Tristan Taormino (born May 9, 1971) is an American

feminist Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...

author, columnist,

sex educator Sex education, also known as sexual education, sexuality education or sex ed, is the instruction of issues relating to human sexuality, including emotional relations and responsibilities, human sexual anatomy, sexual activity, sexual reproduc ...

, activist, editor, speaker, radio host, and

pornographic film Pornographic films (pornos), erotic films, sex films, and 18+ films are films that present sexually explicit subject matter in order to arouse and satisfy the viewer. Pornographic films present sexual fantasies and usually include erotic ...

director. She is most recently known for her book ''Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships,'' which is often recommended as an starter guide to

polyamory Polyamory () is the practice of, or desire for, romantic relationships with more than one partner at the same time, with the informed consent of all partners involved. People who identify as polyamorous may believe in open relationships wi ...

and

non-monogamy Non-monogamy (or nonmonogamy) is an umbrella term for every practice or philosophy of non- dyadic intimate relationship that does not strictly hew to the standards of monogamy, particularly that of having only one person with whom to exchange s ...

Early life

Taormino is the only child of Judith Bennett Pynchon and William J. Taormino. On her mother's side of the family, Taormino is a descendant of

William Pynchon William Pynchon (October 11, 1590 – October 29, 1662) was an English colonist and fur trader in North America best known as the founder of Springfield, Massachusetts, USA. He was also a colonial treasurer, original patentee of the Massach ...

, an early English-American settler. She is also the niece of author

Thomas Pynchon Thomas Ruggles Pynchon Jr. ( , ; born May 8, 1937) is an American novelist noted for his dense and complex novels. His fiction and non-fiction writings encompass a vast array of subject matter, genres and themes, including history, music, scie ...

. Her parents divorced before she turned two years old, when her father came out as

gay ''Gay'' is a term that primarily refers to a homosexual person or the trait of being homosexual. The term originally meant 'carefree', 'cheerful', or 'bright and showy'. While scant usage referring to male homosexuality dates to the late 1 ...

. She was raised primarily by her mother on Long Island. She maintained a close relationship with her father Bill Taormino, who died of AIDS in 1995. Taormino attended Sayville High School on Long Island and was salutatorian of her graduating class. She graduated

Phi Beta Kappa The Phi Beta Kappa Society () is the oldest academic honor society in the United States, and the most prestigious, due in part to its long history and academic selectivity. Phi Beta Kappa aims to promote and advocate excellence in the liberal ...

with a bachelor's degree in

American Studies American studies or American civilization is an interdisciplinary field of scholarship that examines American literature, history, society, and culture. It traditionally incorporates literary criticism, historiography and critical theory. Schol ...

from

Wesleyan University Wesleyan University ( ) is a private liberal arts university in Middletown, Connecticut. Founded in 1831 as a men's college under the auspices of the Methodist Episcopal Church and with the support of prominent residents of Middletown, the col ...

in 1993.

Career

Books

Taormino is the author of seven books, including the Firecracker Book Award-winning ''

The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women Tristan Taormino (born May 9, 1971) is an American feminist author, columnist, sex educator, activist, editor, speaker, radio host, and pornographic film director. She is most recently known for her book ''Opening Up: A Guide to Creating and Susta ...

''. She has edited anthologies including the

Lambda Literary Award Lambda Literary Awards, also known as the "Lammys", are awarded yearly by Lambda Literary to recognize the crucial role LGBTQ writers play in shaping the world. The Lammys celebrate the very best in LGBTQ literature.The awards were instituted i ...

-winning annual anthology series she created and edited from 1996 to 2009, ''Best Lesbian

Erotica Erotica is literature or art that deals substantively with subject matter that is erotic, sexually stimulating or sexually arousing. Some critics regard pornography as a type of erotica, but many consider it to be different. Erotic art may use ...

'', published by

Cleis Press Cleis Press is an American independent publisher of books in the areas of sexuality, erotica, feminism, gay and lesbian studies, gender studies, fiction, and human rights. The press was founded in 1980 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It later moved to S ...

. She was a regular columnist for ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, the ''Voice'' began as a platform for the cr ...

'' from 1999 to 2008, where she wrote the bi-weekly sex column "Pucker Up." In print, her column appeared opposite Dan Savage's column Savage Love. She popularized and re-defined the term "queer heterosexual," in her 1995 column "The Queer Heterosexual." She wrote: "In some cases, it's based on either one or both partners having non-traditional gender expressions...or they actively work against their assigned gender roles. Some queer heterosexuals are strongly aligned with queer community, culture, politics, and activism but happen to love and lust after people of a different gender. I also consider folks who embrace alternative models of sexuality and relationships (

BDSM BDSM is a variety of often erotic practices or roleplaying involving bondage, discipline, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, and other related interpersonal dynamics. Given the wide range of practices, some of which may be engaged ...

cross-dressing Cross-dressing is the act of wearing clothes usually worn by a different gender. From as early as pre-modern history, cross-dressing has been practiced in order to disguise, comfort, entertain, and self-express oneself. Cross-dressing has play ...

