Clippings
If you have written about CatalystCon, please let us know!
“Six weeks ago, I attended CatalystCon East—a conference held in Washington, DC designed to spark communication, acceptance, and activism in the field of sexuality. It was literally a life changing experience. I have long struggled with body image and low self-esteem. I decided that if there was anywhere in the world that I would possibly accepted for who I am and not shunned due to my ample curves, it was this conference. I promised myself that I would try, just for that weekend, to see what being confident felt like. Well let me tell you – it was incredible.”
Body Image and Feeling Sexy – Life on the Swingset
“My mind is absolutely blown from all of the amazing that happened at Catalyst Con and I can’t wait for the next one on the East Coast!”
Catalyst Con 2013: A Recap – Insane Hussein Reviews
“There’s another reason to keep Catalyst on our radar. As an industry, sexuality retailers and manufacturers are facing legal challenges from all sides, as are sexuality educators. There is a clear connection between Measure B and, for example university Sex Weeks losing funding over ‘controversial’ topics. That means there’s a natural alliance between these two fields, but there’s very little collaboration between them. Working together would be a big step forward.”
Connection Catalyst- XBIZ Premiere
“‘At Sportsheets we spark intriguing, exciting, and sometimes intimate conversations with our award-winning relationship tools every day among men, women, and couples around the world,’ Stewart said. ‘It was a special privilege to share seminar space with so many fundamental figures in the human sexuality world and do our part to support a special event like CatalystCon.’”
Sportsheets Named Gold Sponsor, Discusses Erotica Phenomenon at CatalystCon East [continued] – XBIZ Premiere
“The fundamental principle behind CatalystCon is that ‘knowledge is power and sharing that knowledge is the first spark in igniting change,’ said Dennis. ‘I created this conference to make it possible for everyone to see that we all have a voice and all of those voices are valuable. The power of social media makes it possible to even further amplify those voices and become catalysts for change.’”
Social media drives conversation at CatalystCon – O’Dwyer’s
“The closing keynote on Sunday began with a moving speech by Dee Dennis on the success of the conference. The closing afternoon tea with Carol Queen and Dr. Robert Lawrence seemed to sum up the entire weekend for me. I sat transfixed and mesmerized by their storytelling. They were pioneers recounting their tales about how they met and their early experiences when being sex positive was dangerous work. Their fierce ability to be their true selves and to champion rights for others was inspirational. Robert and Carol spoke words that touched us deeply, at parts we knew were there and parts we never new existed. Instead of categorizing Robert would like us to all be humans together, his sexual orientation is oriented toward sex. Carol reminded us that having sex partners is sex education and that it’s important to learn about the diversity of the people around us.”
CatalystCon East – Stoking the Fire Within – Life on the Swingset
“Dee Dennis, creator and founder of the CatalystCon conferences, called for ‘a melting pot of sexuality’ and she got it. The lively, non-judgmental, wildly diverse mix of attendees (‘Hey, look at Dragon Tattoo over there with Betty Draper!’) was a microcosm of the world Dennis wants to create. Her goal is to change how our culture talks about ‘normal’ sexuality, as well as how we talk about and treat people who practice sex in ways perceived to be outside the norm.”
Why Sex Is No Big Deal – Huffington Post
“In addition to all of the wonderful panels, I got to meet a ton of awesome people. There were tons of awesome people there. Nothing could have prepared me for just how down to earth all of these wonderful people are, big and small names alike. And I’m still in awe of the amazing closing keynote duo, Carol Queen and Robert Lawrence (scrotum!).
Overall, I left feeling amazing, and rejuvenated to go out in the world and educate. To join in and continue the conversation. To break down the walls that divide us, both in the sex positive community, and the world community at large. I won’t lie, I had a couple of hiccups regarding the convention, mostly regarding travel, but I made it home safe and sound, and rejuvenated and ready to face the world!”
Poly in the Big City – A Guy from the Cornfields Goes to CatalystCon – Life on the Swingset
“Some of my favorite moments from last month’s CatalystCon East.
For the full gallery go to the official CatalystCon gallery.”
Some of my favorite moments from last month’s CatalystCon East – Tyler Keegan Grigsby (tumblr)
“Every one that I have been following and talking to were going to be there. For me, this conference was the equivalent of a teenage girl going to her first Justin Bieber concert. (For the record our daughter is a huge JB fan). It made hubby curious about what the conference was about. He knew what the topic was about but did not realize the impact the conference has in the sex positive community.”
