Hey folks! I’m about to hit the road on tour for February and early March, and I wanted to let you all know where I’ll be heading - Dallas, St. Louis, New Haven, New York City, Washington DC, Denver, Boulder, and Ontario! If you’re in the area for any of my events, please come out & see me - and let your friends know about it, too!

Until then,

Tristan

————–

February 4-7
Creating Change Conference
Dallas, TX
Tristan will be one of the featured presenters at the Sexual Liberation Institute, one of the day-long institutes at Creating Change, the annual conference of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force. She will also be a panelist on several panels related to sex within the LGBT movement. As we look around at our fierce battles to win marriage rights, establish and protect our families, and secure the economic well-being of our diverse households, one is struck by the near-erasure of LGBT sexuality in these struggles, and by the silencing of frank dialogue about sexual diversity and sexual practices in our communities. Do we still believe that LGBT people have a unique contribution to make in American life in the areas of sexual liberation and sexual expression? Or is our desire irrelevant to the quest for “equality”? This year’s Sexual Liberation Institute will focus on desire – our individual desires: how we have shaped them and how they have shaped us. The personal is still political. Come to this workshop and find out how to connect the dots between claiming your power in the bedroom and seizing power in the streets or the halls of justice.

February 7-11
Sex Week at Washington University
St. Louis, MO
Tristan will be the featured guest at Sex Week at Washington University. More details to come.

February 13, 7:00 pm
Sex, Gender and Pornography Panel
New Haven, CT
Moderated by Lux Alptraum, guests (all pioneers in progressive porn production) discuss how gender has influenced their roles and aspirations within the adult film industry. Panelists include creator of alt porn site BurningAngel.com, Joanna Angel, Feminist Porn Award-winning director/educator Tristan Taormino, Feminist Porn Award-winning director, Madison Young, FTM Trans pornography pioneer Buck Angel, and cross-over/breakthrough star Sasha Grey.
Location: Yale University, SSS 114, New Haven, CT
Info: Sex Week At Yale

February 14, 1:00 pm
Beyond Monogamy: The Case for Open Relationships
New Haven, CT
Relationship and sex expert Tristan Taormino offers a bold new strategy for creating loving, lasting relationships. Drawing on in-depth research, interviews with over a hundred women and men, and her own personal experiences, Tristan explores the real-life benefits and challenges of open relationships in her new book. With her refreshingly down-to-earth style and sharp wit, Taormino argues that we must question the fairy tales and challenge the myths we’ve been taught about love, sex, intimacy, and commitment- only then can we create relationships that are honest, fulfilling, and really work.
Location: Yale University, WLH 208, New Haven, CT
Info: Sex Week At Yale

February 20, 3:00 pm
Rough Sex at CineKink Film Festival
New York, NY
CineKink presents “Bring It!” a showcase of adult industry films, including Rough Sex. Here’s your chance to see a scene from Rough Sex (”Stranded” starring Satine Phoenix and Derrick Pierce) on the big screen! Along with it, see excerpts from Carlos Batts’ Behind the Red Door, Frisk Me directed by Madison Young, Courtney Trouble’s Seven Minutes in Heaven: Coming Out, and Whorrey Potter and the Sorcerer’s Balls from director Dominic Ford.
Location: Anthology Film Archives - Courthouse Theatre, 32 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10003
Admission: Buy tickets here or a Festival all access pass here
Have you seen Rough Sex? Please let others know by rating it or reviewing it, you can comment on the CineKink/B Side’s official page for the movie!

