintain your erection and postpone how quick you cum), and penis pumps (which are a long-standing joke in popular culture but will stimulate you immensely, leaving you harder and thicker for much longer, and that can’t be a bad thing for all parties concerned).

But a few points of advice:

1. best to give a toy a few goes on your own first. You don’t want the dazed and confused look first time you give it a go, particularly if there’s an audience looking on. (But don’t freak out at this, you don’t need a heavy machinery licence to operate sex toys).

2. when you bring your toy to the party, encourage your girlfriend or boyfriend to watch you with it first. They will be more comfortable with the idea and reduce the likelihood of you sustaining severe injury when they get involved. Besides, you know what works for you.

3. once they’re getting the hang of it, get into it. Squirm a little, touch your body and theirs, make sexy little noises. It’s really sexy knowing your getting your partner off, and you want them to know its good!

4. when it’s their turn be sure to keep talking. Ask them what they like and what is good; where do they like it, what way they prefer, what speed is good.

And then I close with the sensibles:

Remember, always, always read the safety and cleaning instructions. Don’t be afraid lube up – seriously, it may be a hell of a thing to get off sometimes, but it sure beats chaffing. If you’re using cock rings or penis pumps be careful not to put it on too tight or leave it on for too long, you don’t want to burst a blood vessel.

For more info on safe toy sex check out www.scarleteen.com or tinynibbles.com. Also, you can see your doctor, a sexual health specialist or the health department website in your state.

If you’re in Brisbane you can get Voiceworks from the Queensland Art Gallery store and Rockinghorse Records. Check the voiceworks site for other stockists, contribution details and info about the project.

i wonder if these are targeted ads to people identifying as gay or bi?

The point of this inaugural column is simple: boys are scared of sex toys. Now, I know that this is a massive generalisation, and while we’re generalising I am going to also say that for a society that seems to be so ‘sexed’ – think about the rhetoric around sex in advertising, sexual ‘liberation’, sex classes in secondary schooling, even think Big Brother controversy – we certainly have a conservative attitude towards “marital aides”, and men especially so.

Men seem to be scared of them! And fair enough if you’re being introduced to sparky: a red and black 12-inch studded dildo with ‘life-like’ texture, 15 accessories, and a 8-speed controlmechanism powered by a 4-stroke engine. But before the image of a giant donger towering above you like some clichéd take off of Kubrick’s monolith in 2001: A Space Odyssey influences your judgement let’s explore this phenomenon a bit. it seems that straight men and some gay men, are particularly on-edge in the presence of a vibrating, disembodied wang!

The article continues by proposing two sex myths that seem to perpetuate this social anxiety:

1. the ‘lousy in bed’ myth: apparently a rubber cock means you’re inadequate as a lover, a myth quintessentially marked by ‘Why would she need that when she’s got me?’-type statements; and

2. the ‘you’re a fag’ myth: equally absurd is the idea that using sex toys on you or your partner somehow means you’re a ‘poofter’ (excluded gay men of course).

From this I get the feeling that somehow an inanimate sex object can challenge masculinity and sexuality at the same time! But boys, sex toys do not make you obsolete; they do not make you any less of a man; and they do not make you inadequate. And, in the case of straight men, they do not make you gay (or any more or less gay than you already are). If anything it shows you are an openminded lover, comfortable with your sexuality and as interested in getting them off as you are getting yourself off.

The main points the column goes on to make are:

- the vibrator will stay hard a lot longer than you can: generally boys just blow and end of show, regardless of who else is left waiting to get off. A vibrator will pick up the slack (pardon the pun).

- the vibrator doesn’t have to replace your cock: they can be used to enhance the sexual experience. Run it on a low setting gently over their body, concentrating on naughty bits; nipples, thighs, clitoris, balls, shaft. Use it to stimulate your partner while you’re keeping up the pace. And remember, you have another hand and a mouth. Why should the dildo have all the fun?

