To read my darker,
edgier books, check out
the novels I write as
Korin I. Dushayl

Archives

March 11, 2024
"Farewell Pinterest, Hello KOSA?"

December 12, 2022
"Stop Federal Persecution of Cozcacuauhtli"

February 18, 2021
"When Is a Library Not a Library"

November 2, 2020
"The Coup Started Five Months Ago"

October 27, 2020
"Why I Won’t #VoteBlue"

October 8, 2020
"A Liberal, an Abolitionist, a Radical Meet on Twitter"

September 05, 2020
"Violent Police Response to Protests Against Police Brutality"

August 31, 2020
"Never Underestimate Power of Politicians to Make Things Worse"

August 17, 2020
"GoFundme Supports White Supremacy and Racism"

July 30, 2020
"So Much Misinformation"

July 25, 2020
"To Those Still Asleep"

July 22, 2020
"24-25 July 2020 Call for Action"

July 18, 2020
"Never Again Is Now"

July 17, 2020
"This Is What Fascism Looks Like"

September 26, 2019
"Banned Books Week"

August 1, 2017
"The Tell-Trump Heart"

June 1, 2017
"To White Supremacists 'Free Speech' is Code for Inciting Violence"

January 3, 2017
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is that good people do nothing."

September 8, 2016
"Privilege Blind"

November 2, 2015
"Staying Safe Online"

September 10, 2015
"Rites of the Savage Tribe"

May 27, 2015
"#KoboFail: erotica ≠ romance and romance ≠ erotica"

April 21, 2015
"Medical Inequality"

December 30, 2014
"Not a book review: Racism in America then and now"

October 28, 2014
"Vote Blue"

September 23, 2014
"Banned Books Week: Why Readers Need to Care About Ebook Sellers’ Arbitrary and Capricious Content Guidelines"

July 29, 2014
"Do I Pass?"

June 19, 2014
"Forced Pregnancy Movement"

April 29, 2014
"Coffee Shop as Office"

April 3, 2014
"Talking to Your Daughters About Sex"

March 13, 2014
"Cacophony of Gossip, Fabrications, Deceptions, etc."

March 5, 2014
"Just because you read it in a book…"

February 3, 2014
"Why Writing About Female Submission is a Feminist Act"

January 27, 2014
"KOTW: Clothed Female Naked Male (CFNM)"

October 22, 2013
"'Feminist' Backlash Against BDSM: A FemDom defends the eroticization of male domination"

October 14, 2013
"What Some Women Tops and Bottoms Have in Common"

September 17, 2013
"Older Than Her Chronological Age"

August 26, 2013
"Kink of the Week: Sapiosexuality"

August 13, 2013
"Mortgage Fraud — a personal perspective"

June 25, 2013
"Stolen Rights: Are you one of more than a hundred victims?"

October 22, 2012
"Election 2012 Endorsements: A Closer Look at Hidden Ballot Bombs"

July 28, 2012
"Judging a Book by its Cover"

May 22, 2012
"Avoiding Abuse in the Search for D/s"

March 26, 2012
"PayPal Back Pedals: Excuse Me if I Don’t Celebrate"

March 20, 2012
"Dirty Mind vs. Debit Card: My Anger Inspired Me"

February 2, 2012
"Busted Boobies or Titting Around with Cover Art"

December 4, 2011
"At Her Feet: Powering Your Femdom Relationship"

October 24, 2011
"BDSM Labels"

October 18, 2011
"Sex in Sin City: The Erotic Author’s Association Inaugural Conference"

July 26, 2011
"The Localvore Diet"

July 20, 2011
"Joining the Indie Revolution"

April 13, 2010
"Play at your own risk"

March 13, 2010
"Law for Corporate Profit"

January 10, 2010
"How to Destroy a 15-year Customer Relationship"

December 6, 2009
"Personal Art Work Perceptions"

October 18, 2009
"Author Platforms"

September 26, 2009
"Whose story is it anyway?"

September 18, 2009
"A Novel’s Journey"

July 12, 2009
"Feminist Pornography"

April 16, 2009
"Additional Reasons To Not Forget #amazonfail"

April 14, 2009
"Why We Should Not Forget #amazonfail"
Farewell Pinterest, Hello KOSA?
March 11, 2024
After more than a dozen years, Saturday I removed all my pins and essentially abandoned my Pinterest account. Up until last week, I displayed my book covers with artwork by various designers -- many created using stock photos (sometimes as many as ten or more per cover) combined into something new by my talented submissive, Patrick. I also posted covers and interior art I produced myself as well as covers of books that include my writing.

Then, one-by-one, Pinterest started removing my covers, some of which had been posted for more than a decade. Apparently the prudes have taken over (possibly in anticipation of KOSA's censorship) and are offended by any "nudity" or "Sexualized content, even if the people are clothed or partially clothed". This should concern everyone on Pinterest (and other platforms).

I already comply with major restrictions placed on what art can appear on my book covers because of retailers' arbitrary and capricious guidelines. With the exception of one board (which hadn't been touched), all the work displayed on Pinterest met those guidelines.

So be warned, Pinterest has decided to restrict things even further. It's no longer a safe place for art that appreciates the beauty of the human body or tastefully depicts the passion that two (or more) people can develop for each other. As has happened with other platforms, expect the fascists to come after LGBTQ2S+ content on Pinterest next (especially the T).

Adult content has always been the canary in the coal mine for Internet censorship. The fact that Pinterest is choosing to remove erotic content in anticipation of a bill that's not yet become law should worry anyone who creates/shares erotic content or educational material for young people. If passed into law, the unconstitutional censorship bill would be used by states' attorneys general to enact their own political agendas including denying the right of LGBTQ2S+ people to exist, eliminating women's bodily autonomy, and preventing accurate historical and/or science education.

Erroneously titled Kids Online Safety Act KOSA will endanger (to paraphrase the Electronic Frontier Foundation) young people who are, for example:
  • LGBTQ2S+ (content, educational material, and their own online identities will be erased)
  • looking for information on sexual health and reproductive rights (their search results will be restricted)
  • members of historically oppressed and marginalized groups (access to information about their history and shared experiences will be restricted)
  • activists such as those fighting to stop genocide, oppose fossil fuel consumption and climate complacency, change gun laws, or protect religious rights (they will be silenced and unable to advocate and connect on platforms)
  • seeking mental health help and information (even discussions of suicide, depression, anxiety, and eating disorders will be hidden from them)
  • hoping to combat addiction problems -- either their own or those of their friends, families, and neighbors (any resources they need won't be available to them)
  • searching for truthful news or information (since that could be considered depressing, they will find it more difficult, if not impossible, to educate themselves and engage in current events and honest discussion).

In addition, any adult unwilling to share their government-issued identification with platforms known for collecting and selling personal information will find themselves shunted onto a second-class internet alongside young people and will be denied access to this information as well as erotic content.

For now, you can find most of the book covers that I removed from Pinterest here and at https://transgressivewriter.com/. But if KOSA passes, that may change as well. Even if you've done so before, tell your Congress critters you do not wish to give any government the power to decide what topics are "safe" online for young people.