February 26-28
Dark Odyssey: Winter Fire 2010
Washington, DC
Join us for the 7th Annual Dark Odyssey: Winter Fire. This unique event features nationally known presenters, top-notch workshops, infamous special events, incredible vendors, unbelievable playspaces, and an amazing Saturday night dinner banquet and show featuring the Wet Spots. Come. Experience. Ecstasy.
Admission: See website. The earlier you register, the better rate you get!
Info: info (at) darkdodyssey.com

March 4
The Expert Guide to Sex Toys with Tristan Taormino
Denver, CO
Are you looking to liven up solo sex, hit hot spots more easily, or give your partner new sensations? Sex expert, writer, and adult filmmaker, Tristan Taormino, author of The Big Book of Sex Toys, wants to help you use toys and other accessories to take your sex life to the next level! She’ll share her picks for the best lube, vibrators (including compact, clitoral, wearable, insertable, dual-action, and luxury vibes), dildos, strap-on harnesses, butt plugs, men’s toys, G-spot and prostate toys, sensation play tools, bondage, and more! She’ll talk about creative ways to use toys and other sexy goodies to transform your bedroom into an erotic playground. Plus, you’ll be able to ask her all your burning questions in a supportive, non-judgmental environment. Join Tristan as she takes you on a tour of all you need to know to have sensational, mind-blowing sex!
Location: Fascinations 2680 S. Havana Street, Suite G, Aurora, CO 80014
Admission: free and open to the public
Info: colten (at) puckerup.com

March 5-7
TRANSforming Gender Conference
Boulder, CO
Tristan will give the Keynote Speech and facilitate a workshop at this annual conference produced by the GLBT Resource Center of the University of Colorado in Boulder.
Info: details to come.

March 11, 7:30-9:30 pm
Advanced Anal Pleasure Workshop
Toronto, ON, Canada
Are you ready to take the next step in anal pleasure? Tristan Taormino, sex educator, adult filmmaker and bestselling author of The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women, is ready to take you there! In this popular workshop, Tristan will discuss many advanced topics, including: the ins and outs of anal penetration; prostate stimulation; anal sex positions; strap-on anal sex; orgasms through anal penetration; extended butt plug wearing; and anal fisting. Plus, there will be an extensive Q&A.
Location: Come As You Are - 416-504-7934
701 Queen Street West, Toronto, Canada, M6J 1E6
Admission: $35/per person (Sliding Scale is Available). Pre-registration is required for all workshops. All genders welcome.

March 12, 7:00 pm
Keynote Address
Porn Reborn: New Movements and Markets in Pornography
Toronto, ON, Canada
Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at The University of Toronto and the Sexual Diversity Studies Student Union (SDSSU) present its annual conference, Porn Reborn: New Movements and Markets in Pornography. Tristan will give the Keynote Speech. More details TBA.
Location: Medical Sciences Building, JJR Macleod Auditorium, University of Toronto

I am also headed to Portland, OR and Seattle, WA - see my tour schedule for details!

Dark Odyssey: Winter Fire 2010 is only a month away! Like you, we’ve been devastated by the news of the earthquake in Haiti. Beginning now through Monday, January 25 at midnight PST, we will donate $20 of each new Dark Odyssey registration to Doctors Without Borders to help the relief effort in Haiti. Our challenge is to raise $1,000 or more. If we raise at least $1,000, PuckerUp.com will match our donation, doubling the amount of money we can give! So please help spread the word: register for an amazing event and help Haiti at the same time.

Your registration not only helps a worthy cause, it’s your ticket to one of the most exciting events in the country! From world renowned Tantra experts, to infamously skilled deviant dominants, to nationally acclaimed authors and award-winning educators, we have presenters from around the world teaching the most unique, exciting workshops anywhere. Look who’s coming:

Amy Jo Goddard * Angel & Sebastien * Anita Wagner * Barbara Carrellas *
Bobby * Ms Cynthia (CM Hurt) * Dan & Dawn * Danielle dv8 * Julian Wolf *
Lady Hilary & Marine * Lqqkout! * Marc B * Mark Michaels & Patricia Johnson
* Mistress Max Rulz * Mollena * Q * Sarah Sloane * SwitchMe * Whittney *
Wintersong Tashlin

In addition to workshops, Dark Odyssey features creative social activities, nightly special events, erotic rituals, an optional banquet with sexy & spectacular entertainment, the Sex-O-Rama playspace, and a huge, fully equipped dungeon so you can play to your hearts desire. Our legendary special events include:

