NASHVILLE  — Two religious surveillance apps marketed as “porn filters” to churchgoers across America by faith-based corporations are appealing a ban by the Google app store, which dropped the apps following a recent bombshell report by Wired magazine.

As XBIZ reported last month, Wired’s Security section reporter Dhruv Mehrotra exposed how “accountability software” niche firms Covenant Eyes and Accountable2You spied on churchgoers searches and then sent the information to religious leaders.

The two apps, Mehrotra wrote, are “part of a multimillion-dollar ecosystem of so-called accountability apps that are marketed to both churches and parents as tools to police online activity. For a monthly fee, some of these apps monitor everything their users see and do on their devices, even taking screenshots (at least one per minute, in the case of Covenant Eyes) and eavesdropping on web traffic.”

These church-endorsed and -marketed apps “then report a feed of all of the users’ online activity directly to a chaperone — an ‘accountability partner,’ in the apps’ parlance.”

After Wired presented its findings to Google, the search giant determined that Covenant Eyes and Accountable2You violated its privacy policies.

Christian news wire Baptist Press reported today that the apps are appealing the ban.

Jason Thacker, chair of research in technology ethics for the Southern Baptist Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, told Baptist Press that he believes churches and religious employers “can use these tools but must do their due diligence to understand how they work, what is being collected, and who has access to it.”

Thacker added, “We must remember that the use of pornography is inherently a deeply intimate and isolating temptation, so these tools must be accompanied by trusted friends and transparent relationships, rather than simply being seen as a one-sided fix for a much deeper problem.”

Baptist Press also quoted former Republican operative and Mormon activist Dawn Hawkins, CEO of NCOSE — formerly Morality in Media — who offered that her anti-porn lobby has “heard from hundreds of people who have struggled with pornography addiction and dependencies that the best way most of them have found to help is through an accountability model, similar to AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and many successful gambling recovery programs.”

Hawkins also claimed that “pornography can be highly addictive” and that research has “objectively identified a wide array of harms from pornography use.”

Scientists have found no basis for classifying pornography as an addiction; the idea seems instead to have arisen as a point of religious dogma in response to personal feelings of shame and guilt. The LDS Church has promoted “porn filters” in Utah and nationwide, based on church elders’ theological belief that all porn — a term that for them encompasses all depictions of sexuality outside of the Mormon marriage — is a ploy by Satan to destroy Mormon households.

Moreover, Ron DeHaas, president and co-founder of Covenant Eyes, chairs NCOSE’s board of directors.

DeHaas offers what he calls “accountability software” from a small office in Owosso, Michigan, located in the economically ravaged expanse between Flint and Lansing.

Sitting in a Berlin hotel, Vince Karter looks happy — and rightly so. After all, the industry has not seen a Europe-based French stud of this magnitude in years. Having now won XBIZ Europa Male Performer of the Year twice, in 2020 and again this year, Karter is proof that porn loves a rugged Euro-hunk.

Karter’s talent and drive make him seem likely to break internationally once he gets a few American titles under his belt. He also has the explicit blessing of the pope of Euro male talent, Rocco Siffredi. Right before traveling to Germany for the latest successful edition of the XBIZ Berlin conference, I messaged the one and only Italian Stallion to ask if there was anyone I should be sure to meet during the show.

His answer: “Vince Karter!”

So now here we are, sitting down for this interview in the hotel room he shares with his on- and off-camera partner and co-host for the 2022 Europa Awards, continental superstar Cherry Kiss. She barges in at some point during the recording, but leaves with a bemused smile and a wave of the hand; this is her man’s time to get the star treatment.

Karter moved to Budapest four years ago to be near Kiss, and he has never looked back.

“I can say I’m very lucky to be successful like I am, and to be able to share my skills with the world,” he unabashedly tells XBIZ.

A decade ago, when Karter first dipped his toe in the male talent pool, he was a 20-something swinger in his native Paris.

“I had been doing swinger things for five years and some friends from that world told me, ‘Oh, you need to try porn,’” he explains. “A woman I knew said, ‘I have some contacts who can be good for you.’ Until then, I was not connected with that world at all.”

Success for male talent in adult can be tricky, but Karter tried out with Dorcel and just like that, he says, “I was in porn.”

“Very quickly after that I got to do a lot more shooting in France, and I started to collaborate a few times with Dorcel. And after that experience, I started to understand that porn could be something really interesting for me — very much what I already liked.”

Before getting paid to have sex with incredibly beautiful women wearing expensive lingerie in impeccably appointed, palatial Parisian apartments out of a Proust novel, Karter had an office job.

