I can’t believe I didn’t blog about this earlier! Bad blogger!
I’m going to be speaking at the Open SF conference, the conference for open, poly, and ethically non-monogamous folks in the Bay Area. Social events start tonight, June 8, and the conference proper is from Saturday June 9 to Sunday June 10. I’ll be speaking on Saturday June 9 at 11:15 a.m. about Atheism and Sexuality. Here’s the summary:
The sexual morality of most traditional religions tends to be based not on solid ethical principles, but on a set of taboos about what kinds of sex God does and does not want people to have. This is especially the case with morals about non-traditional sexualities, such as polyamory, queer sexuality, BDSM, sex work, etc. And while sex-positive communities offers a more thoughtful view of sexual morality, they still often frame sexuality as positive by seeing it as a spiritual experience. What are some secular alternatives to these views? How can atheists view sexual ethics without a belief in God? And how can atheists view sexual transcendence without a belief in the supernatural? This presentation is aimed at both believers and non-believers: offering ideas to non-believers about secular sexualities, and helping believers get a better understanding of atheists and atheism.
Normally when I give this talk, I give it to atheist groups. It’ll be interesting to give it to a different crowd, one that’s already familiar with a lot of the sexual ideas, but that may not be as familiar with the atheist stuff. I’m tweaking the talk accordingly, and am curious to see what the response will be. If you’re poly or poly-curious in the Bay Area, check out the conference! It’s at the Holiday Inn Golden Gateway, 1500 Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco. Hope to see you there!
3 comments
Cory Brunson
June 8, 2012 at 4:33 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
That is so awesome! I am now approximately twice as disappointed as before that i will not be there. Please do share your impressions and the reactions you get!
Nentuaby
June 8, 2012 at 5:26 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I could have been there if I’d heard about it earlier.
!
Ah well… I WILL be out to hear you speak one of these days!
justinnelson
June 9, 2012 at 6:15 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
You evil Bay Areans having awesome events like this. I’m a native of the East Bay currently stuck in the SoCal suburbs, and FSM dammit I wish I could go back.