Dirty Talk Olympics * Genderqueer Mixer * Prostate Play ‘Hands In’ Event * Banquet and Show featuring “The Wet Spots”

All this happens in a nationally known, upscale hotel located in the heart of Washington DC, with easy access to metro, Amtrak, and DCA airport. Our host hotel offers us private ballroom-level event space so we can play the way we want, and has wonderful amenities including onsite lounge & restaurant, gift & snack shop, and saunas & exercise rooms. Even better we’ve locked in special rates of $129 per night (for two or more nights) for king & double rooms, so you can relax and enjoy the event without having to travel all weekend!

Current registration rates are good through January 31!
Please join us and register before Monday to help us make this fundraiser as successful as possible.

Visit our website, http://www.darkodyssey.com for more details. We hope you will join us for this exciting event!

Best Regards,

The Producers of Dark Odyssey:

Tristan, Greg, Karri, and Colten

Hi everyone - my tour plans have finally been set, and I’m excited to say that I’ll be doing a number of classes & lectures on polyamory and non-monogamy next month! Here’s the info … you can also check out my Tour page for info on all of my appearances!

Sunday, November 8, 5:00 pm potluck, 6:00 pm workshop
Santa Fe, NM
KINKY POSSIBILITIES: OPEN RELATIONSHIPS IN THE SCENE
People who practice BDSM and those who are in Dominant/submissive relationships face unique challenges in both designing their open relationships and making them work. Relationship expert and bestselling author Tristan Taormino offers practical advice and strategies for dealing with specific issues related to being open and kinky. We’ll cover: common open relationship styles within BDSM communities and how they can work best; creative ways for giving everyone a voice in the negotiation process; dealing with jealousy and other intense feelings; and practical conflict resolution skills. In the interactive facilitated portion of this workshop, participants will be encouraged to share their stories, issues, and solutions.
RSVP: see Fetlife event page for details!
Location: see FetLife event page for location & directions, not on FetLife? email me!
Info: colten (at) puckerup.com

Monday, November 16, 7:00 pm
Minneapolis, MN
DESIGNING YOUR OPEN RELATIONSHIP
Are you considering an open relationship? Does your current open relationship need some tweaking? In this interactive workshop, relationship expert and author of Opening Up, Tristan Taormino will explore common myths, real-life benefits and challenges, and how to decide if an open relationship is right for you.
You’ll learn to articulate what you want, identify and negotiate limits and boundaries, communicate with your partner(s) in productive ways, and create relationships that work for you.
Admission: $30, pre-registration is required
Save on tickets: sign up for multiple of Tristan’s in-store events and save!! Just $50 for 2 workshops, $60 for ALL THREE!
Info: 612-721-6088
Email: info (at) smittenkittenonline.com
URL: http://www.smittenkittenonline.com

Tuesday, November 17, 8;00 pm
Princeton University, NJ
Beyond Monogamy: The Case for Open Relationships
A Book Talk with Tristan Taormino
Relationship and sex expert Tristan Taormino offers a bold new strategy for creating loving, lasting relationships. Drawing on in-depth research, interviews with over a hundred women and men, and her own personal experiences, Tristan explores the real-life benefits and challenges of open relationships in her new book. With her refreshingly down-to-earth style and sharp wit, Taormino argues that we must question the fairy tales and challenge the myths we’ve been taught about love, sex, intimacy, and commitment- only then can we create relationships that are honest, fulfilling, and really work.
Sponsored by LeTS.
Location: TBA
URL: http://www.princeton.edu/lgbt/events/index.htm
Info: colten (at) puckerup.com