“I was managing the construction site of a real estate renovation project,” he reveals. “Good money, but very boring!”

Budapest and ‘Going Pro’

But even after “going pro” in France, for several years porn remained more of a hobby than a job.

“I was like, ‘Okay, it’s fun. I like it.’ I’m a very sexual guy, but I still had my ‘real’ life and friends, etc. In Paris you cannot shoot every day; it wasn’t something where I really thought I could be a professional.”

It was only when Karter moved to Budapest four years ago that he got really serious about his career.

“I met Cherry and she told me, ‘Come to Budapest. If you really want to shoot, it can be really interesting for you.’ Cherry is from Serbia, but has been living in Budapest for 10 years. And I arrived — and I moved there! And very, very fast thereafter, I started to shoot for different companies and to shoot a lot. After three or four months, I was shooting nearly every day.”

This discipline gave new purpose to the erstwhile Paris swinger. “It made me realize being a top performer was something I could really do in the porn business.”

Budapest is currently central to the European porn landscape. “It has Rocco, it has DDF — they shoot a lot,” the plugged-in, in-demand performer lists out. “LoveHerFeet shoots there. Evil Angel is shooting there, with Cherry. Porno Dan has been there for a while. Vixen is now there too, with Julia Grandi.”

The ultrafocused Karter was now undoubtedly on a path to success, which surprised even himself.

“I never planned to have an award or anything like that, but after a couple of years, I was shooting nearly every day,” he explains. “I started getting nominations for the 2020 XBIZ Europa awards — with my 2019 work, my first year putting myself really out there, I got recognized for ‘Jacky,’ the ‘Joker’ parody.”

“Jacky,” in which Karter reprised the incel villain role that landed Joaquin Phoenix an Academy Award the same year, was a French movie that required a lot of non-sex acting. “It took a lot of commitment on everyone’s part,” he says. “It’s a movie that was very deep, dark and it’s something I think we did a very interesting job with. I’m very proud of this movie.”

That year, Karter won awards for a scene from “Jacky” and for best Gonzo scene, as well as his first trophy for Male Performer of the Year.

“So, I took three in one year!” he says, smiling without arrogance. “After, it was even easier to find more jobs. And now I can go back to Paris and also shoot for the French studios. I’m still in touch with Pascal Lucas, who I met when I started off, and he brings me back to shoot for his projects.”

A Role Model’s Endorsement

Setting up shop in Budapest also allowed Karter to become a trusted protege of one of his porn heroes.

“My dream when I was starting off was to meet Rocco and maybe shoot with him,” he says. “And now, we have a great connection, a good work connection, all the time. To be trusted and supported by him, for me is the one of the biggest achievements I can think of. I was not even dreaming about this. Like, you know, I compare all the time with a football player — imagine you like playing football, and the best player tells you, ‘What you do is good, I support you and I like your style.’ I already reached my dream with that. And for me, Rocco is still ‘the legend — Rocco!’”

Ultimately, however, what made the move to Budapest crucial for Karter was the “boot camp” aspect, which he recommended to any would-be on-camera stud.

“I think Budapest is a very good school,” he says. “We work a lot. It’s not easy. When you learn to work in Budapest, you can work everywhere. You have to get really good at DP, for example, things where you really need to be focused on the details. It’s not like you’re doing it for your own fun. You really need to be focused on being very professional. After I arrived there, the guys taught me so much, all the time thinking about the results on camera. It’s the best school to learn to be a real professional.”

In Prague, the second capital of adult production right now in Europe, Karter learned how to shoot VR. He sees the time he spent building up his skill set as crucial to his success.

“I can shoot gonzo, I can shoot a very romantic scene … I can shoot any kind of scene the producers can ask for. This is the key to working a lot.”

Living the Dream

The other key to the job, Karter advises male talent hopefuls, “is to bring your own creativity, but still be focused all the time on the result on camera.”

Right now, after picking up his second Male POTY accolade in three years, the Parisian hunk has his eyes on the next prize.

“I really want to move to the next step in my career,” he confesses.

“What would that be?”

“Los Angeles,” he says, without missing a beat.

“Look, I like what I do,” he concludes in the unusually humid heat of the Berlin summer. “I’m passionate every day and I go to work with a smile. I know where I’m from, and I know that every day, I get to do something that is my dream. And I cannot be happier than that.”

Oct 10, 2022 2:02 PM PDT

NEW YORK — The gentlemen’s club Rick’s Cabaret New York is celebrating being open for seventeen years, from Oct. 18-20.

