A nod to the late PHB - a Vicki Award from Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance

What a wonderful surprise! Nine years of online activism and one award that I never expected to receive is a sexual freedom award. Does the content my former labor of love, Pam's House Blend's rate that honor?

The good people at the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance (Facebook, Twitter) thought so, and contacted me recently to announce that I will receive its Vicki Award (and I'll deliver a keynote address) at the Sexual Freedom Summit  (@WoodhullSFA) on August 14-17, 2014, in Alexandria, VA. Hashtag: #SFS14.

About the award:

Established in 2010, the Vicki is named after Victoria Woodhull, the namesake of the Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance. Ms. Woodhull was an American suffragist born on September 23, 1838, who was described by Gilded Age newspapers as a leader of the American women's suffrage movement in the 19th century. She became a colorful and notorious symbol for women's rights, free love, and spiritualism as she fought against corruption and for labor reforms. A strong advocate for collaboration and for full equality rather than "just" individual rights, Woodhull was generations ahead of her time.

I am in terrific company. From the press release:

The 2014 Honorees

Carol Queen is an American author, editor, sociologist and sexologist with a doctorate in sexology who is very active in the sex-positive feminism movement.  The founding director of the Center for Sex & Culture in San Francisco, Queen serves as Staff Sexologist at Good Vibrations, where she’s worked since 1990.  Read more here.  

Cory Silverberg has developed and facilitated workshops for hundreds of agencies and organizations serving both youth and adults across North America on a range of topics including sexuality and disability, sexual pleasure, sexual communication, sex toys, and sex and technology. Cory has also delivered keynotes, lectures, and interactive public talks for professional conferences and student groups. Read more here.

Pam Spaulding considers herself an accidental activist.  The founder, editor and publisher of Pam’s House Blend, a startling honest and astute blog focused on the LGBT community, Pam has guest posted/contributed to Americablog, Pandagon, Firedoglake, The Rude Pundit, The Bilerico Project, Glenn Greenwald’s Unclaimed Territory on Salon, and written for The Independent Weekly.   Read more here.

The event will be a rare occasion for me these days - traveling, due to impact on my RA. Woodhull and its Executive Director Ricci Joy Levy have been very accommodating re: my need for rest and recovery. It's sad I have to live by the clock for meds and such these days. But I'll go down fighting.

The NYC Anti-Violence Project's Courage Awards is just around the corner...

It's coming up soon! Tickets are available. Hopefully, given my health issues, I will survive the airplane trip in one piece in order to receive this distinguished award.

The New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP) will hold its 13th Annual Courage Awards on Monday, November 9, 2009 at the W New York Ballroom at 541 Lexington Avenue, New York. The evening includes cocktails and a chefs' tasting and a program featuring the award presentation.

At this year’s event, AVP has the privilege of honoring Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Tony Kushner, author of Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes and The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide to Capitalism and Socialism With a Key to the Scriptures, for his truthful and cutting edge political writing and analysis; Weblog creators Bil Browning (The Bilerico Project), Joe Jervis (Joe.My.God.), Pam Spaulding (Pam's House Blend) and Andy Towle (Towleroad), in recognition of the impact of LGBTQH weblogs have made in the fight for civil rights and against violence in our communities; and Clifford Chance US LLP, for their commitment to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and HIV-affected (LGBTQH) rights and extensive work on behalf of the communities AVP serves.

Date: Monday, November 9, 2009

Location: W New York Ballroom at 541 Lexington Avenue, New York

Time: 7pm-9pm (VIP reception starting at 6pm)

I will be honored with the New York City Anti-Violence Project's Courage Award

I just learned that I will receive a 2009 Courage Award from the New York City Anti-Violence Project "for the significant contributions you have made to raising awareness about anti-violence work." A snippet of the email from AVP's Executive Director Sharon Stapel:

For almost 30 years, the New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP) has been an invaluable resource to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and HIV-affected (LGBTQH) communities. Our mission is to address the root causes of violence committed against and within our communities, while providing services and outreach to survivors. Each year, AVP presents the Courage Awards, highlighting the significant contributions of members of our community and allies, whose thoughtful and meaningful work inspires us.

In recognition of the impact of LGBTQH weblogs in the fight against violence in our communities, we are honoring a select group of bloggers who have shown exceptional commitment to the values we espouse. We would like to honor you as part of that group with a 2009 Courage Award. In accepting this award, you will join the distinguished company of past awardees including: Alan Cumming, HBO, In the Life, Judy Shepard and George C. Wolfe, to name but a few.

Also among the past honorees is Law & Order: SVU's B.D. Wong. The Courage Awards will be held on Monday, November 9, 2009.