November 20-22, 2009
Worcester, MA
TRANSCENDING BOUNDARIES
6th Annual Conference
The Transcending Boundaries conference for bisexual/pansexual, trans/genderqueer, intersex, and polyamorous people and our allies. We are pleased to announce that this year’s keynote speaker will be renowned alternative sexualities speaker Tristan Taormino.
The conference strives to foster community, provide safe space, educate ourselves, and overcome societal sex, gender, and sexuality boundaries! Join us for open mic and Transgender Day of Remembrance reception, dynamic workshops, parties and entertainment, and a keynote luncheon with Tristan Taormino. We welcome everyone, from local, regional and national leaders in the bi, trans, intersex and poly communities to newcomers and allies. TBC works hard to make our conference safe, affordable and accessible for all.
Location: DCU Center and the Hilton Garden Inn in Worcester, MA
Admission: Register online at  www.transcendingboundaries.org

I’m headed to Washington, DC & Baltimore for some fantastic events this coming weekend! I have been all over the US this year touring with my new book, Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships, and I am really excited to finally get down to DC & Baltimore for some tour events.
Know anyone in the area who might be interested in attending? I am looking for help getting the word out so please feel free to cross-post this information!

I hope to see you there!

xo,
Tristan

Friday 2/27, 7:00 pm
Washington DC
ANAL PLEASURE 101
In this sublime workshop, one she has taught around the world for over 9 years, Tristan introduces you to the world of anal pleasure for men and women. With humor and skill she covers a wide variety of topics, including: myths about anal sex; anal anatomy, the G-spot, and the prostate; basic preparation and hygiene; lubes, anal toys, and safer sex; anal penetration for beginners, and much more! There will be time for questions & answers with Tristan and her books & DVDs will be on sale for you to take home. This event is sponsored by Whole DC.
Location: Hotel Helix, 1430 Rhode Island Ave, Washington DC
Admission: $25, register online at  https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/55802
Info: wholedc (at) gmail.com
URL: http://www.wholedc.com/Tristan_and_Jenny_Events.html

Saturday, 2/28, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
VIP BRUNCH WITH TRISTAN TAORMINO
Washington DC
Want to support Whole DC and help us to open DC’s sex-positive community center and boutique? Show your support at this fabulous fundraiser brunch! You’ll be treated to an elegant VIP Brunch at the fabulous Hotel Helix with special guest Tristan Taormino. Tristan is an author, adult film director (including the red hot Chemistry series and the Vivid-Ed collection), sex advice columnist, and queer feminist and activist. This is your chance to enjoy a delicious meal and an intimate conversation with her and a small group of guests.
Plus, with your purchase of a VIP ticket to the brunch, you’ll also get: a front row seat at Tristan and Jenny Block’s reading that evening at 7 pm, a VIP ticket to the PolyAfterParty that night, AND a sexy goodie bag from Astroglide, PuckerUp.com & Whole DC. (a $50 retail value)
Location: Hotel Helix, 1430 Rhode Island Ave, Washington DC
Admission: $75 in advance only, register online at  http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/56258
Info: wholedc (at) gmail.com
URL: http://www.wholedc.com/Tristan_and_Jenny_Events.html

Saturday, 2/28, 7:00 pm
Washington DC
JENNY BLOCK & TRISTAN TAORMINO AT GEORGETOWN
Jenny Block reads from her memoir Open: Love, Sex, and Life in an Open Marriage and Tristan Taormino reads from her book Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships. Their readings will be followed by a question & answer and discussion about monogamy, non-monogamy, and the state of love and relationships today. This event is co-sponsored by Georgetown University Pride as part of their Sex Positive Week and by Whole DC.
Location: ICC 115, Georgetown University, Washington DC
Admission: FREE (seating capacity limited to 150)
Info: wholedc (at) gmail.com
URL: http://www.wholedc.com/Tristan_and_Jenny_Events.html