The club opened in Fall of 2005 and has since won a variety of awards. A three-story venue, it features multiple stages, discreet private suites and deluxe sky boxes.

“Nobody throws a party better than Rick’s Cabaret,” Bella, a cabaret girl at the club, said. “Come be a baller, pop some champagne, and make it rain on all the sexy dancers.”

Deanna, another cabaret girl for the club hyped the business.

“There will be so many hot girls who will show you a great time,” Deanna said.

Further information about the event can be found at RicksNewYork; follow the club on Twitter.

LOS ANGELES — Performer Penny Archer reportedly passed away last week at her home in Los Angeles, according to posts on her social media accounts. She was 33.

Archer’s family called the death a result of Archer “losing her battle with addiction.”

The Twitter posts announcing her passing to the industry were signed by close friend Zoe Oliver.

“Dearest friends of Penny Archer,” Oliver wrote:

“It is with immense sorrow that I am here to inform you that she passed away last week. Here are some things about her, with apologies for my brevity, to help you remember her fondly:

First, she was one of the smartest, most insightful people I will ever meet. I am very sorry for the many of you reading this who never had the chance to meet her and be enriched by her presence.

Second, her ability to crack the filthiest, most depraved jokes and her juxtaposed inability to stop herself from laughing at things a twelve-year-old boy would find funny was something else I loved about her, too.

She had wanted me to tweet some hilariously unhinged stuff should I ever find myself with her accounts in the event of her passing. So I apologize to her, too, because I just don’t have it in me right now. Best I can do is to share my favorite photo of us, laughing together.

Third, she knew her local laws about how many cats one can have before legally qualifying as an animal hoarder. She loved animals so much. Mornings at her house were happily spent draped in kitties (three is not the legal limit for hoarding cats, she was still working on it.)

There is so much more about Penny I wish I could share with you, and so much more I wish she could have shared with the world. Her family, friends, and I miss her tremendously.

If you would like to do something that would have made her smile, my best suggestion is to make a donation in her memory to Kitten Rescue of LA Thank you all for reading. See you on the other side, P.

Love, Zoe Oliver”

The Vermont-born Archer began working as an adult performer two years ago, and was also noted for collaborating with many fellow content creators as well as for her distinctive tattoos. Her IAFD page lists approximately 50 credits.

Before entering the adult industry, Archer studied and practiced psychology. She earned a bachelor’s degree in human services, then went on to receive a master’s in clinical psychology and had begun work on a doctoral degree in evolutionary psychology, according to her friends.

One of Archer’s last tweets, two weeks ago, read” “She had a mind like a box of fireworks and hands that played recklessly with matches.”

PHOENIX — Entrenue is shipping Eye of Love’s Matchmaker pheromone fragrance line in a new, 10mL travel bottle.

The Matchmaker scents — Red Diamond in varieties for women seeking either women or men, and Black Diamond for men seeking women or men — contain human pheromones “believed to send subconscious scent signals to other sexes and can trigger very powerful sexual responses, and the Matchmaker line is customized with that in mind.”

Entrenue Senior Sales and Buyer Kim Maty enthused about the new compact sizes.

“We just love Eye of Love products, and the Matchmaker line has been a popular option for shoppers curious about pheromones,” she said. “We’re thrilled to offer our customers a convenient, affordable intro option that allows shoppers to try out these sexy scents before committing to a full-size bottle. And while the packaging is small and sleek, it remains just as stunning as the full-size bottles. Pheromone body care is intriguing, and these scents have appealed to people of all genders looking to add some pheromone magic to their self-care.”

For more information, visit Entrenue online, email info@entrenue.com or call 800-368-7268.

LONDON — “Harry Potter” author and anti-trans activist J.K. Rowling shared last weekend a tweet from religiously motivated anti-porn lobby NCOSE (formerly Morality in Media), and endorsed the pro-censorship organization’s annual corporate-shaming “The Dirty Dozen” campaign.

The Oct. 1 tweet by the transphobic multimillionaire occurred in the context of a thread where Rowling lambasted the platform Discord for “hosting graphic content and failed to verify user ages.” 

Rowling first shared unverified data from NCOSE — an organization founded in 1961 which has advocated for over six decades in the U.S. for state and corporate censorship of books and other media featuring any sexual content — to illustrate supposed “incidents arising out of adult contact with minors on Discord.”

The writer offered a screencapture of a list of these alleged incidents and tried to validate them by adding “as reported by the National Center on Sexual Exploitation.”

Then Rowling added that, “In 2021, the NCOSE [sic] put Discord on its Dirty Dozen List, an annual campaign naming entities that profit from and facilitate sexual exploitation.”

Rowling offered no explanation of NCOSE’s background or stated core mission to “eradicate all pornography.”

NCOSE has at different times targeted every major social media platform through their “Dirty Dozen” campaign, including Twitter, which is one of Rowling’s preferred modes to communicate with her followers and readers.

NCOSE has also included mainstream publications Sports Illustrated — which they consider as “hardcore pornography” — and the entire state of Nevada — for not criminalizing sex workers — on different iterations of their arbitrary yearly list.

A Fantasy Novelist Turned Anti-Trans Crusader

Rowling’s endorsement of the U.S.’s leading anti-porn lobby — which saw its funding skyrocket over the last two years — comes in the middle of a current crusade by the fantasy novelist against the rights of trans people in the U.K. and in Scotland in particular.

This week, the children’s literature and TERF icon supported a protest rally by wearing a T-shirt calling Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon a “destroyer of women’s rights,” the BBC reported.

Rowling tweeted a picture of herself as demonstrators gathered outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh to pressure Sturgeon to backtrack on her proposal to make accurate gender recognition a “less degrading, intrusive and traumatic” process.

It follows from the stance of Rowling and her fellow protestors that they are advocating for the treatment of trans Scots to continue being degrading, intrusive and traumatic.

Oct 7, 2022 3:46 PM PDT

LOS ANGELES — Stephanie Eild is highlighted in a 12-page spread in ASN Lifestyle’s October issue.
 
Eild’s feature, titled “Stephanie Eild Is the Hot Nerd You Need to Know & Not Only Because She’s Too Sexy for YouTube,” begins on page 44 and contains cosplay photos of her as well as an interview. The interview covers how to pronounce her name, how she creates her own characters like the Bikini Baker and her stellar work ethic. Eild also talks about being snubbed by YouTube for the 100k subscribers’ plaque, her new goal on Pornhub and more.
 
“I love the piece, and the layout is incredible. It really shows off a nice array of my cosplay outfits and looks. I’ve never been in a lifestyle magazine before, and I’m curious to see if their readers want to know more about me and start following me on social media and/or my paid platforms,” Eild said.

Eild’s article can be found here.

Follow Stephanie Eild on Twitter and find her social media links here.

Oct 7, 2022 3:44 PM PDT

PERTH, Australia — Scarlet Lyone has begun offering video ratings spots to subscribers.

“Recently I’ve introduced giving video ratings to my fans and they have loved it as much as I’ve loved filming them,” Lyone said. “Each week for the last month I’ve offered giving video cock ratings and the limited spots on offer have sold out within minutes. It almost feels like I’m more of a fan of my fans than they are of me. It made me feel more connected to my viewers which I love.”

Further information can be found on Lyone’s OnlyFans and her official website. 

Follow Scarlet Lyone on Twitter and find her social media links here.

NEW YORK — After more than two years, Sex Expo made its in-person comeback with a rousing weekend featuring a variety of vendors for consumers to interact with, as well as engaging workshops, informative panel discussions, fun contests and giveaways. 

As throngs of attendees lined up outside of the Metropolitan Pavilion, Sex Expo kicked off with a lively anti-censorship rally held outside the venue before the doors opened. Led by participating Sex Expo speakers from the sexual wellness community, protesters held signs with sayings such as “It’s Spelled ‘Sex,’ not ‘Seggs’! Censoring Sex Makes No Sense,” a reference to the unusual spellings often used to disguise sex-related posts on social media to prevent them from being deleted.

Instagram influencer and menopause activist Lou Featherstone was joined by Sex Expo emcee Kim Airs, along with The Vagina Blog’s April Davis, Pegstress Peggin Tha Stallion, and Maureen Pollack, co-founder and inventor of the WaterSlyde, who shared their social media censorship experiences with the crowd.

“I am not allowed to use the word ‘vagina’ on social media,” Davis yelled into a megaphone. “It is aggravating! I cannot say ‘sex,’ I cannot say ‘vulva.’ It is ridiculous. How are we supposed to educate our children? What are we going to do? Fix it!”

Featherstone then called on everyone in the crowd to yell, “Pussy!” in response to the unwarranted restrictions against using the word on social media. The crowd obliged with excitement, and expressed their frustration.

“We can’t say ‘vagina?’ Even though we have one?” one attendee wondered out loud. Another person replied, “And we all came from one!” 

Sharing her own story of entering local politics in her city in order to create the change she wanted to see, Pollack encouraged everyone to be proactive. In regard to discriminatory guidelines on social media, Pollack told attendees that they can do their part by engaging with sex-positive posts, commenting and sharing them with others.

