Past Winners
This is the beginning of updating past recipients of the flying Sexual Freedom Awards, to be updated soon. You will see there has been constant evolution of the categories!
2018
Activist of the Year - Aderonke Apata
Ally of the Year - Open Barbars
Event of the Year - The Catwalk for Power, Resistance and Hope
Outsiders Volunteer of the Year - D
Performer of the Year - Fran Bushe
Pioneer of the Year - Mollena Williams-Haas
Publicists of the Year - Erika Moen & Juno Roche
Sex Worker of the Year - Madame Caramel
Somatic Sexologist of the Year - Tami Lynn Kent
Stripper of the Year - Joana Nastari
Lifetime Achievement Awards - Dominic Davies
2017
Activist of the Year - Dan Glass
Ally of the Year - Amanda Gay Love
Event of the Year - The London Porn Film Festival
Outsiders Volunteer of the Year - Val Clarke
Performer of the Year - Ellie Mason
Pioneer of the Year - The Cocoa Butter Club
Publicists of the Year - Alix Fox & Dr. Kate LIster
Sex Worker of the Year - Matt-at-Lotus & Rosie Enorah Heart
Somatic Sexologist of the Year - Ruby May
Stripper of the Year - Tequila Rose
Lifetime Achievement Awards - John Constable aka John Crow & the Crossbones project
2016
Activist of the Year - SCOT-PEP - Scottish Prostitutes' Education Project
Ally of the Year - Georgina Perry
Event of the Year - RIP Shoreditch
Outsiders Volunteer of the Year - Vivien Abrahams
Performer of the Year - Danny Ash
Pioneer of the Year - Ellen Heed
Publicist of the Year - Conner Habib
Sex Worker of the Year - Saul Isbister
Somatic Sex Educator of the Year - Deej Juventin
Stripper of the Year - Shiva Striptease
Special Jury Multi-Talent Award - Laura-Doe
Lifetime Achievement Awards - Barbara Carrellas, Dr. Joseph Kramer & Kenneth Ray Stubbs Ph.D.
2015
Activist Of The Year - Stacey Clare
Ally of the Year - Clare de Than
Event of the Year - The Summer House Weekend
Performance Artist of the Year - Rex Denial
Pioneer of the Year - Laura Lee
Publicist of the Year - Pandora Blake
Sex Worker of the Year - Seani Love
Sex Worker of the Year - Mistress Tytania
Somatic Sex Educator of the Year - Dr Betty Martin
Striptease Artist of the Year - Sam Reynolds
Special Jury Prize for International Work - COSWAS (Collective of Sex Workers and Supporters), Taiwan.
2014
Campaigner - Cary Gee
Devotion to the Cause (Special Award) - Laura Lee
Pioneer of the Year - Sex Workers Opera
Performance Artist of the Year - Dominic Master
Publicist/Writer of the Year - Frankie Mullin
Sex Worker of the Year - Nikita
Specialist of the Year - Annabel Newfield
Stripper of the Year - Lou Safire
Support Professional / Ally of the Year - National Ugly Mugs
Volunteer of the Year Special Outsiders Award - Jamie Willmott
2013
Academic of the Year - Dr Meg Barker
Artist of the Year - Monica Cook
Blog of the Year - Slutever
Campaigner of the Year - Laura Agustín
Event of the Year - Double R Club
Film of the Year - The Sessions
Innovation of the Year - Bottom Spankers (Bert Gilbert)
Performance Artist of the Year - Mr Mistress
Pioneer of the Year - Cindy Gallop
Photographer of the Year- Predrag Pajdic
Publication of the Year - Jungsheft
Sex Worker of the Year- Charlotte Rose
Sexual Therapist of the Year - Sue Newsome
Striptease Artist of the Year - Jewel Inthelotus
Tabloid Scandal of the Year - Benedict Garret
Website of the Year - Erotic Review
Writer of the Year - Brooke Magnanti (Sex Myths)
Lifetime Achievement of the Year - Hilary Spenceley
Outsiders Award - Anita Kataraumbe
2010
Academic of the Year - Dr Antony Lempert
Artist of the Year- Art Tart
Blog of the Year - Dr Petra's Blog
Campaigner of the Year - Clair Lewis
Club / Event of the Year- Act Art
Fashion designer of the Year- Prangsta
Film of the Year - Uncle David
Innovation of the Year - Ladies High Tea Pornography Society UK
Performance Artist of the Year - Brokeback Disco
Performance Artist of the Year - Amelia Cavallo
Photographer of the Year - Victor Ivanovsky
Photographer of the Year - Sebastian Hyman
Photographer of the Year - David Steinberg
Pioneer of the Year - Reverend David Gilmore
Poet of the Year - Ernesto Sarezale (aka The Naked Poet)
Politician of the Year - Anna Arrowsmith
