Jewish Currents Says: "Happy Birthday to Nina!"

Spank me if you must, but I am a victim of Spock Shock.

Having been major-league distracted by the death of Leonard Nimoy - my childhood idol, inspirer of America's first female-authored hard-core porn ("slash"), nude photographer of plus-sized women - I forgot that today was Nina Hartley's birthday.

But you know who did NOT forget?  Jewish Currents magazine, that's who!  In their Jewdayo daily feature (inspired by Harry Belafonte's classic 'Dayo'), they hit the nail on the head 650 times:

JEWDAYO          A project of Jewish Currents   SPRING'S A-COMIN'!  Please watch our editor's two-minute video version of "Jewish Lunacy" at our multi-media room.   And check out these resources for your Passover preparations, only $5 each at our Pushcart: Porn actress and entrepreneur Nina Hartley (Marie Louise Hartman) was born to communist parents in California on this date in 1959. Her mother was Jewish, from Alabama, her father Lutheran -- and both became Buddhists. Hartley was studying to be a registered nurse when she entered into adult films in 1984; she achieved her nursing license, but with 650 porn films on her resumé, she's mostly used porn rather than medicine to "heal the sick." Hartley has described herself as a socialist and a sex-positive feminist, and is an outspoken defender of the industry in which she's made her career. If you're in it "for the wrong reasons," she says, "it's going to hurt your spirit. That's where the religious right is correct." But porn, she argues, provides a righteous and well-paid career for women who are highly sexed and free-spirited, and women in the business have high status and clout. Hartley has appeared at hundreds of feminist, free speech, show biz, and porn-industry venues; she sees herself as a sex educator and liberationist. " Sex isn't something men do to you," she says. "It isn't something men get out of you. Sex is something you dive into with gusto and like it every bit as much as he does." To see her giving a talk about communication and generosity in bed, click here and scroll down. To read her talking with Sheldon Ranz about porn and Jews (in Shmate magazine, way back when), clickhere. "The drawback of being in the adult entertainment business is that mainstream culture does not take me seriously. They don't take my ideas about sex seriously.... They still think that they get to point and judge. They still think they know something about me ... and conclude that I must be mentally ill, I must have had a bad childhood, I must be unhappy ..." --Nina Hartley Want to comment? Click here. On this Jewdayo in 2014:   Ezra Jack Keats (with video)  On this Jewdayo in 2013: Reconstructionism's Gay-Affirmative Policies On this Jewdayo in 2012: The Hanafi Muslim Siege On This Jewdayo in 2011: The Roxie Theater

Because Porn Women Are People Too: Support Cytherea's Recovery Through You Caring

I would have hoped that once I removed the widget for Christy Mack's donation drive for recovery from War Machine's abuse, it would be the last time I'd have to reference an assault on a sex worker/performer. Sad to say, though, once again I have to come forth with a plea for supporting one of our sheroes.

Cytherea was a very popular adult performer in the late 90's and early 2000's, known originally as "Squirtwoman" due to her propensity for major gushing of her....shall we say, her lady pleasure juices. She retired from feature performing in the mid 2000's to pursue a more normal "soccer MILF" life.

Unfortunately, that life took a viciously tragic turn last month, when a group of thugs broke into her home while she and her family were present. Cytherea was badly beaten and sexually assaulted (yes, that means she was raped); and her home was robbed of several valuables.

The perpetrators of the robbery/assault have been apprehended and are currently awaiting trial; but the aftereffects of their attack have seriously affected Cytherea both personally and financially. Hence, a fundraising drive has been established through the site YouCaring.com by close friend/current performer Joclyn Stone, with the backing of TRPWL.

In addition, other performers have rallied in support of Cytherea as well: Mercedes Carrera, known mostly as one of the fast rising porn girls as much as for her past educational achievements, is dedicating all of the proceeds of her camshows for this week to Cytherea's recovery fund. Her announcement of this on her YouTube channel also includes a biting rant at what she sees as the silence of feminists in supporting sex workers who are victims of assault. Here's her rant, taken before tonight's camshow:

In support and solidarity for Cytherea, I have added a widget for her fundraiser to the sidebar of this blog's home page. Please, y'allz...give whatever you can to help her.

Also....here's Cytherea giving her thanks to all who have and will contribute (from TRPWL):

May she get a full recovery, and the perpetrators of her assault get the justice they deserve.