Censorship and Butt Sex
Seems butt action has popped up twice in my creative work recently. For Meetinghouse.xyz I wrote the article, Butt Demons and Climate Denial. A few days later I uploaded the latest Bubble&Squeak podcast episode, Ass Whisperer.
In the essay I reflect on the wacky things I did to de-gay myself. This included an uncomfortable exorcism designed to extract demons that may have entered my butt through sex.
Joanne believed the demons entered me directly. “You probably picked up these demons when you had sex with another man.” In other words, an STD—a sexually transmitted demon. This was in the mid-1980’s at the beginning of the HIV/AIDS Crisis when researchers and public health experts began warning the public that the virus spread through body fluids exchanged during sexual activity. As I sat on her bed in a New York high rise with the city laid out before me erect with skyscrapers, she explained the dangers of spiritual transmissions. “If you had oral sex, demons crawled down your throat. If you engaged in anal activity, well, then, that’s how they got in. They quickly take over.”
I know a thing or two about denial. I wonder about how my gay denial is similar and different to climate denial. Turns out there are all sorts of climate denial–not just the outright rejecting of climate science. I explore these.
While some people may not deny the reality of climate change, they may be in denial about how serious the crisis is and what it means for us. They assume we can all just lower our carbon footprints, recycle, and buy the right eco-products, and we will eventually tackle climate change. Though well-meaning, these actions do not recognize the severity of the problem. As my husband, Glen, likes to say, “It’s like giving an aspirin to a cancer patient.” Large problems require large solutions.
Many religious leaders are in denial about the responsibility they have in pursuing solutions. They may pop up a solar panel on the church roof and get rid of styrofoam cups for coffee time, yet they renege on their call to provide pastoral care for their congregations and community. People are frightened, angry, overwhelmed, and hopeless. Ministers have tools and training to meet these needs.
I also write about “Hope Deniers,” those people who think we have gone too far and there is no fix, so we might as well give up. Please read and share the article:
Butt Demons and Climate Denial
The only known photo of Marvin Bloom
I end the piece with an appeal for action–no not to lower your carbon footprint. I provide alternative actions that people often undervalue but actually can have great impact.
With Bubble&Squeak I put together three things that seem to have little to do with each other.
- Part one: Matthew Billy from the podcast Bleeped talks about censorship. From Drag Queen Story Hour to Mapplethorpe’s nude photos to climate change, he exposes the censors.
- Part two: A prank call I made in 2010. I called sex advice expert Dan Savage host of the Savage Love podcast. I actually called in character, as Marvin Bloom. Mavin asked about struggles with anal sex. Dan took the call and aired it on Ep 202 of Savage Love Podcast.
- Part three: a sound slice–The Path train from NJ to NYC
You can hear Bubble&Squeak wherever you get podcasts or just follow this link.
(Featured Photo by Jean Sabeth on Unsplash)
Last week I had the privilege to spend a few days at Villanova University as a guest of the office of sustainability along with the following sponsors.
I guess it is the intersectionality of the work I do that so many diverse groups came together to host me. The visit led up to a public performance of Climate Change–
Back in June I led 
Sometimes I grow weary in well-doing. For years as an LGBTQ human rights activist, there were times I got down and discouraged. People can say and do ugly things. At times it has felt worse than an uphill battle–more like trying to scale a wall of Jello. But every activist who has been around for more than two weeks knows that we need to pick ourselves up and keep going.
I feel so grateful to the many friends here in the US, Europe, and South Africa who have given me the boost I needed when I grew discouraged and overwhelmed with activism. This was especially true as we began the 
First Joseph gave out grain if the people paid for it with the money they had. When they ran out of money, he took all their livestock. Still the famine raged on. If they wanted food from Pharaoh’s emergency manager, they needed to pay for it. The people begged for relief.
And that is the part that is interesting to me—the climate part of it. You see Pharaoh was having weird dreams. They hauled Joseph out of prison to interpret them. It was his thing. He said there would be 7 years of amazing weather with huge harvests. Then he warned of 7 years afterwards of horrible drought, famine, and potential starvation. He predicted temporary climate change AND he came up with an adaptation plan.
