What: Sex Workers Visions II, curated by Audacia Ray and co-sponsored $pread Magazine, Arena Studios, and the SoHo Arts Council
When: Opening May 1, 2007 from 6 to 9 pm Runs through July 28, 2007
Where: Arena Studios, 407 Broome Street, Suite 7A

In $pread magazine's second annual art show, sex workers with an artistic bent step up and tell their stories visually. The show includes art by Annie Sprinkle, Zak Smith, Genevive Zacconi, and Vena Virago, in addition to illustrations and photographs that have appeared in $pread magazine, as well as a special opening night exhibition of hand-decorated dildos by sex workers. At events around the United States and Canada, sex workers have gathered at sex-positive sex toy shops to paint, decorate and possibly mutilate dildos for inclusion in Sex Worker Visions II.

Sponsored events occurred at Early 2 Bed in Chicago, Comes As You Are in Toronto, Adam and Eve sponsored a group of sex workers in Cleveland, and Vibrator.com sponsored a $pread event at Arena Studios in New York.

Cycle Savvy: The Smart Teen's Guide to the Mysteries of Her Body

Remember those fun sex-ed classes we all were required to attend - the girls in one class, the boys in the other? While we are not exactly sure what happened in the boys’ room, for us girls the entire world of female sexuality was contained in menstrual kits. Puberty sucks! Two-dimensional pictures of the uterus looked more like a cow's head with fallopian tubes for ears and horns than a part of our bodies. Boring at best, scary at worst. Pretty pink pads in Ziploc bags, and off we go to recess.

Thank goodness young women today do not have to be in the dark. Cycle Savvy: The Smart Teen's Guide to the Mysteries of Her Body, a book aimed at young women by Toni Weschler the same author of the hit book "Taking Control of your Fertility" targeted to older women, that the mystery out of the female body and gives teenage and young 20-something women good, solid information about their bodies. The book presents young women with information about their periods including why they happen, what might cause PMS, and how you can chart your fertility cycle to better get to know your body.

Of course, the book has some people all up in a huff in the “how much should we tell teenagers about sex" debate. Our take? Research and (common sense btw) has shown that providing accurate and comprehensive information to adolescents about reproduction and sexuality only makes their decision-making more responsible. And aghast, contrary to what those abstinence-only freakers say doing so does not lead to more sex. But in fact, arming teens with information that they need is the right thing to do if you want to reduce unwanted pregnancies, to increase healthy behavior and to empower women’s sexuality.

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