By 11 a.m., the official start time for Sex Expo, the crowd outside the Metropolitan Pavilion was at a fever pitch. Featherstone was once again on hand to lead the excitement during the ribbon cutting alongside Shirley Lara, chief of operations for Chaturbate — the presenting sponsor of Sex Expo. 

Once the doors were open, attendees flooded the venue and made their way to the VIP and general admission ticket counters to pick up goodie bags that featured items from brands such as Satisfyer, Je Joue, Union Condoms, Momotaro Apotheca, Sssh.com and Joyboxx, among others. Sex Expo’s celebratory atmosphere was immediately felt as music, lights and cheering began emanating from Romantic Depot’s booth, which was manned by over a dozen of the New York retail chain’s staff. 

“Romantic Depot always brings the party no matter where they are,” said Glen Buzzetti, the company’s CEO. “The staff’s enthusiasm is showcased in everything they do and that turns the energy of any room up to 11. The fun party vibe everyone experienced at Sex Expo is absolutely the atmosphere of any Romantic Depot store you’ll go into. If you’re in any of the NYC boroughs and you’re looking for a quiet one-on-one shopping experience, I’d recommend going into any of the locations before the festivities get going late at night.”

Buzzetti applauded his staff’s energy and engagement with customers, which he says is a staple of Romantic Depot and is often documented on the retailer’s social media profiles.

“Stop in and browse the latest in sexy goodies, grab a drink and hang out with the most fun staff you’ll ever come across,” he said. “You might even make a TikTok with them if you’re lucky!”

With a photo booth, twerking and moaning contests, the Romantic Depot booth was indeed primed for social media. It was also a hub for fans of reality TV star Donna Marie Lombardi from VH1’s “Black Ink Crew,” who was on hand to meet Sex Expo attendees and pose for photos. 

To keep attendees up to date on Sex Expo’s schedule of workshop and panels, as well as the raffles and contests being hosted at exhibitor booths throughout the show floor, Airs took to the microphone to direct people on where to go.

“There were really interesting, nonstop workshops from many smart and talented professionals in this industry and there was always a crowd in attendance,” Airs said. “The consumers who attended definitely enjoyed the variety of vendors, especially Chaturbate and Jimmyjane, and it seemed that all of them shopped at Romantic Depot to buy their goodies during the show.”

As part of her emceeing duties, Airs also interviewed vendors about their products, technologies and services as attendees looked on, vying to win some of those offerings by participating in contests and raffles.  

“The days zoomed by because there was always something to do, listen to and learn from,”
she added. 

Throughout the day, Sex Expo attendees shuffled back and forth between the workshop area, where they learned from sexperts such as Pegstress Peggin Tha Stallion, Zoë Ligon and Shadeen Francis, and the exhibitor area, where they could get a hands-on introduction to the array of products on display.

Exhibitors Galore

Stationed at the entrance of the show floor was Jimmyjane, a brand founded with a focus on the health and wellness benefits of sex. The company welcomed a steady stream of attendees to its booth, most of them drawn to Jimmyjane’s APEX, the SELF + JJ Vibrating Finger Massager and the Reflexx Rabbits 1 and 2, noted Jimmyjane Director of Marketing and Ecommerce Katerina Lin. 

“We also had a lot of great responses on the Deimos C-ring,” she added.

With vendors such as The Handy, FirmTech, Stealth Shaft Support and Ageless Men’s Health, which specialize in meeting the needs of penis owners, attendees had a variety of products to choose from.

Firmtech Director of Pleasure Sean McKenzie said that attendees lined up on both days to see the FirmTech Tech Ring, which can enhance performance and track vital signs for erectile fitness. The company drew an especially big crowd when it announced the raffle winner who got to take home a FirmTech device of his very own. 

“When you have a revolutionary product that enhances men’s sexual pleasure and erectile health monitoring, the most important thing is to get the word out to customers and retailers,” McKenzie said, noting that Sex Expo attendees ranged from newbie and experienced consumers to sexperts, influencers and sellers. “Thanks to a successful weekend at Sex Expo, we accomplished both goals.” 

The weekend offered attendees many other opportunities to win premium pleasure products at Sex Expo exhibitor booths, including Perfect Dimensions’ MateFix and LuvSlide couples toys, The Handy Interactive Masturbator, or a Classy Bunny vibe, Mini Bodywand Massager and Roadster Cock Ring from Kay’s Risque. Author and artist Biodun Abudu hosted a Secrets & Shots Game contest and an erotic poetry contest, while Blush hosted “Let’s Paint Vulvas with Vibes,” inviting visitors to the company’s booth to get creative and win a prize. Sex Expo attendees also had the chance to score Sliquid’s 20th Anniversary Big Blue Box of products or a high-tech Lioness Smart Vibrator 2.0, while Chaturbate’s model-filled booth offered the chance to win a free MacBook Pro or a Logitech Brio 4K webcam.