Life before and after Catalyst Con East – Centsual Living
“It was an amazing time, and I had probably the best time in my life because I felt like I was amongst my kind. You know, people that understand my language and don’t cock their head when I talk and look at me funny when I talk about certain things or act like some of the things that I say are out of this world or weird, so that was really nice.”
CatalystCon Part 1 and CatalystCon Part 2 – Story Time with Dirty Lola (podcast)
“At CatalystCon East this month, I attended Terri Clark’s session, ‘The Silver Rainbow: Working with LGBT Seniors.’ There are more than 1.5 million LGBT older adults in US today, and by 2030, they’ll number more than 3 million, Terri told us. She is co-chair of The LGBT Elder Initiative (LGBTEI), which is ‘committed to assuring that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender older adults have rights and opportunities to live vibrant, creative and mutually supportive lives.’”
Marriage Equality and more: LGBT Seniors – Naked at Our Age / Better Than I Ever Expected
“If I don’t hide in my room at these conferences, sucking up hotel WiFi and getting things accomplished, it becomes a schmoozefest of grand proportions. And so it was at Catalyst! I had the same table for meals each evening, and it allowed me to see and be seen, joining one fantastic conversation after another. This is, of course, one important reason to attend — seeing colleagues, catching up with them, hatching new plans for sex-ed world domination, and meeting the people they know. Networking like crazy! In this field, of course, our friends are so frequently our colleagues, and vice versa, that you can maintain connections with far-flung pals just by attending cons and, for the adult industry folks among us, trade shows. One purveyor of fine playthings, though, told me she got as much from coming to these as to industry shows, and indeed, almost all of the alt-sex-store crowd was there — owners came or sent their representatives, since this sort of networking and learning is a great way to provide educational contacts and, in fact, continuing ed to store staff. Good Vibrations was a sponsor, and many of our “sister stores” were in the mix as well.”
Catalyzing & Inspiring at CatalystCon – The Buzz / Good Vibrations Online Magazine
“I would highly, highly recommend future Catalyst Cons (which happen on both the East and West Coasts) to fellow sex and kink educators, sex geeks, and academics who are studying sex or sexuality in all its forms. It might be a little too ‘thinky thinky’ for your average kinkster, but if you like geeking out about sex and things related, you would love this event.”
Catalyst Con East: An Event Review of Sorts – Sex, Gods and Rock Stars
“No matter how I start this post, nothing I can say seems to do that weekend any justice. The atmosphere, the people, and the knowledge flowing through that space will forever be my white whale…or at least until the next Catalyst Conference I have to privilege of attending. For those who are not familiar, Catalyst Con is a gathering of the sex-positive minds. It happens on the West and East coast in order to open communication between educators, bloggers, sex workers, activist (and many more!) and keep conversations going. That is the cliff notes version. For a better idea, keep the next Catalyst Con on your radar.”
I’m Pretty Sure Tristan Taormino Heard Me Pee – (+) Style Blog
“I learned such invaluable, wonderful, exciting things, both concrete and intangible, and I have a few cool new experiences under my belt. I feel like this was my official ‘coming out’ as a wannabe sex professional, though I’ve said as much to some friends and family members – this was me saying to all the fucking awesome and established sex professionals here that, yes, I belong here, I belong among your ranks. Or I will, someday. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to be here, and for the wealth of knowledge that was shared with me.”
All good things gotta come to an end, including Catalyst Con. – Feminists Fuck Too
“Catalyst Con East for me this year was: uplifting, recharging, a reminder that I have a lot of good to contribute, an exercise in not giving in to an argument, a time of new connections, a time of deepening older connections, an opportunity to be unapologetically myself. I helped me refine things to work on to get myself doing the education I want to be doing. It let me practice my soap box. It let me practice the ideals I believe very strongly in. It helped me find myself when I walked in the door feeling utterly lost and unworthy.”
Catalyst Con : East 2013 – Let there be Change.
“Dee Dennis organized another fun and interesting event in Washington DC this spring — with the assistance of her girl gang — and we were thrilled to be a part of it. Thank you to everyone who stopped by and picked up some free lube samples. We had a great time with you. We’re looking forward to getting feedback from the attendees who volunteered to give our new organic lubricants a test drive. We hope we get to see you at a conference soon.”
Cock Rings & Chickenbaby: It Must Be CatalystCon – Wet® Blog
“‘At Sportsheets we spark intriguing, exciting and sometimes intimate conversations with our award-winning relationship tools every day among men, women and couples around the world,’ Stewart said. ‘It was a special privilege to share seminar space with so many fundamental figures in the human sexuality world and do our part to support such a special event like CatalystCon.’”
