Weaponizing “Free Speech” to Restrict Sexual Freedom
April 24, 2025 —
Join us for a critical discussion exploring the alarming ways the current presidential administration is exploiting the First Amendment to restrict and limit human and sexual rights. Recent executive orders have rolled back protections for transgender individuals, terminated diversity initiatives, and threatened freedom of speech by mandating how individuals must be addressed. These actions not…
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The Byte Barrier: How Algorithms Are Silencing Our Sexual Voices
March 31, 2025 —
Join us for a thought-provoking panel discussion on the evolving landscape of algorithmic censorship and content moderation in sexuality education. As social media platforms grow in influence, automated systems have increasingly been used to regulate what content is visible online, often censoring critical, sex-positive, and LGBTQIA+-inclusive educational materials. This panel will explore the tension between…
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Sexuality, Scholarship, and the Struggle for Free Expression
February 28, 2025 —
How does censorship shape our understanding of sexuality, and what happens when scholars, researchers, and activists confront and challenge those boundaries? This multidisciplinary panel features experts to explore the complex intersections of sexuality, academic inquiry, and free expression. We’ll answer the following questions: What haven’t we been able to learn about due to censorship? What…
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Erotic Electrons: Challenging Censorship in the Sex Tech Era
January 30, 2025 —
This month, we will explore the intersection of sex technology, human rights, and online censorship. Sextech business's struggles are similar to struggles faced by advocates, researchers, and educators in the broader field of sexual rights. Individuals in sextech are navigating restrictive advertising policies, payment platform limitations, and social media bans and encountering the same barriers…
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Restrictions on the Risqué: Censorship & Sexual Freedom in 2024
December 23, 2024 —
In 2024, the intersection of sexual freedom and censorship was a rapidly evolving battleground shaped by shifting political, cultural, and technological forces. Our program this month explores the complex challenges and emerging opportunities surrounding the censorship of sexual freedom in a world where digital platforms, government policies, and social movements increasingly influence what can be…
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Silenced and Sidelined: Censorship, Adult Content, and Employment
November 22, 2024 —
A timely and provocative panel discussion exploring the complex intersection of personal freedom, censorship, and digital privacy in the age of social media. Our conversation will delve into the controversial topic of professionals facing termination due to their online presence, specifically focusing on cases involving adult content. Panelists will examine such dismissals' ethical considerations, potential…
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Canaries in the Coal Mine: Sex Workers are Fighting Censorship
October 23, 2024 —
We’re collaborating with our friends at New Moon Network for a compelling roundtable discussion about the critical intersection of sex work and censorship. We will examine how sex workers are often the "canaries in the coal mine" when it comes to free expression restrictions, facing disproportionate targeting and censorship before other groups. Our discussion will…
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Sexual Freedom in the Digital Age
September 27, 2024 —
Sexual freedom in the digital age represents a complex interplay of opportunity and censorship, deeply influenced by technological advancements and cultural shifts. The internet has become a pivotal platform for exploring and expressing sexual identities, breaking down traditional barriers, and enabling individuals to connect across diverse sexual orientations and preferences. This digital landscape has facilitated…
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Sex Ed in a Censored Nation
August 29, 2024 —
It’s back-to-school season in the US. Unfortunately, for many students in the US, comprehensive sex education won’t be on their class list this September. This month, we’re examining censorship’s impact on sex education with three dedicated and informed sex education advocates. Mandy Salley will delve into the critical intersection of sex education, censorship, human rights,…
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Choice in the Crossfire: Abortion Rights and Free Expression
July 30, 2024 —
Abortion Access in the United States has been severely restricted since the Supreme Court Decision, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, in June 2022. Some states rushed to totally ban abortion and related reproductive healthcare, while others protected it in their constitutions and expanded access for out-of-state patients. Additional legislative actions included passing laws that restricted…
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Unfiltered: Discussing Free Speech with Ricci Levy and Nadine Strossen
June 20, 2024 —
Join us for an enlightening discussion with two eminent figures in the realm of free speech: our esteemed President Ricci Levy and the exceptional Nadine Strossen, past President of the ACLU, author of the just reissued NYU Press Classics edition of Defending Pornography: Free Speech, Sex, and the Fight for Women’s Rights (with a new…
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Silenced Perspectives: The Unequal Effects of Censorship Across Communities
April 12, 2024 —
Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right. Free Speech is protected in our constitution. Yet, censorship runs rampant - particularly with the advent of social media and the increasing accessibility of expression online. This series has covered various topics ripe for censorship, including sexual expression and freedom. However, content is not the only victim…