At the Lioness booth, co-founder Anna Lee engaged with attendees who lined up to squeeze a handle to see if they could match the pressure of vaginal muscles contracting during an orgasm.

“It was such a hit,” Lee said. “Everyone wanted to play and some even came back to play again. People were also really excited to enter the raffle for the Lioness giveaway. Being able to interact with so many people at Sex Expo and see their eyes go wide when they see what Lioness orgasm data looks like for the first time was definitely a top highlight this year for me.”

Lee also took to the Sex Expo workshop stage for a session explaining different ways to vary one’s experience of orgasm and pleasure, and how the Lioness Smart Vibrator can identify an orgasm using advanced sensors and biofeedback. New York pop artist Von joined Lee onstage to reveal how she creates music with her own orgasm data. Focusing on “how the Lioness biofeedback vibrator can shift the taboo around sexual pleasure through art and science,” the presentation resonated with many attendees, according to Lee. 

“We were able to chat with so many people after the talk who were inspired to self-experiment with their own orgasm data and learn about their own bodies!” she enthused.

Odile Toys CEO Ben Jay explained the ins and outs of anal wellness during a half-hour workshop, as well as at the company’s booth, which was among the first to greet Sex Expo attendees at the entrance of the exhibitor area. 

“I had a great time interacting directly with consumers,” Jay said. “I could see how interested they were in discovering or rediscovering anal sex. This experience confirmed what we had known all along — that anal sex is a huge sexual fantasy for people of all possible genders and ages, which is amazing!”

Elsewhere on the show floor, attendees could get their hands on other essentials for anal play. Among these were Sliquid lubricants, which received an endorsement during Pegstress Peggin Tha Stallion’s workshop about — you guessed it — pegging; and Du, which grabbed the attention of passersby with an oversized douche showcased front and center at its booth. 

At the KushKards booth, company founder Lauren Miele introduced attendees to the “Hallmark of Marijuana” with a booth filled with Halloween-themed cards and other gifts for the winter and romantic holidays. Next year, Miele said, KushKards will have a bigger booth to provide more of a shopping experience. With items retailing for $5-10, Miele said, cards, gift wrap and gift bags flew off the racks, with the “Ride That Dick Like a Broom Stick” and “Hocus Pocus, Let’s Smoke This” cards as the most popular offerings of the weekend.

Tyes by Tara founder Tara Acevedo noted that the sensual, dainty Cake Niptyes, which come packaged in a slice-shaped box, were among the most in-demand items at her booth. She credited a product review published in Sexual Health magazine for driving people her way. 

“People keep coming up to me and telling me that they saw them in the magazine,” she said, pointing out the last two Cake Niptyes “slices” left over after Saturday’s rush.

Global Novelties offered an assortment of vibes and strokers that Autumn O’Bryan, the company’s owner, said were priced to sell, and which indeed drew flocks of shoppers. the company’s Shower Strokers were its top sellers for the weekend — with happy customers even coming back to report on their effectiveness, O’Bryan shared.

Other vendors at Sex Expo, like Kubiaksado and House of Syn, focused on kinky gear, while boutique brand Crystal Delights offered more delicate wares with its assortment of glass pleasure products.

Retailers with brick-and-mortar locations and online store, like Kay’s Risqué Toy Boutique and The White Unicorn, as well as companies like home party specialist Bedroom Kandi, brought along a wide assortment of products to introduce to attendees. 

“As an online boutique, I always enjoy every opportunity to interact directly with customers,” said Zoey of The White Unicorn. “It is my chance to really tell them what The White Unicorn is all about. I love meeting new people and learning about their life experiences and what brought them to the show. Nothing makes me happier than to see the look of joy after someone finds a product that they are super excited to try for the first time.”

Zoey noted that the booth’s bestsellers were “novelty and feminine BDSM products, such as collars, handcuffs and paddles. Pasties are always a crowd favorite.” She added that the Rose Vibrator and other suction toys, bullet vibrators, Dildolls dildos, CBD lubes and creams and gift-giving items such as coloring books or candles were also popular.

Alongside the many pleasure products vendors, some Sex Expo booths were dedicated to worthy causes. The Woodhull Freedom Foundation was on hand to explain how it is working to fight censorship as well as discrimination based on gender or sexual identity, and to protect the right to engage in consensual sexual activity and expression.