Politician of the Year - Chris Davies
Publication of the Year - The New Joy of Sex
Sex Worker of the Year, Female - Pye Jakobsen
Sex Worker of the Year, Male - Thierry Schaffauser
Striptease Artist of the Year - Minky Mix
Website of the Year - Saafe
Writer of the Year - Jane Fae
Lifetime Achievement - Sir Guy of The Tawsingham Community and The Other Pony Club
Lifetime Achievement - Jo King
Lifetime Achievement - Ian Jackson and Lesley Ann Sharrock
Outsiders Award - Victoria McKenzie
Awards highlights from over the years, 1994 - 2014
by Dr Tuppy Owens, Founder.
Background
I started The Erotic Awards in 1994, to counteract the negative messages put out in the media around people who worked in sex and eroticism. I appointed a Grand Jury of Conspicuous Sensuality, an evolving wide range of experts and enthusiasts, from an art historian, fan of striptease, fetish club owner, sex worker, and writer. Nominations were, and still are, invited from the public.
Each year, the categories have been created to reflect the most amazing areas of progress in sexuality and eroticism, sometimes including Politician of the Year, with Academic going out of favour, and Blog coming in. The Awards have a rule that all nominations must be available for British people to access and, thanks to the internet, we are now global, our reputation international, and finalists fly in from all around the globe.
As we were reaching our 20th year of the Awards, my neighbour in the Highlands, pop artist Michael Forbes, whose bizarrely erotic work won him Artist of the Year in 2007, suggested we should mark the 20th Anniversary with the publication of a book of the highlights. He is only too aware that there is high art erotica, which is accepted and shown, but low art, erotic movements and ephemera stay hidden underground. We failed to convince a publisher but wrote these highlights for a proposal to the Wellcome Foundation to feature an exhibition of the 20 Years of the Erotic Awards in their Year of Sex. This was not, sadly, taken up. But we would love it if somehow this project could happen in some form so if anyone thinks they can help please step forward by emailing us.
Each year in the past we would run an Outsiders fund-raising show of performers and striptease artists called the Showcase in an elegant theatre, to select the performing finalists. We also displayed the finalists in an exhibition in a London Gallery, so that the press could interview the finalists and they could meet each other.
All of the finalists were then invited to the Night of the Senses, Outsiders' other fund-raising event, some to perform, and the winners collect their trophies and certificates. The trophy is our famous golden flying penis, hand-carved for us in Bali.
One of our aims is to encourage networking between the finalists so that cross pollination can flourish, and they give each other inspiration and encouragement. This still happens in our current format which is fabulous.
One of the things that makes sex different to other subjects is that, although things evolve and progress is made, it is dependent on the liberal or censorial nature of the trends and values in society. As we have seen recently, censorship can come from unexpected circles. Generally, countries experience a sexual pendulum, and sexual freedom is rarely won for ever: we go through spells when we have to fight for it, in one way or another. In many ways, despite what we hear, Britain is one of the most free countries in the world, and the home of the one-and-only Erotic / Sexual Freedom Awards.
Here is the selection of the winning highlights:
1994:
Lifetime Achievement of the Year 1994: Derek Jarman (UK)
Painter, theatre designer and controversial film-maker. One of the fathers of international “New Queer Cinema”, Jarman's sexuality had always been a significant part of his work, but after his diagnosis as HIV it became its principal, determining factor. Upon graduation from King's in 1963, Jarman took up his place at the Slade. Arriving at a time of great liberation, it was here that he truly came to terms with his sexuality and allowed it to be expressed in his art.
