When the trade magazine Adult Video News, better known as AVN, was founded in 1983, there was very little in the way of attention from the mainstream media when it came to issues facing the adult industry. That’s no longer the case — we now live in a world where sex is often reported in high-profile, mainstream places. What does that mean for AVN and properties like it?
In August, Russian officials issued an edict against anything that struck, in their opinion, as a “nontraditional” relationship, citing concern for the easily corruptible minds of Russian children. This gay ban was met with a great deal of protest from lesbian, gay, bisexual and transexual allies and activists and now, the group FCKH8, best known for manufacturing gay marriage equality t-shirts, has stepped up with a coloring book for children depicting the story of little Misha, a little boy with two moms. It’s the most heart-breaking thing you’ll ever see.
A little video from Fine Brothers Productions, which owns a corner of the reaction space on YouTube, has been making the rounds online featuring reactions of 13 California kids between the ages of five and 13 to two different gay marriage proposals. “The opinions of children about these issues can give incredibly valuable insight into where our society currently stands and where we are headed as people,” write the creators. “It’s important to discuss these topics openly in the hopes of a better tomorrow through dialogue and conversation.”
The District of Columbia is launching a campaign to promote respect for D.C.’s transgender and gender-non-conforming communities. The D.C. Office of Human Rights has focused much of its attention on inculcating in the population that gender identity-based discrimination is illegal. To them, this campaign is a part of this effort.