“We want events such as Sex Expo to continue to be held without facing any possible obstructions,” Woodhull’s Mandy Salley said.

At the Momotaro Apotheca booth, attendees could not only purchase the brand’s certified organic, cruelty-free vaginal wellness products, but also buy “Support Your Local Sex Worker” merch with 100% of the proceeds donated to the Cupcake Girls organization, which provides support to those involved in the sex industry. 

Attendees looking for holistic sexual wellness offerings could stop by the Amayu Institute booth to learn about ancient energy healing and guidance, or the Sacred Phoenix booth, which showcased remedies and techniques that stimulate growth, understanding and rediscovery of oneself. 

Sex Expo’s offerings went beyond traditional sexual wellness goods and services, to include psychics, energy healers and advisors. Attendees could also indulge in tasty adult treats from Twisted Truffles and Spoonable Spirits, or get a hairstyle makeover at the Createinstyle Inc. booth. 

Making Connections

After more than two years without Sex Expo, due to the pandemic, the event not only drew hordes of consumers, but also many professionals from within the sexual wellness community.

“I loved meeting so many educators, therapists, doulas, midwives and other sex-positive people,” The Vagina Blog’s April Davis said. “The energy was fun and upbeat across the show — lots of great people and vendors all around!”

In the days following Sex Expo, Lulu Batista, owner of Ooh Lulu Cherry Box, said that she was still smiling when she reflected on her experience at the show.

“After not having this event in some time, it was so fulfilling to be around people and all the new companies,” Batista said. “The energy was terrific, and my cup ran over with the remarkable off-the-wall connections that were made. The biggest highlight for me is that I got to meet people in person that I have been chatting with online for the last two years.”

Zoey of The White Unicorn described Sex Expo’s energy as “uplifting and full of excitement.” 

“It is a great, sex-positive environment where people are free to be themselves,” she said. “Coming out of COVID, it was so nice to see people having fun and enjoying live events again.”

The Lioness’ Anna Lee echoed the sentiment, applauding Sex Expo’s energy as “unmatched, especially on Saturday.”

“The buzz was infectious and definitely carried throughout the entirety of the show,” Lee added. “We did not expect that number of attendees and the constant flow of people visiting and engaging at our booth.” 

The openness of the crowd made them easy for vendors to interact with, Odile’s Ben Jay noted.

“People were there to have a good time, shop and learn,” he said. “It was easy to talk to them for several minutes. Everyone was a sex enthusiast and was open-minded. It was really good!”

Pegstress Peggin Tha Stallion said that the ecstatic energy of Sex Expo was even greater than in previous years.

“I love being a beacon of information, helping people become more comfortable with this journey of sex exploration,” she said. “I live for every fan interaction.”

In addition to participating in Sex Expo’s Saturday morning kick-off, Lou Featherstone was a speaker on the “Coping With Social Media’s Anti-Sexual-Wellness Policies” panel and also hosted her own workshop, “Uncensoring Middle Age on the Self-Love Revolution Tour.” When she wasn’t on stage, Featherstone could be found handing out “vulva fortunes” from a vulva purse furnished by Fun Factory.

“I walked around with this purse getting people to pull out their fortunes, and a chance to win a Fun Factory toy, so I spent the day asking people to put their hand in my vulva, which was obviously my favorite day of the tour so far,” she said.

“The highlight of the expo was the amount of people there from all corners of the world,” Featherstone continued. “There were couples, queer folk, disabled, middle-aged people, just everyone, and it made me so happy. I met so many fun people, all in search of pleasure. Everyone is there for fun, and looking for more fun in their lives, trying to find answers to questions they may have. I met the most amazing sex educators. It was so much fun.”

Other Sex Expo speakers were also glad to have had the chance to meet and reconnect with fans, followers and colleagues.

“It was great to see familiar faces and brands that have survived the pandemic,” pleasure coach Lidia Bonilla said. “The attendees were enthused and interested in sexual wellness. I was happy to see the crowd younger and browner than ever.”

Zoë Ligon was able to meet up with internet friends whom she hadn’t ever met in person. 

“I’m so glad I got to connect face to face, and meet some really awesome new people in the sexuality space,” she said.

Lust for Learning

From pegging, impact play, talking dirty, blowjobs and squirting to choosing toys for partnered sex, and gender-diverse dating and sex, Sex Expo offered a wealth of knowledge and advice for attendees.

