Dr. Annie Sprinkle is an amazing artist, and an intelligent, insightful woman. The original sex-positive feminist. I could tell her life story but that is what she does, so I will talk about its effect on me. Hearing her speak, seeing her shameless enthrallment with the body, social issues and sexuality caused me to consider many of the taboos of our culture and wonder why some things, harmless things like prolonged kissing, or cuddling of a non-sexual nature in public, are considered taboo, while so many other things like violence or just plain rudeness, are not.
From Annie's stories of surviving cancer and how she coped going through chemotherapy with fun hats, I am left with the renewed sense that everything is art. Everything, every situation in life really is an opportunity to make art of one kind or another. To live it, breathe it, and to shatter worn out paradigms with art. Painting, performance, writing, dance, you name it. As Annie said, "Look sassy, make art, and survive".
When Annie and her partner decided to become pregnant, they held a crazy dance contest to decide which sperm donor to choose. This idea takes keeping things light, and fun, and artful out of the realm of merely using art to cope and into the idea of making important decisions from a place of playful non-attachment. Its very Zen. Very open to possibility and an embracing of the unknown future that relinquishes the ridiculous illusion of control we often try to project onto ourselves, our lives, and others. Its silly. We have no control. We don't know whats coming at us tomorrow.
"In the early 1970's Women were not supposed to like or even enjoy sex, and certainly not allowed to see porn. It was a man's world. In the press and popular culture Porn stars were depicted as victims or perpetrators, but Not invited to discussions about porn, and its impact on society". Annie worked hard to promote safer sex in porn in the 1980's. When activists and feminist protesters tried to call Annie a victim of the sex industry, they rallied against her body of work, claiming she needed protection. She didn't like feeling segregated from these women, so she went and stood with them, and talked friendly to them, until they dispersed. "If you can't beat them, join them."
There is so much more I could say about Annie Sprinkle and her incredible art, vision, lifestyle choices, and more, but she speaks for herself. I have provided a link, and highly encourage hearing her speak if you ever have the opportunity. She just might challenge your ideas about what is actually important for a happy life. She certainly reinforced some of my deepest ideas and least supported eccentricities, and that is extremely validating.
In-spite of many hardships, this woman has had the utmost respect for self and others, and life itself. Even when other could not or would not respect Annie, she still respected them and herself and grew stronger and wiser and cared for the earth more. One seven year art project involved marrying, and committing herself and her partner to the well being of the earth. She calls herself a "sex ecologist", because the earth is sexy, sensual, and a beautiful thing to be cherished and respected, and so are we. All this leaves me with a true sense of Justice, a working example of relationships of reciprocal respect on many many levels.
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