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Speak Loud, Speak Proud: Empowering You to Resist Censorship
March 27, 2024 —
In the “Censoring of Sexual Freedom” programs, we’ve demonstrated the rampant nature of censorship and how it harms us and our communities. We always discuss how you can fight censorship, but our March program, Speak Loud, Speak Proud: Empowering You to Resist Censorship, is all about how you can craft strategies and get involved in…
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Online Expression vs. Harm: Striking the Right Balance with Internet Laws
February 22, 2024 —
On January 31, US Senators held a hearing about kids' online safety. For several hours, they grilled CEOs of five different tech companies about their role in keeping their platforms safe for children. The “hearing” was one of the best examples of political pageantry we’ve seen from legislators in recent history, and several Senators took…
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The Road Ahead: Navigating Legislative Censorship in 2024
January 30, 2024 —
A New Year often means a fresh start. Unfortunately, censorship was not left behind when the clock struck midnight on December 31st. For our first Censorship Series program of the year, we’ll discuss the threats to the freedom of expression we anticipate this year. Mandy Salley will be joined by a panel of anti-censorship experts…
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The Censorship of Sexual Freedom
December 12, 2023 —
The restrictions on and censorship of sex, sexuality, and sexual expression have reached epic levels all over the US. From unconstitutional age verification bills to educational gag orders and shadowbanning or deleting of accounts on social media, there’s no denying that our right to bodily autonomy has been under attack in 2023. Join the Woodhull…
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The Thin Line Between Obscenity and Censorship
November 16, 2023 —
Obscenity. Prurient interest. Pornographic. These words and phrases are frequently used to justify censorship in the US. We’ve seen these terms pop up in state and federal legislation nationwide recently. What do they actually mean? We will take a short trip back through time to discuss historical instances of obscenity laws in America to help…
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We Removed Your Post: Artistic Expression and the Fight Against Online Censorship
October 27, 2023 —
The relationship between censorship and art is as old as art itself. Throughout history, politicians and others in positions of power have attempted to suppress the voices of artists to stop dissent, revolution, and cultural transformation. One modern iteration of artistic censorship presents itself online. Websites and platforms like Instagram and Patreon have quietly removed…
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Behind the Cover: Who’s Driving Book Bans in America?
September 28, 2023 —
Book bans have become commonplace in every state over the past two years. Bans on books with LGBTQ+ characters and storylines that tackle tough topics like sexual assault and racism and are written by marginalized authors are often the most popular for book banners. Even Shakespeare has been targeted for book banners in Florida! Book…
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Preserving Online Freedom: FOSTA, Age Verification, and Censorship
August 22, 2023 —
Let’s talk about the final decision in Woodhull Freedom Foundation v. The United States of America, our lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (FOSTA). And let’s talk about what the ruling means for pending and future legislation. Join Woodhull President & CEO Ricci Levy as she welcomes two members of…
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Censorship is a Drag
June 20, 2023 —
In 2023, we’ve seen unbelievable attacks on drag, and at least one state has succeeded in banning drag in public spaces. These bans are censorship in action and a direct violation of our human right to free expression, as expressed in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This program will explore the…
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Censored Pleasure: Porn, Free Expression & Sexual Freedom
May 22, 2023 —
Pornographic content is some of the most popular content online - it’s also the most rigidly censored. However, most porn is protected by the First Amendment and is a valid form of free expression. For this program of our Censorship Series, Mandy Salley will sit down with two pornographers and sex educators to talk about…
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Why Does The Internet Hate S3x?
April 13, 2023 —
Remember the good ol’ days of the internet when we busted conversations about sexual expression wide open? It was a time when people chatting online (remember that dial tone from AOL?) could connect with like-minded individuals and leave their earthly bonds (and bodies) behind. Fantasy was king and wow! Did we take advantage of those…
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The Dangers of Educational Censorship
March 21, 2023 —
This program was part of our 2023 Censorship Series and originally aired in March 2023. Our panelists discuss censorship in education. Dr. Ashley White presents her research on the dangers of censorship in higher education. She is then joined by Christine Emeran from the National Coalition Against Censorship and Logan Torres, a student free speech…
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Free Speech and Expression in 2023: What Can We Expect
January 30, 2023 —
The First Amendment is supposed to protect the speech of Americans from government interference, and has long been upheld as the cornerstone of our democracy. However, recent history has shown us that free speech is under attack in America. From rampant book bans to legislation that seeks to censor internet expression, the First Amendment is…
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