) to be queer, since labeling them "straight," considering their lifestyle choices, seems inappropriate." She was laid off from ''The Village Voice'' in 2008. She has written "The Anal Advisor" column for ''

Hustler Hustler or hustlers may also refer to: Professions * Hustler, an American slang word, e.g., for a: ** Con man, a practitioner of confidence tricks ** Drug dealer, seller of illegal drugs ** Male prostitute ** Pimp ** Business man, more gener ...

's Taboo'' magazine since 1999, and she is a former columnist for '' Velvetpark''. She is the former editor of '' On Our Backs'', the USA's oldest lesbian-produced lesbian sex magazine.

Lectures and controversy

Taormino has lectured at many colleges and universities, where she speaks on gay and lesbian issues, sexuality and gender, and

feminism Feminism is a range of socio-political movements and ideologies that aim to define and establish the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes. Feminism incorporates the position that society prioritizes the male po ...

. Some of her college appearances have stirred controversy, as at

University of North Carolina at Greensboro The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG or UNC Greensboro) is a public research university in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina system. UNCG, like all members of the UNC system, is a stand- ...

in 2004,

Princeton Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the nin ...

, and, most famously,

Oregon State University Oregon State University (OSU) is a public land-grant, research university in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees. It has the 10th largest engineering ...

in 2011, where administrators un-invited her as keynote speaker at the Modern Sex Conference. There was a huge uproar on the internet, and many accused OSU of anti-sex bias. The incident received national media attention. Eventually, students raised the funds and re-invited her themselves.

Film and television

Taormino hosted the television show ''Sexology 101'' on The Burly Bear Network in 2001, a college cable network owned by

Lorne Michaels Lorne Michaels (born Lorne David Lipowitz; November 17, 1944) is a Canadian-American producer, screenwriter, and comedian. He is best known for creating and producing ''Saturday Night Live'' (1975–1980, 1985–present) and producing the '' La ...

' Broadway Video. She was a regular expert and panelist on ''

Ricki Lake Ricki Pamela Lake (born September 21, 1968) is an American television host and actress. She is known for her lead role as Tracy Turnblad in the 1988 film ''Hairspray'', for which she received a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for B ...

'' for two seasons in 2002 and 2003. In 2003, she signed a development deal with MTV Networks. She served as host and executive producer on the pilot for ''The Naughty Show'', but the series was never picked up. She has appeared as an expert on sex, relationships, feminism, pornography, non-monogamy, and GLBT issues on '' Melissa Harris-Perry'', ''

Joy Behar Josephine Victoria "Joy" Behar (; née Occhiuto) is an American comedian, television host, actress, and writer. She co-hosts the ABC daytime talk show '' The View'', where she is the only original panelist still regularly appearing. She hosted ...

: Say Anything'', HBO's ''

Real Sex ''Real Sex'' is a documentary television series broadcast on and a production of HBO. As its name implies, ''Real Sex'' is a sexually explicit "magazine" which "explores sex '90s style." ''Real Sex'' explores human sexuality. Gary R. Edgerton ...

'', ''

The Howard Stern Show ''The Howard Stern Show'' is an American radio show hosted by Howard Stern that gained wide recognition when it was nationally syndicated on terrestrial radio from WXRK in New York City, between 1986 and 2005. The show has aired on Howard 100 a ...

'', ''

'', MTV, and other television shows. Taormino worked with

Spike Lee Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...

as a script consultant and with the cast on the set of his 2004 movie '' She Hate Me''. In 2006, she appeared as a so-called "sextra" in

John Cameron Mitchell John Cameron Mitchell (born April 21, 1963) is a two-time Tony Award winning American actor, playwright, screenwriter, singer, songwriter, producer and director. He is best known as the writer, director and star of the 2001 film '' Hedwig and th ...

's film, ''

Shortbus ''Shortbus'' is a 2006 American erotic comedy-drama film written and directed by John Cameron Mitchell. The plot revolves around a sexually diverse ensemble of colorful characters trying desperately to connect in an early 2000s New York City. T ...

'', participating in an unsimulated orgy that was filmed for the movie. (Her presence is confirmed by the director on the DVD commentary.) She also appeared in Becky Goldberg's 2003 documentary ''Hot and Bothered: Feminist Pornography ''and in ''Mr. Angel'', the documentary about Buck Angel (2013).

In addition to writing, speaking and sex education, she considers herself a feminist pornographer. She made two videos based on her book ''

''. The first (1999) was co-directed by Buttman (

John Stagliano John Stagliano (born November 29, 1951), also known as Buttman, is an American entrepreneur, former pornographic film actor, producer and director who founded and owns the Evil Angel pornographic film studio. Early life and career Stagliano ...