Sportsheets Named Gold Sponsor, Discusses Erotica Phenomenon at CatalystCon East – AVN
“With my vulva puppet and the representatives from WET Lubricants at CatalystCon in Washington, DC. Vulvas love quality lube!”
Make Sex Normal Tumblr – submitted by sex educator Ashley Manta
“Last weekend, I attended CatalystCon, with a large group of sex bloggers, educators, workers, therapists, researchers, and the like. While I knew that this conference was going to be awesome, what I didn’t expect was for it to be life-changing. It acted as a catalyst for me at this point in my life, and I want to share with you how it did this, because it’s so important to me.”
Catalyst: How it Inspired – Geeky Nymph
“Okay, so it’s a lot more complicated than that but I will never again discount what I do and what I, really what any of us, have the potential to accomplish. After an amazing weekend of learning from incredible teachers, of being recognized from this blog ( folks who didn’t birth me are reading!), of meeting a community of people who think like me and are doing things about it, of having my perspective broadened my mind opened and my passion ignited I sat at the closing keynote address full of admiration for the folks around me and gratitude that I had found this community.”
CatalystCon or Why I’ll Never Call Myself a “Lowly Blogger” Again – The Redhead Bedhead
“Another highlight (and I very much guess not just for me) was the closing panel titled ‘Afternoon Tea with Carol Queen & Robert Lawrence.’ In gathering for the erotica panel Sunday morning, I got to meet Carol’s partner, Dr. Robert Lawrence, for the first time. I would later experience him during the closing panel as one of the most extraordinary individuals I’d personally witnessed in some time. I admit I do not know what to even say about this closing session because it feels like an experience all but impossible to capture in words, but, of course, it would be remiss of me not to mention it.
I found the format of the closing session very accommodating to what was presented. It was informal, and Robert and Carol simply alternated back and forth speaking conversationally about their decades of experience in sexual subcultures and sexuality education. I already knew I found Carol Queen a pioneer and an inspiration. That was reiterated tenfold during their session. This conference was my first time being exposed to Dr. Lawrence in person, and to be frank, I was blown away. I have rarely had the delight of observing and receiving the words and energy of a more genuine, aware, unassuming, astute individual in the context of sexuality education. It was tremendous.”
A Mere Few of the Reasons I Found CatalystCon Awesome – The Green Light District
“In September I attended CatalystCon West, a weekend long sexuality conference. At the conference I gained a better perspective not only in what I had to offer to the sex positive community but that I was already an active participant in it. I met in person many people I had followed online and we spent the weekend learning and sharing. It was also the first time I saw recognition in people’s faces when I told them who I was. It was one of the most inspiring and validating moments of my life.
[...] Attending CatalystCon East made me realized that I really do have followers and, dare I say it, a fan or two. I also felt more confident in what I was doing and where I was heading after the conference.”
Learning to Fly – A Year on the Swingset – Life on the Swingset
“Disrupting Dinner Parties covers Catalyst Con East, March 15-17, 2013
Thanks to all for following us around @CatalystCon #ccon this weekend! Conference report coming soon! Now back to real world.”
DDP at Catalyst Con – Disrupting Dinner (via Storify)
“CatalystCon is an awesome conference held on the East and West coasts for sex educators of all kinds. I saw everyone from Tristan Taormino to college freshmen, and everyone was there to talk about sexual health, education, and pleasure. If you’re interested, you should see if you can make it to CCon West, or consider volunteering for CCon East next year. (As a volunteer, my conference pass was free.)”
CatalystCon East, 2013 – Marvelous Darling
“Dee is so passionate about what she does, and we’re really happy that we got the chance to be a part of helping her bring CatalystCon to the east coast. Here is our love letter to her and #ccon. Thanks for a great weekend.”
Love Letter to Dee Dennis & CatalystCon – Evil Slut Clique (via Storify)
“Strange how quickly life goes back to normal, even if ‘normal’ means talking about dildos all day. It’s just depressing not being physically surrounded by like-minded people. That’s saying something, for an introvert like me.
It probably goes without saying that I had an epic time, but as I adjust back to my default life, there’s this weird sensation that the whole weekend almost didn’t happen. Which is why I must preserve it, if even in a scattered blog post.”
The amazing things that happened at CatalystCon – Hey Epiphora
“How can I possibly describe what came afterward? If I condensed my explanation, I’d say two days of brain-stimulating conversations, panels, introductions, and non-stop communication between sex-positive people from many walks of life. I attended panels on Sex Workers and Disability, Sex from the Trans Perspective, Polyamory, and Feminist Porn… and soaked it all in. I tried to go to completely different panels than I did at CatalystCon West, to get myself out of my familiar zone, and instead into realms where I don’t have much experience.”
