Is Sex Interesting?

I just finished reading this essay by Wallace Shawn published in the August 2009 issue of Harper's Magazine titled "Is Sex Interesting?"

The 64-year old Shawn makes several good points about the need for talking, writing, and thinking about sex. This paragraph, in particular, specifically stuck out to me as a great example of the importance of sexuality and its discussion in society:

When the sexuality of the terrifying people we call "our leaders" is for some reason revealed, they lose some of their power - sometimes all of it - because we're reminded (and strangely, we need reminding) that they are merely creatures like the ordinary worm or beetle that creeps along at the edge of the pond. Sex really is a nation of its own. Those whose allegiance is given to sex at a certain moment withdraw their loyalty temporarily from other powers. It's a symbol of the possibility that we might all defect for one reason or another from the obedient columns in which we march.

Sex is anarchism!

Sadly you cannot read the full essay on the Harper's Magazine website without being a subscription holder but I did find a reprint of Shawn's piece online at the Guardian.

So what's the verdict to Shawn's title question, Is Sex Interesting?

Yes, yes it is.

The Iranian Presidential Election fallout

The Guardian has some great coverage of what's going on in Iran right now

it's pretty crazy and pretty apparant (from what i've read) that the elections were not legitimately conducted.

Feministing blogger Roja is calling what's going on in Iran right now a "nightmare":

People who have been disenfranchised are protesting in Tehran and other cities. You can see some photos on flickr.

Text messaging services were cut off on the day of election and Ahmadinejad was declared as the victor only a few hours after the election was over. Election statistics were being announce in a very fishy manner with no detail about which cities and provinces were being counted (completely different from how things were done in all other elections in Iran). Campaign headquarters of other candidates were raided and military was present across Tehran.

...Today Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and most websites of other candidates have been blocked, cellphone connections were shut down in Tehran, political figures have been arrested and people have been beaten and bloodied in the streets. Meanwhile foreign reporters have been asked to leave.


shady...

there are some amazing photos of the protests out there though, the flickr link above really shows the aftermath, these are from the Guardian: