CSHP is OPEN!

The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health has now opened!  You may remember that this location has been subject to attacks from Donna Hughes and had to go through a long zoning process.  You can read about it here, here, and here.

Well, Good triumphed over evil! And the Center was finally able to open!  Here is the press release:

Pawtucket, RI February 2nd, 2010 – The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health (CSPH), the first non-profit sexuality resource and information center on the East Coast, has won the right to open its door and provide sex education for adults.
The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health will provide one on one coaching services, group classes, drop-in hours, teaching resources, access to sexuality journals and in the fall, start an internship program and conduct sexual health studies. Megan Andelloux, a board certified Sexologist and Sexuality Educator is the founder and director of the non-profit Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health.
On Monday evening, February 1st, after applying for a “special use variance,” The CSPH was granted unanimous permission to provide education from the Pawtucket Zoning Board. George Shabo, Zoning Board member, made a special note from the Pawtucket’s Planning Board who had also wanted to recommend approval, saying that the Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health fit in with the master plan of “revitalizing the downtown.”  This is a huge victory for the field of civil liberties, sexuality education and advocacy”,  Andelloux stated.  “For the past five months, The CSPH has demonstrated to the public what sexuality professionals all over the country experience on a daily basis: roadblocks from politicians to open legit businesses, requirements to masquerade conversations about sex and fear of coming under personal attack for publicly acknowledging the simple fact that people are sexual and it’s ok to talk about it.”  The battle to open the CSPH was closely watched and discussed by lawyers, university professors, The ACLU, news sources and sexuality professionals all over the country.  While the introduction of The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health started off rocky, and false rumors swirled about what the CSPH would be providing, members of the conservative, liberal and libertarian,” community eventually stated that The CSPH mission, to provide adults with a safe space to access information about sex, did indeed fit in with their community values.  
The CSPH will meet with its first client today.

Congratulations to Megan, the people of Pawtucket, and Civil Liberties!!!!

Sad day for civil liberties

Today was a double blow to the rights of sex workers, or any one who believes in civil liberties.  Today Craig’s List announced they will be removing the “Erotic Service’s” section of their listings.  I believe they have good intentions, but as the saying goes, good intentions line the pathway to hell.

I know the pressure craigslist must have been under to make this decision, but they should have not buckled under.  Who knows how this will effect the industry.  I thought it was a bad move when they began charging and requiring a credit card and phone number to post an ad.  The reason I didn’t agree with that step was I thought that the site in its former capacity gave the woman or worker the tools to control their own ads.  When they made the first change they might have made it too difficult for some of the workers to post ads, and forced some of the women or workers out on to the street.  Now that they have removed the “erotic section” who knows what will happen.  They say they will put an “adult services” section in its place and have every ad reviewed by an employee, but how can you know what that employees adgenda is?

Also in today’s news, Rhode Island took the first step in creating a law to make prostitution illegal in the state.  It is reported as “closing the loophole” and I always found that interesting.  I don’t know how you say it is a loophole when you don’t have a law?  Or is it a loophole that it is illegal to smoke inside but not outside?  Is it a loophole when you can drink in your house and not on the sidewalk?  I always get a kick out of that tag “loophole”.

I actually tried to watch the vote, but as usual I was running a little late, and they rushed the bill through.  I heard them pass it on the radio.  You could hear the speaker of the House say “Every one in your seats, we are going to lock the board.”  Not much debate happened.  I don’t know what the chances are of it actually getting put on the Senate calendar, but I am going to write to everyone in the Senate and ask them to vote against the bill.  When you look at the reaction of the local residents on the radio and on the projo blog, most don’t want it to pass.  We will see what happens.

If you live in Rhode Island, please contact your senator.  Here is a list of their email addresses.