Democracy without CLITERACY? Phallusy!

We truly believe the universe works its magic in mysterious ways. Back in the summer of 2019 a customer suggested we check out Sophia Wallace, and we had reached out about her "SOLID GOLD CLIT" tee she was selling. We had a brief exchange on instagram and like many things during the rush of season it slipped our mind. This past fall Sophia placed her first online order with Adam's Nest.  Upon receiving a second order from her that she was sending to a friend, we reached out to see if she wanted a note included.  Shortly thereafter we caught an instagram story she had tagged Adam's Nest in wearing our "Don't Tread on Me" t-shirt and her work was back on our radar.

A couple months later Sophia was kind enough to share photos with us while we remained in Provincetown for the winter due to COVID.  Upon receipt of the photos, we had a brief exchange, and while hunkered down for winter we had a chance to listen to her Ted Talk on Cliteracy

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It wasn't until late this past March that we managed to make time for a call and think we both realized we would figure out something to do together.  In early April we streamed the documentary Dilemma of Desire which features her and her work.  As I was scrolling through photos for another project it happens that I had taken pictures of her work on the streets of Brooklyn in 2015 and at the "Live Out Loud" benefit at the Leslie Lohman Museum.

As we prepare for our sixth season in Provincetown and are battling censorship over discussing sex and pleasure on Facebook, we are excited that our queer radical politics drew us to the clit as a symbol of liberation through pleasure.  We have already had the chance to discuss this collaboration with our friends at Womencrafts and customers in store; and we are thrilled to be launching our first collaboration available for pre-order that will ship late-June.

While watching the film The Dilemma of Desire this particular fact shocked us, and made us even more steadfast in ensuring we discuss this work in store; "Dr. Helen O'Connell was the first to extract the full female clitoris from the body in 1998; we put a man on the moon in 1969." As we have clarified the mission of Adam's Nest as being sex positive and an open safe space for all variety of discussion, we have regularly come up against Facebook's Terms of Service and Community Standards.  

Unsurprisingly this initiative and collaboration appears to have crossed the line as it talks about sex, but more specifically sex and pleasure.  So far our "CLITERACY" Eye Chart tees have passed review, but all the graphics that read "Lesbians Don't Fake It" are unable to be used in our advertising.  When it comes to "ADULT PRODUCTS", which apparently these fall under, you cannot focus on sexual pleasure or enhancement.  All the more reason for us to have the conversation around pleasure, as of late we've been talking about "power, purpose, and pleasure" and will continue to do so.

The year is 2021 and it appears the mere mention of lesbians not faking it, is too much for the powers that be.  I would have never expected to be so excited to discuss the clitoris in store in Provincetown, but based on my brief experience, it is a conversation that is well past time of getting some undivided attention.  We are especially excited to be launching in time for Baby Dyke weekend.  Shop our cliteracy collaboration.

#cliteracy #pleasure #lesbian #dkye #queer #sexpositive #feminist #prochoice #reproductivefreedom #clit #clitoris #clitcred