Sparking Conversations on Sexuality at CatalystCon East – jessica drake’s Guide to Wicked Sex
“CatalystCon East wrapped a successful three-day run Sunday, ending with the announcement by founder and organizer Dee Dennis that Dr. Jocelyn Elders has been tapped to deliver the closing keynote at CatalystCon West in September.
‘It will be similar to how we handled the closing address this time around, with a fireside chat format with Dr. Jocelyn Elders and Lynn Comella,’ Dennis told AVN. ‘She is one of the most powerful speakers I have ever seen. This is the woman who, as surgeon general, talked about masturbation, and lost her job for it. The sad thing is, is that if it happened today I think she would still lose her job.’”
CatalystCon Wraps, Announces Dr. Jocelyn Elders as Next Keynote – AVN
“‘We have some exciting events lined up for CatalystCon East,’ said Aneros CEO CT Schenk. ‘In addition to debuting new prostate massagers and introducing more people to our Kegel exerciser Evi, we will also sponsor workshops and sessions by some of the most prominent sex educators. Their words and ideas inspire people to embrace sexual health and pleasure the way we hope our products do.’”
Aneros Debuts Products, Hosts Informative Workshops At CatalystCon – AVN
“I was invited to Catalyst last year by Dee Dennis, the founder. It was really unique in that it wasn’t a convention where I was making an appearance, but instead a place where people came together to exchange ideas and information about sexual topics. I spoke on a panel and quickly fell in love with the Catalyst experience. To be around so many likeminded people was very inspiring and motivating. In three days I met so many fantastic people and really opened my eyes to another world.”
Interview with jessica drake – AIPdaily
“Most CatalystCon attendees are connected somehow in the realm of sexuality — either in sex education, sex work, therapy, selling products. Dennis said the event can be called a success afterward, when people leave and use their new connections to become more active.
‘It happens after the conference, when people write blog posts, and I see them interacting on social media with new friends,’ she said. ‘It’s a success to me … when I hear people say, “I’m inspired, I’m going to create this.” That’s the success. If I can change one person’s mind, or if one person at the conference can go and change one person’s mind, then that’s a success. And that’s what it’s all about.’”
‘Melting Pot of Sexuality’ Coming to Crystal City – ArlingtonPatch
“Another highly anticipated aspect of CatalystCon East, Dennis said, is the discussion that will center on Measure B and Prop 35.
‘I don’t normally create sessions for these conferences but these were instigated by discussions and comment from CatalystCon West,’ she said. ‘Too many people seem to think that these pieces of legislation are Los Angeles-based or California-based and they don’t apply to them. But the reality is that these are the first step down a slippery slope. These are about legislating our personal freedoms and I really think this is something people all over should be paying attention to before it’s too late.’”
CatalystCon East Ready To Welcome Crowds – AVN
“Why are you going to CatalystCon?
“With the birth of the Sexual Wellness program at Cleveland Exotic Dance, it’s time to connect with others doing similar work with sexuality. Our burlesque ladies attend things like BurlyCon, Pole has all kinds of showcases, competitions, and conventions, and belly dance has all kinds of fun events. Many of these events feature a host of workshops designed to focus on aspects to create better dancers and instructors.
The world of sexuality is no different. I have read A LOT about sexuality, from how-to books to anthropological ethnographies. I have also experienced all kinds of flavors of sexuality, from stripping to kink clubs. I can always learn more. I can always improve on how to share information with and educate others on both fun sex topics and serious ones.”
Ms. Roxi goes to CatalystCon 2013 – Cleveland Exotic Dance
“We are getting psyched for CatalystCon East – and so is everyone else apparently. So we thought we’d take a look on Twitter and see what everyone else is saying about #ccon.”
Pre-CatalystCon East Excitement – Evil Slut Clique (via Storify)
“It’s always fun to meet up with industry friends and attend thought-provoking workshops. It gives us great new ideas and helps us remember why we do what we do! So, from March 14th through 17th, with smartphones grasped firmly in hand, we’ll be tweeting and posting on Facebook to give you a taste of the conference.”
Dispatches from Catalyst coming right up! – She Bop Blog
“When I mention “Measure B,’ many people outside the adult entertainment industry don’t know what I’m referring to, however if I say ‘the Condoms in Porn Law,’ their faces light up in recognition. For me, this is indicative of the overall law and the general understanding of it, which is why I’m happy to participate in a session at CatalystCon East titled The Facts About Measure B, and How It Impacts Us All.”