He died on 19th February 1994 from AIDS related complications. He had been a darling of the sex world.
Artist of the Year 1994: Monica Guevara
Very sensitive erotic drawings from this young lady who later got taken on by the erotic art dealer, Jamie Maclean
1995:
Publication of the Year 1995: Scenario (UK)
Big British art magazine with beautiful erotic photographs and art from Bob Carlos Clarke et al. Ran from 1994 – 6, rivalled only by Zoom Magazine in France.
Photographer of the Year 1995: Giles Berquet
Thought to be a master of erotic photograhy in the wake of artists such as Pierre Molinier. His photos and short movies are erotic treasures.
Campaigners of the Year for Sexual Freedom 1995: Roland Jaggard, Colin Lasky and Tony Brown (UK)
These three men were convicted in the Spanner Trial and went to prison for their sadomasochistic practices. Unapologetic, they continued to speak up for their fetishes and supported the Spanner Trust.
1996:
Campaigner of the Year 1996: Chad Varah CBE Companion to the Queen (UK)
Founder of The Samaritans and Befrienders International and inventor of the Brenda Scheme to help men who were compelled to make obscene telephone calls. He was also starting to campaign against FGM, by showing the menfolk of women who practice it, films to educate them about female genitalia and pleasure. Chad was outspoken about sex till his death aged 94 in 2007.
Sex Worker of the Year 1996: Bella Lamu (UK)
Bella declared “I was born a whore”. After appearing in many magazines and films, being employed by London casinos to entertain high flyers, and setting up a domination parlour, she became the mistress of several distinguished gentlemen, including Chad Varah. She was trained by Chad in sex therapy and ran workshops for women to find their sexuality.
1997:
Striptease Artist of the Year 1997: Roxi (UK)
Roxi was a Kent-based punky stripper who was also an accomplished violinist and combined her two skills. A picture of her doing this formed the cover for the first Sexual Freedom Coalition newspaper, Consenting Adults
1998:
Performance Artist of the Year 1998: Angels of Disorder
John-Paul Zaccharini started Angels of Disorder in 1992, producing physical, polemical performance. a fusion of theatre, circus, mime and dance. His work was inspired by the club scene, situationist texts and writers such as Gilles Deleuze, Felix Guattari, Jean Baudrillard and Michel Foucault.
Angels of Disorder's philosophy embraces a culture trying to free itself from the ever-increasing success advertisement of post-industrial capitalism and focuses on the true poetry of human potential.
1999:
Photographer of the Year 1999: Dahmane (France)
Classic style photographer who produced hard-core images of women. Two Taschen books of his work have been published: Porn Art and Porn Art 2. Born in Paris in 1959, Dahmane first worked as an assistant for a fashion photographer, made documentaries and worked in journalism, during which time he did photo-reportages for the Crazy Horse. His book Promenade érotique é Paris (Erotic walk in Paris) was followed by photos of girls in famous parisian restaurants, published in Photo and Panorama (Holland), Newlook, Scoop (Hong Kong). Dressed Nudes was published in Japan.
Dahmane's work has been exhibition in french gallery "Les Larmes d'Eros" then Todd Kaplan, Los Angeles, and in Béle, Swiss (XS Gallery). Port folio in "L'Art de la photo de charme" (Vents d'Ouest edition). Special edition Femmes Extrémes (December 1997 issue). He exhibited at the Demonia Gallery, at "Les Larmes d'Eros" and in the german erotic museum of Hamburg. http://dahmane.com/
Craftsperson of the Year 1999: Alex Jacob (UK)
Alex Jacob is a man of many parts: classical scholar, biker, ballroom dancer and morrisman. On discovering the fetish club scene in 1995, he began, with customary zeal, the manufacture of rubber clothing, dungeon equipment and SM whips, as well as starting two seminal clubs in Glasgow. On his return to London in 1997, he concentrated on whipmaking full time, swiftly achieving a reputation for his mastery of different designs, materials and technology. His exquisite craftsmanship is now savoured by fetishists and whipfiends around the world. http://www.cobrawhips.com/
Publication of the Year 1999: Libido (USA)
Libido was first published in 1988 by Chicago publisher Marianna Beck and writer/journalist Jack Hafferkamp, and it continued until 2000. The aim was a gender-equal erotic magazine which would appeal to men as well as women. Their philosophy was that it is sexism, not sex that degrades women.