Saturday, 2/28, 9:00 pm - 2:00 am
Washington DC
EPIC DC & Whole DC present
The PolyAfterParty!!
Sex positive? Queer, Straight, or Flexible? Mix & mingle at Be Bar, meet authors Jenny Block & Tristan Taormino in person, celebrate their new books and enjoy marvelous entertainment & dance until you drop. This party is a benefit for Women Empowered Against Violence (WEAVE) and the anti-domestic violence work they do in DC.
Doors open at 9 pm, DJ & Entertainment from 10 pm to 2 am
Location: Be Bar - 1318 9th St NW Washington, DC
Admission: Tickets available at the door $10, 18+ with id
Info: wholedc (at) gmail.com
URL: http://www.wholedc.com/Tristan_and_Jenny_Events.html

Sunday, 3/1, 6:00 pm, doors open at 5:30 pm
MAKING OPEN RELATIONSHIPS WORK
Baltimore, MD
Do open relationships really work? How do people create nontraditional partnerships that are loving and lasting? Tristan Taormino, relationship expert and author of Opening Up, shares some of the key principles that can help your open relationship(s) succeed. She’ll discuss common issues and problems-from “new relationship energy” and time management to jealousy and agreement violations-and ways to address and resolve them. Tristan will offer tips on communication, negotiation, and boundary setting, as well as how to cope with change. Learn how to get to the root of jealous feelings and transform them by embracing the concept of compersion. Whether you’re a newcomer or veteran to the world beyond monogamy, come discover strategies to help you nurture and grow your open relationship(s).
Location: Sugar, 927 West 36th Street, Baltimore, MD 21211 (entrance is behind building)
Admission: $30, register by phone (410.467.2632) or online here.
Info: tristanontour (at) yahoo.com

Monday, 3/2, 7:00 pm
MY LIFE AS A FEMINIST PORNOGRAPHER
Goucher College, Baltimore, MD
Award-winning author Tristan Taormino shares her personal journey from writer and sex educator to self-identified feminist pornographer. She’ll dish details about the process of producing, directing, and starring in her first video, The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women, from striking a deal with mainstream producer legend John Stagliano of Evil Angel Video to putting her ass on the line-literally. She’ll discuss why she chose to do porn, the challenges and breakthroughs she has seen within the adult industry with regards to women’s pleasure, and her personal goals for working within the industry. She will bring an old argument to a new level of discussion: Is feminist pornography a paradox or can we really create sex-positive empowering porn?
Location: Kelly Lecture Hall, Goucher College Campus, Baltimore, MD
Admission: FREE
Info: tristanontour (at) yahoo.com

Hi all,

January was a very busy month for me, but I am happy to say I finished my new book for Quiver, The Big Book of Sex Toys! My first Quiver book, The Anal Sex Position Guide, comes out this spring, so stay tuned for details about it. Amazon finally has the new, final cover up, and it looks really hot! Speaking of heat, Penny Flame and I have been hard at work on the next Vivid-Ed movie, Penny Flame’s Expert Guide to Rough Sex, which will be out in March. I’m thrilled to report that Chemistry 3 has been selected to be screened at the 2009 CineKink Film Festival in New York City, and Chemistry 1 will be shown as part of the 10th Annual Red Dawns Feminist and Queer Festival in Ljubljana, Slovenia (March 5-8, 2009). I have also been working on a few new media projects, which I hope to tell you more about in the very near future! I meant to send this newsletter out at the beginning of the month, but I was swamped getting ready for Dark Odyssey: Winter Fire. I am happy to report that it was an amazing weekend!

Just before Dark Odyssey, I headed to Winter Wickedness in Ohio, where I taught and gave the keynote address; some local right wing nut protested the event, there were actually picketers and we were the top story on the local news! I have finally recovered from Dark Odyssey, and now I am packing for a quick trip to the West Coast where I’m speaking at University of Washington Bothell. This coming Friday I travel back to Washington, DC for some fantastic events, all sponsored by Whole, the sex-positive community center and boutique that opens later this year; events include an anal sex workshop, a VIP brunch, a reading with Open author Jenny Block at Georgetown, and The PolyAfterParty! I then hop over to Baltimore for a class at sex positive shop Sugar and a presentation at Goucher College. At the beginning of March, I will be at Food for Thought Books in Amherst for a Best Lesbian Erotica 2009 reading. I’ll definitely be ready for some R and R after that! As always, I hope to see some of you on the road!

