Pleasure Chest is a Virgo just like Tina Horn! To celebrate the 46th anniversary of this legendary sex toy retailer, Tina interviewed National Head of Business Operations Sarah Tomchesson about why people are into sex shops! Sarah explains why the biggest hurdle is walking through the door, why it's important to get a tactile feel for your sex toys, and why her grandmother got mad at her for working in this industry (but not for the reasons you might expect!).Sarah Tomchesson is Head of Business Operations for Pleasure Chest, the nation’s oldest sex-positive retailer. Sarah discovered sex-positivity and feminism while attending Reed College and after graduating with a B.A. began teaching sexual wellness and pleasure-centered workshops and seminars. Her career has involved a range of entrepreneurial endeavors, which led her to the Pleasure Chest in 2009 where she oversees company operations, brand strategy and leadership development. In addition to seeking out every opportunity to spread the message of pleasure as wellness, Sarah is also a founding member and current board member of Dyke Day LA, a volunteer-operated, free, all ages pride event in Los Angeles.

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“I’m really interested in stories where the sex worker doesn’t die and end up in a garbage bag.” Antonia Crane was one of the women working at the Lusty Lady when they made their historical unionization. Now she has cowritten a script called The Lusty based on her experience. Tina caught up with her during a trip to LA to talk about Westward and their favorite sex work writers. Antonia Crane is a performer, 2-time Moth Story Slam Winner and writing instructor in Los Angeles. She has written for The New York Times, The Believer, The Toast, Playboy, Cosmopolitan, Salon.com, The Rumpus, Electric Literature, DAME, The Los Angeles Review, Quartz: The Atlantic Media, Medium.com, Buzzfeed and dozens of other places. Her screenplay “The Lusty” (co-written by Transparent director, writer Silas Howard), based on the true story of the exotic dancer’s labor union, is a recipient of the San Francisco Film Society/Kenneth Rainin Foundation Grant in screenwriting, 2015. She is at work on an essay collection and a feature film.

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“I’m really interested in stories where the sex worker doesn’t die and end up in a garbage bag.” Antonia Crane was one of the women working at the Lusty Lady when they made their historical unionization. Now she has cowritten a script called The Lusty based on her experience. Tina caught up with her during a trip to LA to talk about Westward and their favorite sex work writers.

Antonia Crane is a performer, 2-time Moth Story Slam Winner and writing instructor in Los Angeles. She has written for The New York Times, The Believer, The Toast, Playboy, Cosmopolitan, Salon.com, The Rumpus, Electric Literature, DAME, The Los Angeles Review, Quartz: The Atlantic Media, Medium.com, Buzzfeed and dozens of other places.

Her screenplay “The Lusty” (co-written by Transparent director, writer Silas Howard), based on the true story of the exotic dancer’s labor union, is a recipient of the San Francisco Film Society/Kenneth Rainin Foundation Grant in screenwriting, 2015.

She is at work on an essay collection and a feature film.

Tired of storing your vibrator in a sticky drawer? Entrepreneur Lidia Bonilla certainly was! That’s why in 2013 she left a career in banking to found the House of Plume, creating beautiful storage solutions for all of your sexual accessories. Lidia sat down with Tina to discuss the Women of Sex Tech group, why Facebook won’t allow ads for sexual wellness products, and how the sex toy industry is even whiter than banking. LIDIA BONILLA: Covered by Fast Company, Tech Crunch, and Huffington Post, the Moi Box Deluxe launched Lidia’s reputation as a design innovator, change agent and sought after expert. She speaks on topics ranging from sex in communities of color and dismantling sexual taboos to the nuts and bolts of turning an idea into a real product.Perhaps it’s no coincidence that, in her former career as a compliance and regulatory expert, Lidia worked with various “naughty” financial institutions. Raised in Miami, she calls Brooklyn home. Her spirits animals include Beyoncé, Rihanna, and the entire cast of the Golden Girls.

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In Part 2 of Why Are People Into Female Dominance?!, Midori explains the appeal of compassionate sadism and details the unusual ways that graduates from her ForteFemme women’s dominance intensive use their training.Dan Savage calls Midori “The Super Nova of Kink”!  She is an artistic visionary who has touched lives across the globe with her expertise in sexuality, personal fulfillment, and kinky adventures. Using her “head-heart-hands” methodology she facilitates tackling challenging topics and creating space where people are allowed individual self-exploration. Her incredible passion is fully on display in her transformative small group intensives, including Rope Dojo ®, ForteFemme: Women’s Dominance Weekend Intensive and Make Hot Play Happen.

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“I like a long flirtation stroking the crevices of the mind and the back alleys of the imagination.” Midori certainly knows from femme seduction. This sex ed legend joins Tina for the 50th episode to talk about her women's dominance intensive ForteFemme and topping from a feminine space. Tina tells the full origin story of Midori’s inspiration for her power femme name. A truly evocative storyteller, Midori basically had Tina flustered and blushing the entire conversation. Stay tuned for Part two on August 15th!Dan Savage calls Midori “The Super Nova of Kink”!  She is an artistic visionary who has touched lives across the globe with her expertise in sexuality, personal fulfillment, and kinky adventures. Using her “head-heart-hands” methodology she facilitates tackling challenging topics and creating space where people are allowed individual self-exploration. Her incredible passion is fully on display in her transformative small group intensives, including Rope Dojo ®, ForteFemme: Women’s Dominance Weekend Intensive and Make Hot Play Happen.

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August is Anal Month at the Pleasure Chest! Tina was stoked to sit down with Brandon B, manager of the flagship West Village Pleasure Chest store (yup, the one from the rabbit vibe episode of Sex and the City) to discuss all things butt-related. This episode includes a butt-load (had to!) of toy recommendations from Brandon, including plugs, vibrators, beads, lube, even electro-stim!

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“In the whore economy, you’re constantly aware if you’re common or you’re rare.” If you enjoyed Tina's talk with Jenny Zhang in the Why Are People Into Fluids?! episode a few months back, then you'll love this Interrobang all about exclusion, meaningful cores, and Jenny's short story book Sour Heart (which comes out in August!)

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“In the whore economy, you’re constantly aware if you’re common or you’re rare.” If you enjoyed Tina's talk with Jenny Zhang in the Why Are People Into Fluids?! episode a few months back, then you'll love this Interrobang all about exclusion, meaningful cores, and Jenny's short story book Sour Heart (which comes out in August!)

"The freaks were at the Lusty. They wanted to be seen. They were shoving zucchinis up their asses and tying themselves into pretzels They were wearing santa hats and coming in as a gang of clowns and all jerking off together. Does it come from shame?” When Tina was in LA, she dropped by writer Antonia Crane's place to dig into some questions about erotic shame. Why are people so attached to their own erotic shame? Can sex help you overcome the power that shame holds over you? Do we NEED shame for sex to be fun? Whats the difference between liberation and hedonism in feminist sex positive culture? Should we harness shame and make it our bitch?Antonia Crane is a performer, 2-time Moth Story Slam Winner and writing instructor in Los Angeles. She has written for The New York Times, The Believer, The Toast, Playboy, Cosmopolitan, Salon.com, The Rumpus, Electric Literature, DAME, The Los Angeles Review, Quartz: The Atlantic Media, Medium.com, Buzzfeed and dozens of other places. Her screenplay “The Lusty” (co-written by Transparent director, writer Silas Howard), based on the true story of the exotic dancer’s labor union, is a recipient of the San Francisco Film Society/Kenneth Rainin Foundation Grant in screenwriting, 2015. She is at work on an essay collection and a feature film.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/yapit.

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