As well as sex news and reviews, Libido provided erotic fiction, with an annual Erotic Fiction Contest, tasteful black and white photographs and line drawings. At the back are readers' confessions and contact ads.
The magazine has been described as an intellectual aphrodisiac, sex for the cerebral lobes, the literary answer to the horizontal urge and, by the Chicago Tribune, as "a journal for highbrows who still have animal urges". It was recently called the best sex magazine in America by Camille Paglia in Salon magazine. In 1997 Libido released its first video Sexual Ecstasy for Couples and the book The Ecstatic Moment published by Dell.
Lifetime Acheivement of the Year 1999 Berth Milton Sr (Sweden)
Berth Milton started his hardcore porn magazine, Private in 1965 in Sweden. It was the first high quality photo magazine with sexually stunning pictures of all kinds of people having sex, with extremely well-lit, sharp-focus photographs of excited cunts, dramatic ejaculations and impressive penetration. Berth was the cameraman, projecting graphic images of hot sex in a glamorous yet uniquely personal and individual style.
Milton included a "moral" in each edition, promoting equality for women, respect for prostitutes and strong arguments for governments around the world to cease sex censorship.
Private was published in several languages and became the most famous porno mag in the world. Milton moved his company to Spain before he retired and handed it over to his son, Berth junior. They now have offices in Spain and produce videos, DVDs, CD-Roms, films, lingerie and pleasure products all available on the Internet, but the elder's standards have been dropped.
2000:
Club of the Year 2000: Fun 4 Two (Holland)
Pretty farmhouse in rural western Holland converted into the most swish, romantic and friendly swing club, so popular it gets fully booked months in advance. It was selected as Europe's best swingers club by the Wa(h)re Liebe German TV show. Tel: 0031 182 378 742 http://www.fun4two.com/
Publication of the Year 2000: Deviant Desires - Incredibly Strange Sex (USA)
Katharine Gates turned isolated perverts into superstars in this lavishly illustrated and refreshingly informative book. Published by Juno Books New York (formerly RESearch) and distributed in the UK by Turnaround.
2001:
Film of the Year 2001: Digital Sex (UK)
Digital Sex was a 6-part television series commissioned by Channel 4. The series was created, written, directed and presented by Amory Peart (Erotic Awards winner, Butt Buddies -1997 and, at one time. our presenter) to show the variety of non-orthodox ways that we can have sex. It showed regular people demonstrating their sexual preferences in a non-judgemental style to over 1.2 million people every week. It then came available on video.
Innovation of the Year 2001: Jo King's London School of Striptease (UK)
Jo King was the first woman to teach striptease to amateurs and would-be professionals. She is now the Grande Madame of the Striptease and Burlesque world, hailed a legend at the Burlesque Festival in Las Vegas 2008. In 2012, Jo moved to Spain with her daughter, Sabrina, but she has now moved back to London and is treaching again. She has worked with Extant, the blind performance charity and the disabled strippers Alex Cowan and Liz Carr. www.londonacademyofburlesque.com
2002:
Craftsperson of the Year 2002: Shiri Zinn (UK)
A conceptual designer whose works are inspired by eroticism and empowerment.
"I am intrigued by the reactions to subjects such as anal sex, menstruation and masturbation, which are often considered as dirty and distasteful. I intend to challenge these prejudices and uncover their positive aspects and unexpected glamour through the medium of design." - Shiri Zinn shirizinn@ntlworld.com
2003:
Performance Artist of the Year 2003: Tao Warriors
Sedek Vulcan and a partner performed a latin-styled performance as Los Condilos at the Semi-Finals. He then teamed up with Sam Alty and Nathalie Warren to perform a piece called 'ALL SENSES' for the finals which was dedicated to Nathalie, performing in public for the very first time having had her breasts burnt off her body in an accident. Sensuous, triumphant and very moving.
