Kate Bornstein's Blog for Teens, Freaks and Other Outlaws

Gay Pride '07

Greetings from New York City. I'm writing this on Saturday, June 23rd. It's the day before the big Pride parade here. Lots of proud lesbian women, and a whole lot of proud gay men, as well as a healthy sprinkling of proud bisexual folks, and a nice assortment of proud transgender people. A lot of people turn out for Gay Day in New York, and the weather is supposed to be fairy-tale appropriate: sunshine, sunshine, sunshine. I won't be going. I'm proud of a lot of things in my life, but it doesn't seem that I'm proud of what I'm supposed to be proud of.

Roll Your Body Like Sister Kate

I am feeling SO MUCH BETTER THESE DAYS! I'm just now finishing week one, free of pain and free of narcotic painkillers. My great doctor at the Callen-Lorde Community Health Center (The GLBTQ health clinic in New York City) has put me on a terrific regimen of meds, and now I'm free to get my body into better shape, and that brought me to Yamuna Body Rolling. That's Yamuna in the picture to the left, holding the red ball.

My Grrlfriend's Book Is A Big Hit!!!!

Oh lookee, lookee!!! Urban Tantra: Sacred Sex for the Twenty-First Century. It's an amazing book. Don't take my word for it... lookit the great review she got in Publishers Weekly!!

"This handy how-to promises mind-blowing, toe-curling, highly spiritual sex for humble beginners, BDSM aficionados and everyone in between. Sex educator Carrellas is on a mission to bring Tantra-the ancient practice of sacred sex, in which interpersonal connection and transformative ecstasy are the norm-to the modern world, to reclaim sex from "messed-up, sexually-dysfunctional, judgmental, and ignorant culture," and to shift the urban sex paradigm from recreational activity to a sumptuous, impassioned way of life. Not that one necessarily needs that kind of ambition: Carrellas offers ways to enhance any old sexual encounter (with techniques like breathing, stroking, prodding and piercing), techniques for solo play and countless uses for a trunk full of toys. Same sex, transgender, and multi-partner play is encouraged (if not highly recommended), and the text is peppered with illuminating, try-this-at-home anecdotes. Pictures and diagrams are whimsical but instructive, making Carrellas's cheerful descriptions of unusual concepts-"gigglegasms," "rainbow rubs" and "the mushy puss" among them-easy to grasp. A final chapter, on "Sex Magic," examines the power of Tantra to achieve a number of effects, from backpain relief to a happier office to world peace; however far you'd like to take your sex life, this friendly guide will likely show the way."

C'mon, is that great or what? Yay, Barbara!

"One Less" Is a Lot More

This is gonna be a weird Xmas Eve posting, but fuck it. It's important. Merck & Co. (not my favorite big drug company) seems to be doing a very good and important thing: they've just released a vaccine called Gardasil, and it could be the greatest thing since sliced tissue samples. Gardasil is currently the only vaccination against cervical cancer, and that's great news! What's more, the company has launched a PR campaign called "One Less," aimed at girls and young women, promoting the vaccine; and you hafta agree: one less case of cervical cancer would be a great thing indeed.

Ugly Ducklings: scary fairy tale with a happy ending

Okay, here are some sobering statistics for ya. They may not be surprising, but the numbers sure scare me.

According to Sexual Information Council of the United States:
41.7% of LGBTQ youth do not feel safe in their school.
28% of queer teens drop out of school annually. That's three times the national average.

And according to 2005 report from Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
95% of school counseling services have few or no gay, lesbian or bisexual resources. And...
99% of school counseling services have little or no transgender resources.

Thank goodness there are national campaigns like Ugly Ducklings, run by Hardy Girls Healthy Women, out there actually doing something about this quiet horror.

More Audio with Kate -- here! with Josh and Sara

Yow, I've got lots more to say than I thought. Here I yam again at here! TV's podcast called here! with Josh and Sara. I had a great time talking with the two of them, and if you're tired of hearing me, they've got a great archive of programs that should keep you alive and kickin' for at least a couple of months.

So, click right here! for more audio of me, me, me!

I'll be checking back in witchoo later on.

kiss kiss, Kate

Saturn Return. Whoopee, I'm on my 2nd One!

Your Saturn Return is when Saturn returns to the same position in the sky as when you were born. Saturn takes roughly 29-30 years to make one full orbit around the sun, so Saturn returns every 29-30 years. I turned 58 this past March, 2006. That puts me square in the middle of my second Saturn Return. If you're 27 to 31 years old then you're going through your first Saturn Return.

According to the scientifically dubious but nonetheless scarily accurate field of astrology, the planet Saturn effects us in terms of values, identities, and life direction. In your Saturn Return, there's generally a series of deep, profound changes in your life, usually in areas of your life that you've been avoiding looking at.

So how do you ride out your Saturn Return? Do you or can you prepare for it? Even if you don't believe word one of astrology, there's gonna come a time of BIG UPHEAVAL in your life. How're you going to deal with it?

it's about you staying alive

Hello, Cruel World is my response to the incidents of September 11th, 2001; and to the terrifying government that grew up here in the name of national security. That government, and the oppressive culture it’s forwarding, is making life really difficult for a lot of sweet people in the world.

Today, on the 5th anniversary of that day, I’m dedicating the first page of my Hello, Cruel Blog as a safe, respectful forum in which readers of the book can speak, to heal, and to focus on making our freaky lives more livable.

and now some encouraging words from mr. rogers

On this past Monday, Labor Day, I gave a welcome-to-school talk to First-Years at Hampshire College, as a guest of their Office of Student Development. And just last night I gave the keynote welcome address to new and returning LGBTQ&A Students at New York University, as a guest of the NYU Office of LGBT Student Services. What a rush! I felt truly welcome at both schools, and I met some brave and awfully fun students who I'm now in touch with on my myspace page.
Makes me feel really good about the future.
 

But now I'm exhausted, and I'm letting Mr. Rogers describe the kind of world that probably would be equally welcoming to both you and me and gosh just about everyone else I can think of, even and maybe especially Mr. President himself. Wouldja be my neighbor, George?

Fly High, Enjoy the Burn: The Icarus Project

"Creating a new culture and language for people with manic depression and related madness."

The Icarus Project

I met Sascha Scatter and some other members of the New York branch of The Icarus Project at a reading I did at Bluestockings Books in New York City. I was there for the release of my new book, Hello, Cruel World, this past July. Now, Sascha and I are friends on myspace and we're plotting to take over the world via the group ze's part of: The Icarus Project. From the group's website: