If it has to do with sex or sexual expression, it’s under attack!
Censorship in the United States is at unprecedented levels, despite the fact that the First Amendment protects our rights to freedom of speech and expression. Teachers are losing their jobs for talking about reproductive care, gender (how we see ourselves), and sexual orientation (who we are physically, emotionally and/or romantically attracted to). Books are being pulled off library shelves for containing lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender characters. Social media platforms are removing the accounts of sex positive creators, educators and therapists. Legislators are introducing broad and sweeping legislation to limit sexual expression online. If it has to do with sex or sexual expression, it’s under attack!
“The Censoring of Sexual Freedom” is a monthly community virtual gathering featuring conversations with free speech experts and activists discussing the threats of censorship to our Democracy and to our daily lives, and to discover actions we can take to stop the attacks.
Join us for one or all of these programs. Invite your friends to a watch party. Bring your lunch or bring your dinner; cocktails or Coke; water or wine.
Next in the Censorship Series
Behind the Cover: Who’s Driving Book Bans in America?
September 28, 2023 • 1:00 pm ET —
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…
Past Censorship Series Programs
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…
Legislating the Web: Examining Recent Laws Shaping the Future of Free Speech on the Internet
July 27, 2023 —
This past Spring saw a renewed interest in Congress to legislate the Internet. Much of the proposed legislation claimed to help keep kids safe online. Senators stated that social media negatively impacts youth's mental health, and their new legislation would help mitigate the mental health harms posed by social media & Big Tech. Those are…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