) and Ernest Greene. The second (2001) was directed by Tristan herself. In both videos, she takes part in the on-screen sexual activities. Subsequently, she directed ''Tristan Taormino's House of Ass'' for Adam & Eve, which shows a number of "porn stars" (from famous to unknown) interacting without a script. In 2006, she directed ''Tristan Taormino's Chemistry'', which is the first in a series of full-length "behind the scenes" movies for

Vivid Entertainment Vivid Entertainment Group is an American pornographic film production company,

where the performers choose who they have sex with, what they do, where and when. She directed four volumes of the ''Chemistry'' series as well as sex education films for Vivid Ed, Vivid Entertainment's sex education line that she was instrumental in creating.

Criticism

Rebecca Whisnant argues that Taormino work's represents a profit-based ‘‘feminist porn’’ within the mainstream pornography industry based upon thin conceptions of feminism and sexual ethics.

Sexual identity

Taormina uses the terms "

queer ''Queer'' is an umbrella term for people who are not heterosexual or cisgender. Originally meaning or , ''queer'' came to be used pejoratively against those with same-sex desires or relationships in the late 19th century. Beginning in the l ...

" and " dyke" to describe her sexual identity. In the past, Taormino stated: "I don't really identify with the label 'bisexual', nor does it feel like it accurately describes me...I see myself as queer, since queer to me is not just about who I love or lust, but it's about my culture, my community, and my politics. The truth is, even if I were with a heterosexual guy, I'd be a queer dyke." In addition, "she describes herself as 'equal opportunity'. She doesn't like the word 'bisexual' – and says "it's too polarizing." In addition to being a vocal advocate of

, Taormino supports gay marriage: "I support gay marriage being legalised in every state. I do however think it’s unfortunate that in some cases gay marriage opponents have used the issue against

Bibliography

* ''The Ultimate Guide to Anal Sex for Women'' (Cleis Press, 1997/2006) – winner of a Firecracker Book Award and named Amazon.com's No. 1 Bestseller in Women's Sex Instruction in 1998. Second edition was released in February 2006, * ''Pucker Up: A Hands-on Guide to Ecstatic Sex'' (ReganBooks, 2001) – re-issued in paperback as ''Down and Dirty Sex Secrets'' (2003) * ''True Lust: Adventures in Sex, Porn and Perversion'' (Cleis Press, 2002) * ''Opening Up: Creating and Sustaining Open Relationships'' (Cleis Press, 2008) * ''The Anal Sex Position Guide: The Best Positions for Easy, Exciting, Mind-Blowing Pleasure (Quiver, 2009) * ''The Big Book of Sex Toys'' (Quiver, 2010) * ''Secrets of Great G-Spot Orgasms and Female Ejaculation'' (Quiver, 2011) * ''50 Shades of Kink: An Introduction to BDSM'' (Cleis Press, 2012)

As editor

* ''Pucker Up: the zine with a mouth that's not afraid to use it'' (Black Dog Productions, 1995–?) publisher and editor * ''Best Lesbian Erotica'' (Cleis Press, 1996–2009) as Series Editor * ''Ritual Sex'' (Rhinoceros Books, 1996) co-editor * ''A Girl's Guide to Taking Over the World: Writings from the Girl Zine Revolution'' (St. Martin's Press, 1997) co-editor * ''Hot Lesbian Erotica'' (Cleis Press, 2005) editor * ''Best Lesbian Bondage Erotica'' (Cleis Press, 2007) editor * ''Sometimes She Lets Me: Best Butch/Femme Erotica'' (Cleis Press, 2010) editor * ''Take Me There: Trans and Genderqueer Erotica'' (Cleis Press, 2011) editor * ''The Ultimate Guide To Kink: BDSM, Role Play and the Erotic Edge'' (Cleis Press, 2012) editor * ''Stripped Down: Lesbian Sex Stories'' (Cleis Press, 2012) editor * ''The Feminist Porn Book: The Politics of Producing Pleasure'' (Feminist Press, 2013) co-editor * ''When She Was Good: Best Lesbian Erotica'' (Cleis Press, 2014) editor

Journal articles

*
Pdf.
*

Awards

References

External links

* * * *
Sophia Smith Collection zines collection
at the

Sophia Smith Collection The Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College is an internationally recognized repository of manuscripts, photographs, periodicals and other primary sources in women's history. General One of the largest recognized repositories of manuscripts, ...

, Smith College, containing zines collected by Taormino {{DEFAULTSORT:Taormino, Tristan 1971 births American advice columnists American book editors American sex columnists American sex educators American pornographic film actresses American feminist writers American film directors American relationships and sexuality writers Women pornographic film directors Feminist pornography Lambda Literary Award winners Lecturers American LGBT writers LGBT people from New York (state) Living people Pornographic film actors from New York (state) LGBT film directors Queer feminists Queer pornographic film actors Queer women Queer writers Thomas Pynchon Sex-positive feminists Wesleyan University alumni American women columnists American women non-fiction writers Polyamorous people