Moved to tumblr!

Hey! I've moved over to tumblr (http://queershoulder.tumblr.com/) -- come visit me there, pretty please! This blog is staying up for posterity. xoxo, readers!

Gina's Writing Workshops for October, & Massachusetts, ho! ;)

Hi darlings,

Fall has fallen here in San Francisco, and I kinda love it. 24th Street smells like woodsmoke, I've traded in my fishnets & glittery flats for technicolor tights & boots, and I'm watching a torrential downpour from a cafe window as I type. Ah, October. I'm also half-way thru my first semester as a graduate student and doing several new & lovely freelance gigs, and loving all of that too. All in all, life's pretty sweet these days.

Anyway, a coupla notes/reminders:

+ Sex Workers' Writing Workshop for the third week of October (next week) has changed slightly -- I'll be teaching on *Tuesday, October 20th, from 4pm-6pm*, stlll at the Center for Sex & Culture. (Sorry for the time change -- I'll be travelling on Wednesday.) The SWWW schedule for November & December is as usual (first & third Weds of the month, 6-8pm), though.

+ *Very* exciting -- Massachusetts, ho! 1. I'll be at the New Leadership Networking Initiative (rad reproductive justice activist network) meeting in Amherst, MA from 10/21-10/23. Will you be at NLNI too? I'm psyched to see you if so! Also, Pioneer Valley friends, let's hang out! 2. I'll be teaching with the wonderful Write Here Write Now queer and trans writer's group in Somerville, MA on Saturday October 24th, hosted by the illustrious Toni Amato. If you are in or near Somerville/Boston, you should come write with us. And if you have friends in the area, you should tell them to come write with us. Really. It's gonna be awesome, folks.

More info about each of these classes is below...

xox, & happy fall, Gina

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Sex Workers' Writing Workshop

Sex Workers' Writing Workshop Tuesday, October 20th, 4pm-6pm Center for Sex & Culture, 1519 Mission Street, San Francisco (cross street 11th -- it's the building with the pink awning) Sliding scale $10-$20 *more if you can, less if you can't, nobody turned away* Workshop facilitated by Gina de Vries

Blurb: This is a writing workshop for current and former sex workers to share their writing and get honest, non-judgmental feedback. Workshop participants are not obligated to write exclusively about sex work, but writing about work in the sex industry (as well as writing about other topics) will be welcomed. This is a place where people can write and share about their sex work experiences without having to censor themselves or explain every detail. Beginning writers are encouraged to attend along with more seasoned wordsmiths.

And, in case you neeed it, here is Sex Workers' Writing Workshop Fall & Winter 2009 Schedule: Tuesday, October 20th, 4pm-6pm, CSC Wednesday, November 4th, 6pm-8pm, CSC Wednesday, November 18th, 6pm-8pm, CSC Wednesday, November 18th, 6pm-8pm, CSC Wednesday, December 2nd, 6pm-8pm, CSC Wednesday, December 16th, 6pm-8pm, CSC

***

Gina in Boston in October! Yay!:

Our First Teachers: Writing About Gender, Family, & Identity

(For the purposes of this workshop, the words “family” and “gender” have broad definitions.)

The people who bring us up through our childhood, and the people who bring us out into various communities (queer, trans, people of color, kink, disability, activist, artist, spiritual, etc.) pass beliefs and standards on to us, whether through explicit or implicit instruction. Family members – both of origin and chosen – are often the people who teach us the most about our gender. In this workshop, we will write about lessons we've learned from influential individuals – be they our great-grandmother, fourth grade teacher, first boss, or first submissive. These pivotal people inevitably taught us about what gender means in the world. Whether they encouraged us to follow gendered stereotypes or to defy them, and whether we ended up cherishing or despising them as individuals, we are left with choices: Which of the qualities they encouraged in us do we want to embody? What is fine for them, but not for us? What is not fine at all? What is precious?

Some Notes: The focus of the prompts will be about gender, but “gender” can cover a lot of ground when it comes to identity. No topic is off-limits.

No prior writing experience is necessary. Bring something to write with and an open mind.