with lube + affection,
Tristan

P.S. I’m still in love with Twitter, please come follow me: http://www.twitter.com/tristantaormino

Calling all heteros, bisexuals, queers, transfolk, genderqueers, crossdressers, swingers, sex-positive peeps, sex workers, pleasure activists, Tantra people, Pagans, sacred sexuality lovers, and freaks…Join us Valentine’s Weekend—February 13-15, 2009—for the 5th Annual Dark Odyssey: Winter Fire. This unique event features nationally known presenters, top-notch workshops, infamous special events, incredible vendors, unbelievable playspaces, and an amazing Saturday night dinner banquet and show. Presenters include Amanda Wildefyre, Barbara Carrellas, Dossie Easton, Lolita Wolf, Penny Flame (that’s right, learn the most amazing hand job techniques from the master herself!), Princess Donna of Kink.com (Directrix of WiredPussy.com and models on lots of other sites; her appearance on TheTrainingOfO.com is especially hot), Femcar, Dan & dawn, Trent of Evolutionary Tantra, me, and many more to be announced! It all happens at a gorgeous upscale hotel in Washington, DC. Remember that the earlier you register, the better rate you get!

Folks have asked me to put a copy of my Poly Pride keynote speech online, so here it is.

Poly Pride Keynote
Tristan Taormino
October 4, 2008

Thanks to Polyamorous NYC for hosting this and all the other events this weekend in celebration of Poly Pride, and especially to Birgitte and Lyndell for inviting me to be here, and Antonia, Justen, Patrick, Rich, and Mark for their organizing efforts.

When I was researching my new book on open relationships, I read the classic 1973 book Group Marriage by Larry and Joan Constantine, which was based on interviews with people all over the U.S. who were living in group marriages. Back then, the Constantines found their first interview subjects through a very loosely organized group that published a newsletter called “The Harrad Letter” and held sporadic meetings somewhere in New England. From there, the couple tracked people down through word of mouth, even innuendo and gossip. They followed up every lead they got by writing letters to people asking them to participate in their study. Then, they packed up their Volkswagen Squareback and made six cross-country trips in three years to talk to these people. It’s pretty remarkable to think that they had the courage to literally drive to the homes of complete strangers, knock on their doors, and talk to them about something no one was talking about back then.

Thirty five years later, here we are in Central Park, and looking out into this crowd today, obviously a lot has changed. People interested in consensual non-monogamy have many resources at their disposal, and we no longer have to drive cross country to find each other. This is due in large part to the work of educators and activists within the growing polyamory movement. But while we can connect, network, and support each other, there is still a great deal of misunderstanding about our relationships. Many of us cannot be open with our loved ones about our lives for fear of being ostracized or discriminated against. We face ignorance and hostility because we dare to challenge two intertwined institutions: marriage and monogamy.

Marriage as we know it is changing. Conservatives would say it’s under attack, under fire. I say it’s just under construction. And hopefully, this fall on Election Day, we can also say it’s under new management. Queer people are at the forefront of the movement to re-define marriage right now, and unfortunately—with typical divide-and-conquer tactics—the Right Wing has pitted queers and polyfolk against one another. Conservative Stanley Kurtz said “Among the likeliest effects of gay marriage is to take us down a slippery slope to legalized polygamy and ‘polyamory.’ Marriage will be transformed into a variety of relationship contracts, linking two, three, or more individuals (however weakly and temporarily) in every conceivable combination of male and female.” As if that is a bad thing? Celebrating more love and more commitments between consenting adults?

Some gays and lesbians have responded to the charge of the “slippery slope” by calling it ridiculous, but others have defended gay marriage by denouncing polyamory. What about those of us who are queer and poly? Queers and polyfolk have a lot in common, and we need to recognize the ways we can help each other. Queer people must stand up and say we believe in the rights of everyone to love, commit to, and marry whomever they want. We must not throw polyamory under the bus in favor of advancing queer marriage rights.