- some men argue that ‘there aren’t that many toys out there for us [men] anyway’: but that’s untrue, there are heaps (see belwo). But even if that were the case, market economics applies so prove there is demand and you will be supplied.

So to inform men’s demands, I provide a a snapshot of what is out there on the market.

DILDOS
Dildos come in an assortment of shapes, styles and colours (and even flavours). I suggest starting smaller and more basic, maybe something like the Wonder Bullet or the waterproof Essence (because fun shouldn’t be limited to the bedroom). When you’re ready go a bit more heavy duty, like the 10-speed Love G or explore some of the range with clip-on attachments, interchangeable heads, oscillating beads or even double ended ones, strap ons and ones with suction caps to mount to different surfaces. And if you’re a bit of a music freak, you can always invest in the iBuzz, a portable vibrator that plays rock songs to get your rocks off to.

VIBRATORS
Who wants to keep dashing out of the bedroom in your jocks and with a hard on to flog the TV remote batteries? Thankfully there is quite a range of plug-in and rechargeable vibrators as well. And if you’re using a multiple-speed vibrator, bear in mind it is not like gear changes in a rally race. Sometimes coming in across the line first doesn’t make you the ultimate winner.

BUTT PLUGS
As well as dildos there are butt plugs and anal beads to consider. Butt plugs tend to be more pyramid shaped than dildos. If its for everyone’s enjoyment consider something like the Acute or the Beaded Rotator. If it’s for you, check out the Aneros MGX designed specifically for guys. And remember, inserting anything in your anus does not make illegitimate your sexuality. You have a prostate and you are allowed to use it.

OTHER TOYS
But sex toys are not limited to “plugs for holes” (as somebody so inaptly described dildos), there is a whole range of devices for your pleasure and the pleasure of your partner. Masturbation sleeves can be fun (but roll them around between your palms to warm them up before getting going), cock rings (which can help you maintain your erection and postpone how quick you cum), and penis pumps (which are a long-standing joke in popular culture but will stimulate you immensely, leaving you harder and thicker for much longer, and that can’t be a bad thing for all parties concerned).

But a few points of advice:

1. best to give a toy a few goes on your own first. You don’t want the dazed and confused look first time you give it a go, particularly if there’s an audience looking on. (But don’t freak out at this, you don’t need a heavy machinery licence to operate sex toys).

2. when you bring your toy to the party, encourage your girlfriend or boyfriend to watch you with it first. They will be more comfortable with the idea and reduce the likelihood of you sustaining severe injury when they get involved. Besides, you know what works for you.

3. once they’re getting the hang of it, get into it. Squirm a little, touch your body and theirs, make sexy little noises. It’s really sexy knowing your getting your partner off, and you want them to know its good!

4. when it’s their turn be sure to keep talking. Ask them what they like and what is good; where do they like it, what way they prefer, what speed is good.

And then I close with the sensibles:

Remember, always, always read the safety and cleaning instructions. Don’t be afraid lube up – seriously, it may be a hell of a thing to get off sometimes, but it sure beats chaffing. If you’re using cock rings or penis pumps be careful not to put it on too tight or leave it on for too long, you don’t want to burst a blood vessel.

For more info on safe toy sex check out www.scarleteen.com or tinynibbles.com. Also, you can see your doctor, a sexual health specialist or the health department website in your state.

If you’re in Brisbane you can get Voiceworks from the Queensland Art Gallery store and Rockinghorse Records. Check the voiceworks site for other stockists, contribution details and info about the project.

anyway, i am currently working on column 2 for the zero issue. i am writing zero sex, looking at celibacy and abstinence and how they fit into our contemporary understanding of sexuality. so what are your thoughts?

anyway, i am currently working on column 2 for the zero issue. i am writing zero sex, looking at celibacy and abstinence and how they fit into our contemporary understanding of sexuality. so what are your thoughts?