Instructor Bio: Gina de Vries is a widely-published queer femme writer, activist, and writing instructor. Her work has appeared dozens of places, including Revolutionary Voices, Dirty Girls, TransForming Community, That's Revolting!, Bound to Struggle, Visible: A Femmethology, The Revolution Starts at Home, Curve magazine, make/shift magazine, Go magazine, and $pread magazine. Gina has performed, taught, and lectured everywhere from chapels to leatherbar backrooms to the halls of the Ivy League (recent appearances include Perverts Put Out! and Yale University). She's currently pursuing her MFA in Fiction Writing at San Francisco State University, and is the founder and instructor of Sex Workers' Writing Workshop. She believes in the transformative spiritual power of writing, and enjoys political discussion as foreplay. Find out more at ginadevries.com.

Details: Saturday, October 24th, from 10am-3pm, with vegan lunch included. Location, Davis Square, Somerville, MA. Suggested donation, $30, no one turned away for lack of funds. Contact Toni Amato at toniamato@gmail.com for more information and to register.

Spirited Smut on Holy Hill + Sex Workers' Writing Workshop this Weds 9/16 + SWWW Fall/Winter Sked!

Friends! I am teaching a smut-writing workshop in the east bay on Wednesday through the Center for Lesbian & Gay Studies in Religion & Ministry at Pacific School of Religion. CLGS is the groovy non-profit I worked at before starting grad school, and I am tickled to be going back there to teach for an afternoon. I know that many of you work during the day &/or are students who have classes then, but if you know any folks (esp. in the east bay!) who might enjoy my workshop, please feel free to pass this note on to them. Then, right after the workshop at PSR, I hop over to SF and teach Sex Workers' Writing Workshop at the Center for Sex & Culture. I think Wednesday can officially be called a Writestravaganza. :) In other news: Grad school is eating my brain, but in a good way. I am pretty much busier than I have ever been in my entire life (and for someone like me, that is really saying a lot). But it's a good & joyous kind of busy. Also! I've got some gigs upcoming in Boston in October! Stayed tuned for more about that, and tell yr east coast friends! Love to all of you, Gina -- FIRST! Come write spirited smut with me on Holy Hill this Wednesday! :) "Erotica for Fun & Justice" (their title) Presented by the Center for Lesbian & Gay Studies in Religion & Ministry Workshop facilitated by Gina de Vries Pacific School of Religion 1798 Scenic, Berkeley, CA Wednesday, September 16th 3:30 to 5:00pm Room Mudd 103 at PSR Workshop Description: Writing about sexuality can be joyous, transformative, political, spiritual, or just plain fun -- but erotica can very easily turn more laughable or flat than sexy. How do we write sexually-explicit work without overdoing it or boring the reader? How do we write about politics and sex, or spirituality and sex, without getting too dry or heavy-handed? In this erotic writing workshop, we'll learn some of the basics of writing erotic fiction. We'll do a series of exercises that will jump start us in writing erotic work: how to avoid cliches, how to write about what's hot and interesting for us (not what we think will be hot or interesting for the theoretical reader), and how to create believable settings and characters. Some notes: 1. No writing experience is needed for this class. Bring something to write with and an open mind. 2. This is an erotica writing workshop. We will be talking about sex and using sexually-explicit language. Please be comfortable with that. Remember that you are not obligated to share unless you want to. 3. If you want to engage in a debate about whether politics, spirituality, and/or sexuality are related, or whether erotica can be artistic, etc, etc, etc, this is NOT the workshop for you. BIO: Gina de Vries is a widely-published queer femme Paisan pervert, author, activist, and writing instructor. Her work has appeared dozens of places, including Revolutionary Voices, Dirty Girls, TransForming Community, That's Revolting!, Bound to Struggle, Visible: A Femmethology, The Revolution Starts at Home, Curve magazine, make/shift magazine, Go magazine, and $pread magazine. Gina has performed, taught, and lectured in chapels, living rooms, leatherbar backrooms, and the halls of the Ivy League. She's currently pursuing her MFA in Fiction Writing at San Francisco State University. She believes in the transformative spiritual power of writing, and enjoys political discussion as foreplay. Find her online at (the embarrassingly outdated but soon to be updated) ginadevries.com --- SECOND!: Sex Workers' Writing Workshop Sex Workers' Writing Workshop Wednesday, September 16th, 6:30pm-8pm **Note that we are starting at 6:30, NOT 6pm!** Center for Sex & Culture, 1519 Mission Street, San Francisco (cross street 11th -- it's the building with the pink awning) Sliding scale $10-$20 *more if you can, less if you can't, nobody turned away* Workshop facilitated by Gina de Vries **In general,** Sex Workers' Writing Workshop is now the 1st & 3rd Wednesdays of the month, from **6pm-8pm.** However, because I'll be coming from another gig, I'm having us start at 6:30 this Wednesday ONLY. Blurb: This is a writing workshop for current and former sex workers to share their writing and get honest, non-judgmental feedback. Workshop participants are not obligated to write exclusively about sex work, but writing about work in the sex industry (as well as writing about other topics) will be welcomed. This is a place where people can write and share about their sex work experiences without having to censor themselves or explain every detail. Beginning writers are encouraged to attend along with more seasoned wordsmiths. In case you need it, here is Sex Workers' Writing Workshop Fall & Winter 2009 Schedule: 