The Facts About Measure B & How It Impacts Us All – jessica drake’s Guide to Wicked Sex
“Keep the tiger in its cage though. ‘While many aspects of sexuality will be discussed frankly and openly, there will be no organized play or public play-spaces,’ the conference’s website states. ‘Our focus at CatalystCon is on stimulating you intellectually.’
And if that intellectual hard-on persists for longer than four hours, please go see a doctor.”
Sex and the (Crystal) City – Northern Virginia Magazine
“Dee Dennis is the creator and founder of CatalystCon, a conference she refers to as a ‘melting pot of sexuality’ that will unite sex educators, sexologists, sex workers, writers, activists, and anyone with a passion for creating change. She’ll discuss what to expect this March when the conference hits DC and how you can join in.”
Dee Dennis on Creating a Melting Pot of Sexuality and Patricia Johnson & Mark Michaels on Making Great Sex Simple – Sex Out Loud | VoiceAmerica
“Dee Dennis decided to join us for a discussion on building sex positive communities (and the perils within doing so), and how to translate that into a great conference experience! It’s apropos as she’s also the founder of CatalystCon”
SS 102: Sex Positive Community Building & Conferences – Guest Dee Dennis from CatalystCon East – Life on the Swingset (Podcast)
“I got some of the best news of possibly my life a few days ago. I’M GOING TO CATALYST. I had to refrain from adding multiple exclamation points to the title of this post. Yeah. This is serious business.”
MEET ME AT CATALYSTCON! – Hey Epiphora
“CatalystCon founder Dee Dennis told XBIZ, her goal is to maximize the cross-pollination of ideas, strategies and business potential with CatalystCon East’s lineup of events.
‘Once again it’s the sharing of knowledge. CatalystCon West is more focused on porn and East is more about sexuality,’ Dennis said. ‘There will be more sex ed this time than in the west. However, some of the content is the same — my goal is to always have duplicate content because not everyone gets to go to all of the sessions.’”
CatalystCon East Sessions, Speakers Announced – XBIZ
“Catalyst Con was absolutely rejuvenating. Being around such intelligent people who shared similar values and who didn’t treat me like some sort of freak was comforting. I barely slept the whole weekend, but it was totally worth it. I highly encourage you to come to Catalyst Con East in March, especially if you are a sex worker and want to know that you can function in a space where your voice is heard and respected. I value so many of the connections I made there, and I hope that I can continue to turn many of them into more than cursory interactions from the Sex Industry Bubble.”
does this mean i’m back? - Baby Domme Blues
“At CatalystCon in September, I attended tons of panels on a wide variety of sex- and sexuality-related subjects. One of the panels that gave me a host of practical information was a discussion on sex toy safety that took place between Ducky Doolittle (sex educator and so much more), Metis Black (founder and president of Tantus inc., a company that makes only high-quality body-safe sex toys) and Jennifer Pritchett (founder of the Smitten Kitten sex toy store in Minneapolis, which is dedicated to selling body-safe products).”
Body-Safe Sex Toys – The Enlightened Sexpot
“As a health-conscious manufacturer, Aneros is a champion for sexual education, considering it essential for breaking down the taboos that prohibit people from improving their health and sexual enjoyment. To demonstrate this support, Evi was introduced in September at CatalystCon, a conference of sex educators and speakers held in Long Beach, Calif. “
ANEROS Enlists Entrenue to Educate Buyers About EVI – XBIZ
“ANAL G-SPOTTING, SEX SOUNDS, & SEX GEEK RETREATS! Sandra reveals her secret motives behind her new show. Dave & Sandra talk Sumo Wrestling, Dildos, Making Out with Smokers, Sandra’s Sex Lab, Sex Nerd Shame, Car Jerk-Off Techniques, and Presidential Cigars. THEN, Dee Dennis shares how she went from lonely spouse to sex blogger to sex conference mogul, uniting sex-positives in beautiful nerdery.”
Sex Nerds Unite! – Sex Nerd Sandra (Podcast)
“‘I think CatalystCon went great,’ Dennis said. ‘The West Coast version is a little different than what we’ve done before, but everything that you’ve seen [at the conference] is exactly what I wanted. It’s been amazing – everyone has been gushing about it all weekend. I would love to do this every year but it all comes down to sponsors.’”
CatalystCon Sparks Dialogue with Sex-Positive Message – XBIZ Premiere
“CatalystCon organizer Dee Dennis stated, ‘I was thrilled ANEROS chose CatalystCon to debut Evi. CatalystCon is about creating change, and I feel we created something groundbreaking by launching a product not at the traditional industry trade show, but instead with actual sex education, going right to those who will use Evi. The message Aneros sent by debuting Evi at CatalystCon was their first concern is not bottom line or sales, but the sexual health and well being of those who will be using Evi.’”
