LOS ANGELES—Grooby’s Marketing and Editorial Director, Kristel Penn, will be co-facilitating a workshop on destigmatizing the adult industry and porn consumption this Saturday at the Armory in San Francisco as part of Kink.com’s educational series.
She’ll be presenting the two-and-a-half hour workshop with an LMFT and showing an exclusive version of Real Fucking Doc by Lilith Luxe, the documentary companion to Mona Wales’ directorial debut, Real Fucking Girls.
“Presenting this third incarnation of our workshop at the Armory feels a bit like we’re coming home,” said Kristel Penn. “My focus will be on demystifying the adult industry and addressing shame in the context of porn and its consumption. Sharing Lilith’s documentary from Real Fucking Girls, which was also shot at the Armory, is such an integral part of my personal mission to help destigmatize the adult industry. She gave everyone a platform to speak openly about their experiences and wove it into a beautiful piece.”
“As a mental health professional working with marginalized communities whose identities bear the undue burden of cultural stigma, I’m confronted daily with the effects of shame on individuals, relationships, and groups,” added California LMFT Traci Medeiros. “Especially when it comes to areas as intimate (and complicated) as sexuality and desire much sensitivity and attention are needed. Our identities don’t have a direct and singularly causal relationship to our mental health, but the stigma we experience around those identities do. When someone is told often enough that they are bad, sick, and deserving of the shame they carry it can be hugely detrimental to that person’s mental health, how they interact with others around them, the well-being of our communities, and can even extend as far as larger society and legislation would reinforce the original cycle.”
“Pajamas, Popcorn, and Porn: Slaying the Shame Monster Under Our Beds” will be hosted on Saturday, March 11, from 5-7:30 p.m. The first 25 attendees will receive a free copy of Real Fucking Girls signed by director Mona Wales. All participants will receive free merchandise sponsored by Grooby and an official “Unashamed” pin from ShameKillsLove.com to celebrate the completion of the workshop. Tickets can be purchased at the link here.
The San Francisco Armory is located at 1800 Mission Street, 94103. Inspired by the Kink.com mission "to demystify and celebrate alternative sexualities and BDSM through transparency", the company offers Bay Area locals and visitors the opportunity to attend workshops that will aid in providing the information and encouragement to support exploration. More information can be found at ArmoryStudios.com.