Lifetime Acheivement 2003: Rockbitch (UK)
Lesbian rock band who fucked the audience back stage and lived in a sex commune.
For having the courage to be themselves - for taking it on the chin wherever they have been - and for helping many discover their true selves.
Photographer of the Year 2003: Mariano Vargas (Spain)
Spanish photographer whos erotic photographs appear in a beautiful new book Pxotos. They are wittily computer-modified images, placing gorgeous creatures in surreal surroundings to produce the ultimate of heavenly fantasies http://www.lasagradavulva.com
Striptease Artist of the Year 2003: Immodesty Blaize (UK)
Immodesty Blaize went on to become the highest paid erotic performer in the UK with a busy international schedule. The inspiration behind the then trend of Burlesque
2004:
Fashion Designer of the Year 2004: Hussy (UK)
'Sparkles, sequins, and femininity galore, with a little bump and grind.' This is how Zoe Spencer describes her collection, inspired by Victorian mid-21st century underworlds, reminiscent of circus, fairground, burlesque, carnival and vaudeville. The show was so professional it came across as loving fun and lust.
Film of the Year: 2004: Zenra Ballet (Japan)
A Japanese film for the ballet fetishist, featuring clothed and naked ballerinas dancing, posing, being interviewed and getting fucked.
J-List is a Japan-based company who have made a name for themselves, creating such interesting genres as the "Zenra" (all nude) sports series, the Penis Study (filming shy, introverted girls as they see a penis for the first time), and the "Deep Kiss" series (asking two female friends to try lesbian kissing, and recording their reactions as they try it). http://www.j-list.com/
Performance Artist of the Year 2004: Mouse (UK)
The most extraordinary erotic performer of the century, Mouse is a beautiful, outrageous, professional performance artist who has worked with Ron Athey, Dominic Johnson and Matthew Barney and Alexander McQueen. She dances on stage to drum'n'bass, wears cute outfits and spins around on her knees shooting soapy water out of both orifices. All her acts tell a story and are made into short films, marketed by her.
Multi-talented, Mouse says“I go to art galleries like other people go to church”. As well as being a writer, life model, pop star and film maker, Mouse graces the Night of the Senses each year with the messiest and most extraordinary cabaret act in the world. It’s hardcore “Carry-On”, involving sparklers, eggs, cakes with candles and copious amounts of soapy water being sprayed like a Catherine-wheel, far and wide. Mouse gives 190%, risking life, limb, kidneys and her most sensitive genital apparati.
Lifetime Achievement of the Year 2004: Tomi Ungerer (France)
We awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award to Tomi Ungerer to coincide with the Taschen publication of a huge tome of his life's work, Erotoscope. The book is the fruit of nearly forty years of his artistic genius, and demonstrates his exceptional scope, from fornicating frogs to kinky passion, hilarious human sex situations and elaborate masturbation gadgets in action.
Tomi was born Strasbourg in 1931 and raised by a Protestant preacher after the early death of his father. One of his school teachers called him 'a wilfully perverse and subversive individualist'.
In 1956, he moved to NYC with sixty dollars and a trunk full of drawings and manuscripts. He quickly became one of America's most sought-after advertising and publishing illustrators. Most famous for his prize-winning children's books, he also produced adult books and political posters. He moved to Canada and then back to Europe, and currently divides his time between Ireland (where he and his wife moved in 1976), and Strasbourg.
Tomi has profound views on sex and eroticism. He says: 'Eroticism is a mother of invention, a jack of all trades, inspiring rites and games. The human body is the finest toy that ever was. When tickled, it can laugh, tweaked it kicks, whipped, it can whinny and whine. For my pen, my brush or my pencil, it is a source of inspiration as beautiful as nature itself.'
and 'You have to grow up to learn that sex is a need with an appetite and that eroticism is what gastronomy is to food.'