Aneros Kegel Exerciser, EVI Praised by Sex Educators – XBIZ Premiere
“I left the conference feeling like I had not only learned a great deal but grew in a way I hadn’t expected. The one on one interaction with such amazing people made me realize I had something to give. I had just as valid a voice as the established people who had blazed the path before me. We all need to work together if we’re going to get through this time where women’s rights, proper sex education and the freedom to express your sexuality is in need of constant defending. “
CatalystCon: More than just a sex education conference – Sexis / EdenFantasys
“CT Schenk, CEO of Aneros, described CatalystCon as the ‘perfect venue’ to introduce the Evi™, an innovative hands-free kegel exerciser that is anatomically designed to fit all women. ‘We chose this conference over the mundane trade shows,’ he said, ‘because our focus is on the message rather than distribution.’”
Health product takes stage at sexuality conference – O’Dwyer’s
“Author and cupcake enthusiast Rachel Kramer Bussel is known for editing books on kinky couples, spanking and bondage. Her blog tells the story of her sex writer escapades, such as traveling to Dubai, live-tweeting from an interview with Fifty Shades of Grey author E.L. James and speaking at sexuality conference CatalystCon (catalystcon.com).”
New York sex bloggers recommend sex blogs and podcasts – TimeOut New York
“Dee is so passionate about what she does, and we had a chance to see firsthand how much hard work she put into making CatalystCon a success, so we’re really happy that we got the chance to be a part of it.”
10 Things About CatalystCon – Evil Slutopia
“CatalystCon was the perfect mix of stunning information and insights, sexy entertainment and phenomenal social opportunities. If you have a chance to attend in the future, you should.”
CatalystCon: sex-positive heaven – Polyamory Weekly
“I thought it was important because it felt like this community element that society misses sometimes. The audience was treated to storytelling, and was given experience and wisdom with a call to action. It may not be new information that those working in sexuality, or even savvy readers here, but it is important to reinforce the things we as consumers need, and how we can get it.”
Catalyst Con: Toxic Toy Tales – The BUZZ / Good Vibrations Online Magazine
“I think that this conference, the thing that made it especially nice for me was that people were talking with each other about everything, and there was less of that adversarial feel I had at the last conference. There was an excitement about the ideas being talked about that was well…exciting. I liked the balance of the sessions and that there weren’t 10 sessions about one topic with none about anything else. There really were a great many topics that could be translated across-the-board. No matter what one’s niche was.”
How Nutella Gave Me Back My Blog – Naked Confusion
“♥ CatalystCon adventures detailed!” (Podcast)
Pegging Paradise – Podcast #15 - Ruby Ryder’s Pegging Paradise
“By providing a forum that attracted so many wonderful people, the conference fulfilled its mission in serving as a catalyst for change, sparking many conversations that carried beyond the walls of the Hilton. I have witnessed conversations that began at the conference and spread to those not in attendance who wish they were, and to those who never dreamed of attending such an event. Since the conference ended just one week ago, the spark of CatalystCon has continued for me at a meetup of fellow sex geeks, in online conversations, and discussions with my children. Energized by the conference and armed with advice from presenters and fellow attendees, I found my voice in a blog launched the evening I returned from the conference where I hope to one day serve as a catalyst for someone in need.”
A Conference as a Catalyst For Change - Sexual Candor
“CatalystCon organizer Dee Dennis stated, ‘I was thrilled ANEROS chose CatalystCon to debut Evi. CatalystCon is about creating change, and I feel we created something groundbreaking by launching a product not at the traditional industry trade show, but instead with actual sex education, going right to those who will use Evi. The message Aneros sent by debuting Evi at CatalystCon was their first concern is not bottom line or sales, but the sexual health and well being of those who will be using Evi.’”
Aneros Kegel Exerciser, Evi Praised by Sex Educators – XBIZ
“Catalyst was a place for like-minded people to all get together, share things, and spark each others’ brains in field in which so much happens over the Internet and not in person, in a field that encompasses so many types of people but is very much a growing movement, in a society in which something that most people experience at some point in some way–sex– is a thing that is used in political and popular discourse as a scare tactic, as a symbol of wrongness. This type of mind-meld made me want to redouble my efforts in fighting what I believe is the good fight: learning/teaching/talking/writing about sex, working to make these choices O.K. for myself and for others, and celebrating sexual expression that is authentic, diverse, safe, and accessible to everyone.”
