Just got back from a nice drive (to deposit a cheque into my overdrawn bank account so I can pay my phone bill) listening to songs from Willy and the Poor Boys on the radio… Ah CCR… If Rachel wasn't asleep I'd be listening to it still…
Anyway, so I'm reading yet another in this long stream of articles talking about banning or restricting body piercing and came across a classist comment that I can't say I'm fond of:
“Body piercing has been around for many years, but until about five years ago it didn't affect people on the right side of the tracks.”
Prof. Myrna Armstrong
Health Science Center / Texas Tech University
Following is the letter that I have sent to Myrna:
To: myrna.armstrong@ttuhsc.edu, sonmla@ttuhsc.edu
Subject: Body piercing is trashy?
I recently read Myrna Armstrong's comments in the Houston Chronicle, quoted from a NY Times article. On body piercing, she is quoted as saying, "Body piercing has been around for many years, but until about five years ago it didn't affect people on the right side of the tracks."
I believe this statement is prejudicial, and, more importantly, patently false.
One might be able to make the case that tattooing moved from being a "lower class" activity that is now being enjoyed by the masses, but it is simply not fair to characterize body piercing in this way. Historically, in the West, body piercing has been an "upper class" activity dating back hundreds of years. Over the past sixty or seventy years body piercing was popularized by wealthy gay men and then it gradually moved into the mainstream over the past fifteen years or so.
If anything, the social calibre of the people involved with body piercing is growing noticeably less as it moves toward a lowest common denominator -- in fact, this cultural shift in that market is causing some body piercers to leave the industry because of their dissolution with the clientele. I appreciate that you pointed out that people are generally involved in body piercing simply because they enjoy it rather than due to deviance, but I hope you'll consider a more accurate portrayal of the fascinating and lengthy historical context that body piercing falls into.
If you have any questions on this subject, or on body modification in general, I would be glad to assist.
Thank you,
Shannon Larratt
Publisher, bmezine.com
Anyway, if you're into porn, scroll down or just click here… Of course, if you do, you can pretty much guarantee this will affect you, right?
Saturday, February 16, 2002
First, had a real nice dinner at Bandito's (yes, again, I know) with Rachel and Saira….
Now… I've had some very positive relationships with various adult sites over the years, but at the BBQs I've met so many attractive people that are very open sexually that I really think that maybe I should consider producing some content inhouse. As well as being fun, it would generate much needed revenue for the site.
So… If you're interested, especially if you're able to come to the Toronto area, let me know via pornstars@bmezine.com — We're looking for girls, guys (although I can't promise a lot to single guys unless they're really hot), couples, and variations for softcore, fetish, and hardcore, both gay, straight, and inbetween. I'm totally open to people wearing masks if they don't want to be 100% public, and I'm also very open to profit sharing and/or straight payment.
It goes without saying that whatever happens will be fun, open, and non-exploitative. My interest has always been documenting people enjoying themselves. It's my belief that erotic media is far more powerful when it's “real” — I think you all know that I have no interest in being involved in taking advantage of people or abusing people in any way…
So, if you are 18 or older, open minded, and willing to have some fun on film, drop me a line at pornstars@bmezine.com!
Saturday, February 16, 2002
I know a lot of you are already regulars at The Smoking Gun, but I thought I should mention this. The FOIA requests have come through, so now we have access to all the documents detailing the long friendship (which was denied by the Whitehouse) between Enron/Kenneth “Kenny Boy” Lay and George Bush… Including documentation of any number of things that should make it clear that Bush is entirely unfit to lead… Crazy stuff…
Check it out
