SexIs (magazine)

SexIs Magazine is a quarterly United States-based magazine "AbOUT [...] and all things [...]" founded in 2008 by Web Merchants, parent company of [...] toy e-tailer EdenFantasys.com. Initially launched as a webzine, Web Merchants expanded SexIs' presence with a print EDition the following year. The first print issue debuted in November 2009, distributed nationwide as an insert in BUST magazine.

"It all started with two simple words: [...] is..." said Fred Petrenko, president of Web Merchants, in his interview to AVN. "From there, SexIs jumps in with both feet, featuring smart, fun and provocative advice and how-to, as well as information on health and relationships. This magazine is a collective work, by, of and for the people."

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Mission statement

According to its editors, the name SexIs (a combination of "[...]" and "is") was paired with the tagline: "anything you want it to be", to convey acceptance and celebration of all genders and adult lifestyle choices. The SexIs mission statement reads: "[...] and culture intersect on nearly every avenue of our daily lives. At SexIs, we explore, expand, educate and expound on the [...] universe. We bolster our content with the work of savvy writers who take [...] positivity to a whole new level; who believe that [...] is as much about society, fashion, politics, religion and communication as it is about inserting the tab of your choice into the slot of your desire; writers who aren't going to buy into the latest fad, who will put a new spin on old advice—and call foul whenever necessary—and who don't think that plausible [...] education stops with the phrase:"and that's how babies are made"".

Coverage

In addition to in-depth interviews with personalities such as pioneering adult author/director, Tristan Taormino, alt [...] star April Flores (a.k.a. Fatty D) and counter-culture icon, Paul Krassner, SexIs covers a broad range of adult topics from [...] Education and Reproductive Health to Gay, Lesbian and Transgender issues, [...] and Kink; non-traditional lifestyle choices, such as Polyamory, as well as Arts and Culture, body image, media, technology, [...] and aging, relationship advice and also more conservative fare, such as vanilla [...]. "[...] is a force that has an impact — be it subtle or sledgehammer — on everything from art and fashion, health and law to relationships and even parenting — and these are the topics you'll find on SexIs." - reads review of the magazine on curated blog platform for women Divine Caroline.

Ongoing Projects

In April 2010, SexIs embarked on a joint venture, The [...] Reader Book Club, in conjunction with independent publisher, Cleis Press. In addition to features and regular columns, SexIs also publishes content under the auspices of several ongoing themed projects.

• The Green Project
  Focusing on how [...] the choices we make impact our relationship with the planet and its ever-dwindling resources, The Green Project has included stories on eco-friendly dildos, sustainable aphrodisiacs, population control, and environmentally conscientious methods for disposing of waste produced in the manufacture and sales of [...] toys, as well as proper disposal of used toys and batteries.

• The Safer [...] Project
  A combination of clinical and practical data on STDs and their prevention (including information on identification and treatment, as well as social/cultural significance and stigmas), The Safer [...] Project has included articles on the truth about HPV, safer [...] practices for same-[...] couples, and why STDs are making a comeback on college campuses.

• The World AIDS Project: AIDS, the Arts and the Legacy of Activism
  In honor of World AIDS Day, in 2009, SexIs commissioned a series of first-person essays inspired by the lives lost and lessons learned in the wake of the tragic worldwide AIDS epidemic. In June 2010, SexIs broadened the range of this project to include a look at the impact of seminal figures, such as Keith Haring, Angels in America playwright, Tony Kushner and Larry Kramer in their capacities as both artists and activists on culture, the arts and AIDS-related activism.

• The [...] Project
  This series explores the many permutations of [...], kink and [...] [...]. Topics have included specific practices such as edgeplay, figging and leather [...], as well as the biochemistry of Sadomasochism, an overview of the life and death of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, and the influences of kink and [...] on popular culture with regard to fashion, film and technology.

• The Man Project
  In June 2010, SexIs launched The Man Project, which focuses on the role of male sexuality in modern culture. The project debuted with a profile of Michael Alvear, co-host of HBO's The [...] Inspectors.

Charitable Outreach

SexIs is a sponsor of the AIDS Service Center NYC, and also holds annual charity events at New York City’s Museum of [...].

The Marketplace

Sexis caters to a pansexual, adult readership. Its content has been highlighted on AlterNet.org and Salon.com.

The Bloggess Controversy

In February 2010, online outlet Carnal Nation took popular SexIs columnist "The Bloggess" to task, descrying a post she wrote on extreme latex [...] practices as non [...]-positive. "It's not the humor that I object to in Bloggess's post: it's the easy, thoughtless dismissal that's behind the joke. It's her stigmatizing of a [...] [...] as "bizarre" and "horrible", that makes her post grossly irresponsible", wrote Carnal Nation's Chris Hall.

In response, The Bloggess stated: "I'm sorry if you felt in any way upset by my article. This is the reason why I tell people that they should really never read anything that I write. I'm the same girl who accused the Pope of cannibalism, threatened William Shatner on MSNBC, brought an inflatable sheep on an aircraft carrier to entertain the troops and suggested we turn dead kittens inside out so the homeless would have fur-lined shoes…This is the first time I've ever had anyone offended on the [...] side though since most of the time people who get turned on dressing up as giant blueberries are strong enough in their confidence that they are the very first people to laugh at the post and to pass it on to their like-minded friends. In fact, I got a lots of emails from latex fetishists who were passing it on to their friends both for laughs and also because they were happy to find a new distributer."

Notable Contributors

• Buck Angel
• Rachel Kramer Bussel
• Nina Hartley
• Midori
• The Bloggess

External links

• Official website SexIs Magazine
• AIDS Service Center NYC ASCNYC.org
• The Bloggess' website TheBloggess