Why You Must Come With Me to CatalystCon East – The Enlightened Sexpot
“Wanna see what #ccon was really like?” (Video slideshow by Cunning Minx)
CatalystCon 2012 – Cunning Minx
(via ptch)
“It’s a puzzle I am constantly trying to find new ways to solve, and it’s not one that’s going to go away, not because I make my living by writing these days, but because even if I weren’t getting paid, I would feel that need to make sense of my life in words, and share those words with other people. It’s one of the reasons I loved CatalystCon, because people there get that, inherently, but also that whether you have sex as part of your job or incorporate sex in some other way, you also have a private life, feelings, thoughts, that are separate from what we put out into the world.”
From one oversharer to another – Lusty Lady
“I was in Long Beach, California for the first time this weekend at CatalystCon and a full summary will have to wait because I have 3 days to get ready to go to Dubai. But I met some amazing women, who totally inspired me. A few I’d met before, but I was so impressed with these ladies and highly encourage you to follow them. Catalyst will now be hosting Catalyst East and Catalyst West conferences, the former taking place March 15-17 in the Washington, DC area and the latter I believe in fall of 2013, so check their site and follow @CatalystCon on Twitter for details.”
6 Awesome Women I Met at Catalyst – Lusty Lady
“Catalyst does NOT mess around. They fed us fried ravioli and made-to-order pasta on Friday night, and at my erotic writing workshop, which gave me lots of ideas and I hope people enjoyed, there were notepads and pens at every seat! That’s a sign of a well organized conference.”
On being at a sex conference without your significant other – Lusty Lady
“Thanks to Tantus for being a Silver level sponsor of CatalystCon and for sponsoring Dirty Bingo with Ducky Doolittle! Metis Black also spoke on a panel about “Toxic Toys” which was a huge hit.”
We love Tantus for supporting #ccon – Evil Slut Clique
(via Storify)
“We were so impressed with jessica drake…She’s a truly beautiful person inside and out – so intelligent, generous, kind, and you can tell that she truly cares about sex education and sexual responsibility. We have a lot of respect for her and her work and her presence at CatalystCon.”
A love letter to jessica drake at CatalystCon – Evil Slut Clique (via Storify)
“So, as Dr. Marty Klein, author of America’s War On Sex, said about sex educators and the general public in his Catalyst Con keynote address, the people I met on this amazing journey to teach porn in the film department became my private Rorschach test, and what I saw reflected back upon me deeply changed the way I look at porn, its circulation, and its reception by a broad and varied audience.”
On Teaching Porn – Bonobos and Brainiacs: Musings on Gender, Sexuality and the Media
“But CatalystCon was more than the knowledge, more than the networking, more than the opportunity for me to share what I do and how I feel about it, more than learning what other sex educators do and how they feel about it. It felt like a brave new world was possible, one in which acceptance and celebration reigned. Imagine living in a society free of closed-minded people and repressive attitudes and policies, where we celebrate our similarities and our differences and are truly kind to each other. That was in the air at CatalystCon.”
CatalystCon: celebrating sexuality – Naked at Our Age / Better Than I Ever Expected
“SEXUAL SENSES, FUTURE BREEDERS & MAGIC SPERM! Sandra & Dave answer an email on an angled dangle and discuss brand spankin’ new sex conference Catalyst Con! Then hilarious powerhouse & comedian Maria Falzone shares stories of sex education, vulvas and showerheads.”
Sex Rules! With Maria Falzone – Sex Nerd Sandra (Podcast)
“For her part, Ms. drake was just as thrilled with the conference. ‘CatalystCon was one of the most mentally stimulating things I’ve taken part in. To be in alignment with the sex education field as it pertains to the modern world in a safe, non-judgmental environment felt so right. Not only did I get to speak on a fantastic panel, I also got to meet many doctors, therapists and authors – some of whom I’m familiar with through my sex coaching course curriculum.’”
Wicked Moves the Conversation Forward as CatalystCon’s Exclusive Adult Sponsor – Wicked
“This weekend I was fortunate enough to go to Catalyst Con in Los Angeles and be a part of a panel called Toxic Toys. Along side me was Metis of Tantus (makers of healthy for the body toys) and Jennifer of Smitten Kitten (the healthiest sex shop ever.) All three of us have been activist around these issues and have worked hard to inspire change in the sex toy industry.”
Toxic Sex Toys: What’s In Your Toy Box? – Lipstick Stains on Your Pillow
“This past weekend we were lucky enough to be a part of the CatalystCon conference on sexuality, activism, and acceptance that took place in Long Beach, CA. (Our standard ridiculously long conference recap is coming soon.) The conference was organized by Dee Dennis, known as the Lady Gaga of sex positive conference organizers…okay, she’s only known as that to us, but that’s really all that matters.”
EVI Slutopia – Evil Slutopia
“The definition of catalyst as something that provokes or speeds a change or action was definitely an excellent way to describe the effect of the weekend. I found myself describing to a couple of people how I started out the year poised on the edge of a hill just needing that nudge to start my way down.”
CatalystCon: An agent of change – Life on the Swingset
“Thanks again to DeeDennis for making the pure awesomeness that is CatalystCon possible.”
CatalystCon: A Love Letter – Evil Slut Clique
(via Storify)
“‘I think CatalystCon went great,’ Dennis said. ‘The West Coast version is a little different than what we’ve done before, but everything that you’ve seen [at the conference] is exactly what I wanted. It’s been amazing – everyone has been gushing about it all weekend. I would love to do this every year but it all comes down to sponsors.’”
CatalystCon Sparks Dialogue With Sex-Positive Message – XBIZ
“Last week, Angel told his story to the crowd at CatalystCon, a new national conference dedicated to human sexuality that is working to bridge a similar divide between more traditional sex education channels and the porn industry, which has emerged as default sex ed for a new generation of plugged-in teens (and adults, too).”
Buck Angel, Porn’s Most Famous Trans Man, Transitions to Sex Ed – Slate / XX Factor
“Broadening the conversation around porn has been one of our goals and it’s 100% vital to us that people know that we make smut for people who enjoy smut; cisgender, white, straight men do not have a monopoly on desire. Sexuality is for everyone.
Conferences like Catalyst help demonstrate that we’re not alone with this idea.”
Catalyst Con – Meet the Mayhems
“In just three short days, I met some amazing people from many different walks of Sex Ed. People whose books I have read, names I have heard, and classes I have attended. People I had only dreamed of meeting were all under one roof! Not only did I get to speak on a panel, I also got to sit in on as many as I could, and I really wish I could have cloned myself to attend a few more.”
Speaking at CatalystCon – jessica drake’s Guide to Wicked Sex
“What do I take away from this Catalyst? Today, I keep returning to the feeling that this con was a long time coming. While Dee Dennis and her collaborators are experienced with setting up conferences like Momentum Con, I was struck by how smoothly this conference went. It felt like an established event that had many years of adjusting to find its cruising altitude. I appreciated the huge crew of volunteers. I applauded the Scarleteen fundraiser (over $1000 raised!). I reveled in the scope of sexuality topics addressed.”
CatalystCon: Get Inspired – The BUZZ / Good Vibrations Online Magazine
“Powerful experiences, especially weekend or week-long learning experiences or high-energy/high-stimulation social events (thank you, Burning Man, Catalyst Con, Comic-Con and Brendon Burchard’s live events like Experts Academy): Treat ‘em like Jetlag. That means, before you get there and -as best as you can- during the experience: be well-rested, fed and hydrated.”
The Morning After: The Art of Surviving Workshops, Retreats and Conferences – ReidAboutSex
“Adult conferences, where like-minded people gather to discuss topics such as the business of porn or the politics of sexuality, can sometimes amount to nothing more than preaching to the choir, full of self-congratulation, or worse: places where both critical thinking and the loins-level enjoyment of sex go to die. But this weekend’s inaugural CatalystCon in Long Beach was a refreshing, well-organized, and thought-provoking event filled with challenging ideas that didn’t shy away from difficult topics.”
CatalystCon: In the room with sex workers and elephants – Gram Ponante / Porn Valley Observed
“The inaugural edition of CatalystCon saw experts from a variety of sex- and sexuality-based backgrounds gather for a weekend of seminars and discussions designed to spark open communication. Held Sept. 14-16 at the Hilton Long Beach and Executive Meeting Center, CatalystCon focused on ‘reaching out and stimulating the activist within everyone to help transform the way our friends, neighbors, and politicians approach and discuss one of the single most important aspects of humanity,’ according to organizer Dee Dennis.”
CatalystCon A Hit With Inaugural Event – AVN
“Last week’s CatalystCon, a new conference on human sexuality, assembled a variety of perspectives around sex and porn, from sex educator Charlie Glickman’s take on modern masculinity to ‘professional naked woman’ Jolene Parton’s views on fat women in porn. But I have to be honest: I was most interested in a panel dedicated to the porn industry’s perspective on people like me.”
How the Porn Industry Wants You To See It – Slate / XX Factor