Wednesday, October 7th, 6pm-8pm, CSC Wednesday, October 21st, 6pm-8pm, CSC Wednesday, November 4th, 6pm-8pm, CSC Wednesday, November 18th, 6pm-8pm, CSC Wednesday, November 18th, 6pm-8pm, CSC Wednesday, December 2nd, 6pm-8pm, CSC Wednesday, December 16th, 6pm-8pm, CSC

PSA

I haz a tumblr! I've been posting fiction excerpts and random bits about my personal life over there -- for some reason, it feels like a good place to do the more gutsy/personal blogging that for whatever reason feels harder with this platform. I am keeping this blog, and will still post here, mostly about upcoming shows and the like. That's all. I hope you're all well!

Oh, also!

Oh, also! Remember when I was moving? I found a place that I love! A way, way, way below-market studio in my favorite neighborhood, with fig and nectarine trees in the big back yard, sweet neighbors, and sweet local landlords. Also, they allow cats. Life's pretty charmed. Lauren says I have the Magic Trifecta of Good Apartment, Good Job, and Good Sex going on. Any way it goes, I'm pretty happy.

"Oh, baby, let's do it in the Oscar Wilde."

I'm resurfacing here to say that graduate school is having its desired effect. I wrote 2000 words in 4 hours last night, and have a full weekend of writing (with breaks for bike rides, meals with friends, & downtime) ahead of me. I'm the happiest I've been in a long, long time. Grad school appears to suit me, if the first week is any indication. The classes are fun and I like my professors and the work is, uh, kinda helping me stay on track to write my little hands off.

I also blame grad school for the weird esoteric sex dream I had last night:

I was in the secluded upstairs of a fancy vintage bookstore -- and I called a lover for a blowjob. Uhh? "Oh baby, let's do it in the Oscar Wilde?"

Apparently Frazzled Is The New Sexy?

I've got 13 boxes packed, & I'm not moving till Saturday. I'm still a bundle of nerves about it. It's clearly time for a walk.

But before that walk: 

Today, lugging five bulky cardboard boxes home from a liquor store, dressed in ratty jeans, primas, & a baby-tee so old it's turned from black to grey in places, with my hair all messy & unbrushed, I got very obviously cruised by a cute girl with heart earrings. As in, she stopped in the middle of the street and gave me the Unmistakable Once-Over, including the Big Smile, the Wink, and the Nod. I grinned and blushed and nodded back -- you know, the usual way shy girls like me respond to cruising. 

It was only upon reaching my apartment that I was like, "Wait, wha? Really? Today of all days, I get cruised walking down Valencia Street? Huh. Okay!" Apparently Frazzled Is The New Sexy? Or apparently I'm Too Sexy For This Moving Stress, Too Sexy for This Moving Stress? Or maybe she could tell that I was stressed out and wanted to give a stranger a little thrill? Who knows. Whatever the case, it was nice. Thanks, Hot Heart Earrings Girl, wherever you are.