We need to listen to each other and learn from each other. The polyamory movement can learn a lot from the GLBT movement. The poly community must strive to be an INCLUSIVE community. We cannot turn our backs on poly swingers or solo polyamorists or that one really slutty poly friend we all have. We cannot shrug off monogamous folks who want to be our allies. We need to embrace all those people around us who are challenging monogamy in some way and who believe in the rights of people to protect their relationships, whatever form they take. And we need to find a way to change the climate in this country, by creating community to foster a larger awareness and understanding of multi-love relationships.

People ask me a lot, “What did you learn from the people you interviewed for Opening Up? What do they all have in common? What makes open relationships work?” There are some common principles. Honesty. Self awareness. Trust. Communication. Boundaries. Commitment.

And this may be what is scariest of all to our enemies: we practice what they preach. We have values. We have many of the exact same values they that they claim over and over we don’t. Values is such a loaded term, it has become laced with religion and morality and the conservative right wing has tried to equate values, like family values, with a heterosexual, 2-parent, married, nuclear family. We need to reclaim the word values. We need to rip it out of the hands of pundits and bigots and stand up to defend OUR polyamorous values.

Our society is poised to change dramatically in the next decade. Like other minorities before us, polyamorous people need to come out when it’s safe to do so and educate our loved ones, our neighbors, our doctors and others around us about our lives. We need to tell our stories. I’ve had the privilege to hear the stories of hundreds of people in non-monogamous relationships. Like Leslie from Minnesota whose two husbands supported her through chemotherapy after she was diagnosed with cancer. Or Cat in Oklahoma, who lost custody of her children for being polyamorous. Or a poly circle of four in the Pacific Northwest who have owned a house and raised their kids together for over fifteen years. We must speak our truths. If we don’t tell the world who we are, people are left to imagine, to fall back on stereotypes, to create fictions which don’t represent us.

Larry and Joan Constantine took a leap of faith thirty five years ago and started knocking on doors to find others like them. We need to take a cue from them and start busting down some doors of our own. If we join together, support each other, and increase our visibility, we can only get stronger. And we need our strength because WE are at the forefront of those who will redefine love, commitment, and family in this century.

My trip to Boston was fantastic: a standing room only reading at indie bookstore Symposium Books on Saturday and a sold-out workshop at Good Vibrations on Monday. Boston was showing me some major love! Plus, I got to hang out with my big brother and his partner and spend some quality time together. As promised, several people at the workshop requested local resources, and here they are:

Poly Boston

Informal Poly Meet Ups: Tuesday at the Diesel Cafe in Davis Square.  They run from 4 pm-10 pm, with most people showing up between 5-7 pm.  This has no formal organizer and no host.  Just show up.

Queer Women’s Poly Meet Up: the 2nd Wednesday of the month. Please RSVP to Donna, dalbino83 at yahoo.com.

Monday Poly Dinners at Bertucci’s: Every fourth Monday at the Bertucci’s Pizzeria at the Alewife T station.  Please RSVP to Jay, js at aq.org.

Bostonians and other locals, feel free to chime in via the comments with others…

Poly Living is a great polyamory conference founded by the late George Marvil, which has been taken on by the Loving More folks. It’s in Philadelphia, February 27-March 1, 2009. The weekend will feature regionally and nationally known presenters and two keynote speakers (one of whom is Polyamory Weekly’s Cunning Minx!). The early registration rate will be available through  11:59 pm tonight. After that, rates go up, so sign up now!

The Connecticut Supreme Court today ruled that denying marriage rights to same-sex couples is unconstitutional. Connecticut is now poised to become the nation’s third state to allow same-sex marriage, joining California and Massachusetts. I’m headed to Boston, Massachusetts this weekend for some Opening Up events (reading on Saturday afternoon and workshop on Monday evening). It’s nice to know that New England leads the charge on the East Coast to legalize gay and lesbian marriage!