“I was a little nervous to speak at an event in person for the first time since COVID, but it went so, so well, and I had a whole lot of fun,” Ligon said. “It gave me a renewed drive to get back out there into IRL events and that has made me excited for more future in-person speaking events. I loved watching everyone else’s presentations and workshops. It’s so cool to see the different ways people teach, and I learn so much from watching fellow sexperts!”

Among the educators was Carly S., vice president, consultant and affiliate manager for Romantic Depot Online. She was thrilled when, via livestream, a viewer called her their favorite speaker of the weekend. 

“How can you beat that? My workshops got amazing feedback and lots of people stopped by the Romantic Depot booth after both of my workshops, to check out some of the products I mentioned in my classes,” she said. “That’s how I know I did a good job — when I’ve piqued someone’s interest enough to come to check it out. There were also plenty of questions after the workshop, which means I inspired them to be curious! So I’d say my first time teaching at an in-person event after three years of virtual events was absolutely amazing, and I can’t wait to do it again! Romantic Depot has been working on a workshop program that I’d be the featured educator on, so it might be sooner than we know.”

Among the weekend’s most eye-opening panel discussions was “The Time for Inclusivity in Sexual Wellness Is Now,” which featured Bonilla as well as Caz Killjoy, a disability activist, educator and writer.

“I was very inspired by the resilience the panelists have demonstrated to become experts in their respective specialties,” Bonilla said of her fellow speakers. “I was moved by how committed they are to bringing others along in their missions. I learned there is much more for me to learn about how the lack of inclusion impacts people who don’t look like me.”

Killjoy credited fellow panelist Steph Zapata for getting it right “when she said that creating a space for the knowledge of sexperts of color to be centered — and paid! — is enormously important for everyone, not just for BIPOC educators and communities.”

According to Killjoy, while creating safer community spaces for people with marginalized identities is important, it’s imperative to honor their first-person experiences.

“To be inclusive, actual people with actual first-person experiences must be asked about our needs and then those with power in the sexual wellness industry — event producers, company owners, product developers, etc. — must create and follow through on plans to make their areas of sexual wellness more inclusive,” Killjoy explained. “I think every single one of us working in the sexual wellness industry would benefit from working on our own Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility plans, and publicizing those plans with the intent of receiving community feedback for improvement.

“Until the sexual wellness industry confronts its lack of inclusion and puts in the effort to improve, whole groups of people will continue to encounter barriers to accessing sexual wellness,” Killjoy continued. “This hurts not just people who encounter the barriers; it also causes providers of sexual wellness to miss out not just on increased education, better awareness of the world, and a greater sense of impact, but also on increased consumer numbers.”

Killjoy said they were pleasantly surprised by how many attendees approached them after the Inclusivity panel, with questions about how to make their work more inclusive.

“Most who approached me are new or are newer to the field and they were all concerned about ‘missing’ something important regarding inclusion,” they said. “I heard a lot of fear about doing inclusion ‘the right way’ so that practitioners aren’t criticized, dragged or canceled due to missing a vital element of inclusion.

“While that fear is warranted, I tell everyone to think of inclusion and access like sex,” Killjoy added. “By approaching better inclusion and access practices similarly to the way we nurture ongoing sexual relationships, we develop sustainable practices and build better connections with those around us, be they clients, colleagues or customers.”

The weekend provided numerous opportunities to glean similarly valuable knowledge as to how the fundamentals of sexual wellness can be applied to the overall betterment of one’s life. Sex Expo sent attendees, speakers and vendors off on a mission to nurture more sex-positivity in the world, until next year, when the event returns to New York in September 2023.

Oct 7, 2022 2:09 PM PDT

HOLLYWOOD — Shay Sights has released a new scene from Girlsway this week.

Sights’ newest scene is part of Girlsway’s “Mommy’s Girl” series. In it, she stars opposite Aften Opal, playing Sights’ stepdaughter. “Back on the dating scene, Shay has met a lovely woman but fails to impress her with her dirty talk. Admitting this to Aften, an experienced lesbian, the younger woman offers some advice, with the two ladies quickly falling into a full-on lesson in love,” a rep said. 

Additionally, three of Sights’ previous scenes are now available on VOD and DVD — Girlsway’s “Put On Some Clothes,” AllHerLuv’s “You Can Talk to Me,” and Naughty America’s “Seduced By a Cougar 63.”

“I’m working a lot and always have a ton of new content coming out on the top sites. I’m excited some of those scenes found their way to DVD and VOD so more Shay-bees can indulge and enjoy them,” said Sights.

Watch the trailer and check out the photo gallery for Girldway’s “Cunning Linguist” here.

Follow Shay Sights on Twitter.