Happy June, everyone!
Foundation building for the Effing Foundation proceeds apace: Bylaws! Articles of Incorporation! Fundraising planning! (Adding exclamation points makes things more exciting, right?!)
Our board of directors and our nonprofit tax attorney Jon have given their votes of confidence to our updated mission and strategic plan. This means it's much more likely the IRS will classify us as a 501(c)(3) organization, the magic nonprofit designation that means our donations would be tax-deductible. Here's our updated pitch, in a nutshell:
"Our mission is to reduce sexual shame by fostering artists and educators who do sex-positive projects. As defined by Dr. Carol Queen, 'Sex-positivity refers to a radical stance: accepting everyone’s sexual desires and choices, providing they’re consensually engaged in.' The Effing Foundation for Sex-Positivity promotes sexuality education and artistic expression of sexuality through programs that are inclusive of women, people who are members of gender/(a)sexuality/relationship minorities, people of color, people of size, and people with disabilities. By increasing public knowledge about human sexuality and sex-positivity, we promote sexual literacy, health, and wellness worldwide."
Just reading that makes me so excited. This is what we're building! It's happening! (Again with the exclamation points!)
My personal project this month was to submit the paperwork required for a legal name change (done!) and to come out to my parents as non-binary in advance of their visit (also done!). Thanks to everyone for your well-wishes! The visit went really well -- hearing each of my parents use my new name for the first time was amazing and overwhelming. There's still a ways to go on my new pronouns, but I'll just take it one step at a time.
This month I also had a blast reading the manga memoir by the artist Rokudenashiko (Megumi Igarashi), "What is Obscenity? The Story of a Good For Nothing Artist And Her Pussy." Rokudenashiko tells the hilarious story of how she started doing vulva art (you might have seen her yellow kayak shaped like her vulva!) and her subsequent arrest. I've been waiting a couple of years for Ms. Igarashi's comics to be released in the US, and I was not disappointed! "What is Obscenity?" is a funny and poignant look at what it means to be vulva-positive in Japan. Whether you like comics, free speech, art, and/or vulvas, Rokudenashiko has you covered! You can purchase it directly from the artist or on Amazon.
Thank you for your continued support as we build this Foundation!
Peace,
~Kit Stubbs, Ph.D.
You can follow the Effing Foundation for Sex-Positivity on Tumblr, Facebook, or Twitter. For more sex-positive goodness, check out my personal blog and Twitter (@vortacist).