A biographical documentary Far Out Isn't Far Enough: The Tomi Ungerer Story, was produced in 2012.
2005:
Artist of the Year 2005: The Secret Museum (UK)
This interactive digital art gallery was an erotic dream world, a maze of unexpected charm and delight. Tiny treasures can be clicked on to send you off into new enchantments - a theatre play of an Anais Nin story, or a bedroom of naughty happenings. Beautifully created by The Curator, who remains anonymous. Mystery was a key element - a great deal of the narratives are fragmentary with the "missing pieces" being as important as that which is stated. Animals appear time and time again in various contexts and forms.
The inspirations for the work were numerous and varied. Science fiction is drawn on heavily. The cyberpunk word of William Gibson's Sprawl Trilogy, the autistic universe of Peter Chung's Aeon Flux, the malevolent Roaring Twenties of Lovecraft's Cthulhu mythos and the baroque fantasy of Warhammer 40,000 all feature. The nature of the interactivity itself was also referential. Role-playing games, Usborne Puzzle Adventure books and platform-video-games all inspired.
The techniques employed to create the exhibits were almost solely digital - very little is committed to paper in the real world. Artwork is drawn inside the computer using a Wacom graphics tables and usually took a tortured path through several programmes including Illustrator, Photoshop, Painter and Flash.
Independent Film of the Year 2005: Made in Secret - the Story of the East Van Collective (Canada)
An incredible documentary about a porn film being made for idealistic reasons by a collective of students, to see if they can make really hot, innovative porn which breaks all the clichés. Helped by the fact that they are all gorgeous in their own way, we are teased (but highly aroused) by tiny glimpses of the porn action, but their expressions when watching the rushes say it all!
Website of the Year 2005: Melonfarmers - Watching the Censors Watch What We Watch (UK)
This website is the world authority on pornography and provides a mine of information, including up-to-date stories of international hypocrisy, film reviews, lists of classic films and even a list of all the shops selling porn in the UK. On top, it campaigns for the freedom to choose what we can read see and view on television. The site is very well designed, easily navigated and a delight to read. Dave Taylor (who was once an Erotic A ward judge)runs it from his sex palace in Thailand when he is not back in the UK indulging himself at the races.
www.melonfarmers.co.uk webmaster@dtaylor.demon.co.uk
2006:
Lifetime Achievement of the Year 2006: Irena Ionesco (France)
French erotic photographer (73-year old at the time) whose work had never before been exhibited in the UK.
She is one of the most charismatic photographers of the last forty or so years. Born in Paris, she spent her youth in Romania. Enigmatic, glamorous, complex, sophisticated, artistic, literary, her iconic photographs have appeared in a multitude of publications, from Zoom to Vogue to Playboy, over twenty books of her photography have been published in Europe, in Japan and in the United States, and exhibitions of her works have taken place in just about every important place in the world with one exception: Britain.
Irina Ionesco had extraordinarily erotic vision - all her images charged with her quirky, highly personal imagery, a compound of choice of model, angle of view, accessories, and above all a complete mastery of light and shadow. Her black and white photographs have influenced two generations of photographers, and done so with a minimum of accessories: a hand-held 35 mm camera, a light or two when not using available illumination, and bits of fabric, broken dolls, bits and pieces she found in skips. When she decided to work with colour, she mastered that as well.
Various attempts at exhibiting her in Britain were generally halted by a pusillanimous and somewhat atavistic fear of associating her eroticism with the fact that she often used her daughter as a model, on her own or with other models, in particular an amazing set of pictures taken in the Mucha home in Prague. Young Eva was an extraordinarily precocious child who wrote Surrealist poetry at the age of eight, was a star model for several major photographers, appeared in several movies, including one of Polansky's, and is now herself a photographer and video artist.
Film of the Year 2006: Nomades by Jean Daniel Cadinot (France)
Beautifully shot, very hot gay porn featuring gorgeous young men enjoying intimate and athletic sex in enticing locations. Seductive lighting with safer sex throughout. Jean Daniel Cadinot died in June 2008.
