Johannesburg - They say that the only constant in life is change. This is the final Saturday Star, and I am just so sad.
I know that online content will continue but I have to admit that there is something so incredibly special about seeing an article you’ve written, with your name in print. The good old-fashioned paper and ink kind.
Call it ego, but on Saturdays I had great joy going to the store to buy the paper, check out page two and feeling a wash of joy.
I’m sure you all know the song ‘My Way’, it’s running through my head as I write this.I have wondered for years about who reads the column? Did you enjoy it? Have I in any way changed the way you think about sex and your relationships? I hope so!
If you’re a regular reader, you will know that this weekend Lola Montez is at the Sex Expo. A petition was going around by someone I happen to know about the inappropriate banners. The petition alleges that the poster which contains a female IN A COSTUME, with a bum cheek half showing, is naked, and children should not be subjected to it. My best was that this type of image can lead to rape and gender violence.
Sigh.
For those of you who believe this, I disagree. I think that if you are uncomfortable with the poster, ask yourself why. Be grateful that if your children ask you what the poster is about, it gives you the most wonderful opportunity to have a chat about sex, owning your own body and being safe.
This column has always been about safe sex, trusting relationships, honest conversations and education. For too long sex, vanilla and otherwise have been vilified and shamed.
I agree that there seems to be a whole lot of gratuitous sex scenes in almost every movie and series. I don’t believe we should be watching as much soft porn as they can film under the guise of promoting the story line. I also think that it gives us an unreasonable expectation of what sex and intimacy is about. But it’s the movies. I also don’t believe that my bike can jump a ravine and I can get beaten by a pole and continue to save the world!
Back to the Sex Expo. It starts on Thursday evening and runs till Sunday.
They are even showing the all-important Rugby Final on the big screen. Lucky for me otherwise I would have lost all my helpers.
I’ll be posting pictures and live streaming if you want in on the fun but can’t attend. The links are at the bottom of this column.
I hope you visit. Yes, there are enough sex toys to please a nation but it’s more than that. It is an opportunity for you to explore. Touch and feel, listen to talks, watch some shows and hopefully support the exhibitors by buying something. Take it from me, it costs us a bomb to be there.
This being the final Saturday Star #sexcolumn, I want to thank my editor, Kashiefa Ajam, for all her hard work, correcting grammar and spelling. For reminding me to submit, when life got the better of me and above all for kindness and support. I will miss you! Good luck with your big changes. Let’s publish a book together so we can continue to see our work in actual print.
To the readers, hopefully the #sexcolumn will continue on another platform, if not please follow our social media pages. I will continue to blog about my industry. See you on the flip side.