Sessions, Speakers for CatalystCon West Announced

LOS ANGELES—Dee Dennis, founder of the CatalystCon sexuality conference, announces a wide-ranging list of more than 80 speakers participating in CatalystCon West in Los Angeles, Sept. 11-14. Created to inspire exceptional conversations about sexuality, CatalystCon will return to the west coast with more than 40 sessions and panel discussions on sexuality-based topics.  CatalystCon West’s schedule will include sessions on sex work, polyamory, sex positive parenting, sex and chronic illness, and business, and panel discussions on sex toy materials, erotica, social media and feminist ethics, and living with an STI. A complete list of sessions may be found at catalystcon.com/sessions. “CatalystCon is more than an amazing sexuality-themed conference—for four days, we create the world we wish we could live in all the time: a world where people of all different areas of sexuality from sex researchers to grassroots activists all come to together to share information and viewpoints, express their mission and take on each other’s missions, and dialogue together freely, candidly, and nonjudgmentally,” said Joan Price, who is presenting a session on Senior Sex and joining a panel discussion of Envelope-Pushing Erotica.  “I share the issues of older-age sexuality with young people. They share their issues with me. We embrace each other personally, professionally, and in the spirit of humanity. We come away bigger, better people because of CatalystCon. I am thrilled to be a part of it.” Speakers include sex educators Carol Queen and Robert Morgan Lawrence, academics Ebony Utley and Shira Tarrant, activists Cunning Minx and Emily Lindin, industry icon Annie Sprinkle, plus sex workers, sex writers, sex therapists and other experts. A complete list of speakers can be found at catalystcon.com/speakers. CatalystCon West will also feature the debut of a pre-conference workshop on Writing & Performing Erotika for the Stage with UrbanErotika’s Mo Beasley, and the return of Rachel Kramer Bussel’s writing workshops. "I had a wonderful experience teaching my erotica and sex writing workshops at CatalystCon East,” said Bussel, former Village Voice sex columnist and editor of over 50 anthologies. “I was impressed with the creativity, commitment and intelligence of the writers, published and unpublished, who took the workshops and am looking forward to teaching again and seeing lots of published pieces emerge afterwards. CatalystCon attendees are at the forefront of what's happening in sexuality and have plenty to say about it." “It’s been exciting and rewarding to see CatalystCon grow and evolve so much in such a short time,” said Dee Dennis. “I’m thrilled with the lineup for CatalystCon West and look forward to welcoming returning speakers and adding new voices to the conversation.” CatalystCon West takes place Sept. 11-14 at the Westin LAX in Los Angeles. Discounted early-bird registration is available until June 29 at catalystcon.com/register.