Volunteer of the Year 2006: Fosit (Jamaica)
Born on a riverbank in Jamaica, Fosit became a darling of the music industry in Birmingham in the 90's, working alongside Shroom, creating unique environments. When he arrived in London, Fosit took over a bathroom at a Sexual Freedom Coalition Arcadia party and transformed it into a sensual paradise. Since then, we have never let him go.
It may be that his humble start in life provided Fosit with the inspiration to create stunning effect out of almost nothing at all. His room at the Ball, Café Shebeen, is the only space where anything and everything can happen, side-by-side, and this works only because of Fosit's spirit and passion, his art.
Court-jester, DJ, agitator, designer, prankster and naïve soul, Fosit's room is a magical place at the Ball, a place that no other club ever manages to replicate. His obsession with orbs, his brilliance with lighting, and his funky, non-judgmental humour transforms his space from ordinary, to unique charm and sexual charisma.
2007:
Campaigner of the Year 2007: J.A.M. Montoya (Spain)
Photographer whose images of religious figures in sexual poses appear in the book Sanctorum, co-published by the Spanish Socialist Party and the University of Extremadura, became the centre of a political battle in Spain, so that J.A.M. needed to disguise himself in order to avoid being attacked. The quality of his photography is undeniable, and his pictures enjoy enormous popularity
2008:
Campaigner of the Year 2008: Meena Seshu (India)
Meena founded a union for sex workers in India called SANGRAM which has become a highly successful sex workers' self help group, promoting pride in their work, and inspiring safety measures, including the negotiation of condom use with clients. Meena is one of the AIDS and human rights heroes of South Asia and works with the United Nations. Sadly, India adopted the Swedish Model of criminalising clients in June 08, but Meena soldiers on.
Event of the Year 2008: The Love Art Laboratory (USA)
Run by academic Elizabeth M. Stephens and her wife, Annie M. Sprinkle Ph.D, prostitute/porn star turned sexologist/artist/author. The LAL is committed to projects that explore, generate, and celebrate love. Using visual art, installation, theatre pieces, interventions, live art, exhibitions, lectures, printed matter and activism, they orchestrate interactive performance art. In 2005 they created the Extreme Kiss workshop, a Breast Cancer Project and a project entitled Post Porn Love. In 2006, inspired by the work of Yves Klein, they created the Erotic Art Making events, where thirty artists make erotic art and give it all away at the end of the night. Another thirty people of all genders, shapes, sizes and colours come as models and muses, and the whole thing becomes a spectacularly sexy tableau vivante. Each guest is given a ticket to exchange for a piece of erotic art of their choice. They have done this at the Museum of Sex (N.Y.C.), the Center for Sex and Culture (S.F) and at the Minna Gallery (S.F.) and on tours around the world. www.loveartlab.org
Politician of the Year 2008: won by both Lord Richard Faulkner and Baroness Sue Miller (UK)
Lord Richard Faulkner Labour peer who defended the rights of sex workers, their clients, and extreme pornography, during the debate on the Criminal Justice Bill 2008. Regarding pornographic images that are said to be ‘extreme’, he said, ‘I was left with the question of whether their possession is so threatening to society that it is worth turning people into criminals and sending them to jail,’ and decided, ‘I really cannot imagine that any useful purpose is served by creating criminals out of the people who possess them.’
and
Baroness Sue Miller Defended the rights of sex workers and clients, and extreme porn, during discussion of the Criminal Justice Bill 2008. When absolutely no concessions were made, she withdrew her amendments in order that she could bring them back on a third reading. http://www.suemiller.org.uk/
Writer of the Year 2008: James Lear (UK)
Acclaimed author of gay erotica. His five novels include the bestselling The Back Passage and Palace of Varieties (both Cleis Press). Palace of Varieties is beautiful story-telling set in the shockingly sexy gay London of the 1930s. It is crammed full of sex without a moment of boredom. www.myspace.com/jameslearfiction
Tribute 2008: Bob Flanagan (27th December 1952 - 4th January 1996) (USA)
American writer, poet, musician, performance artist, and comic who had Cystic Fibrosis and lived an unusually long time considering his condition, surviving his life using SM and performance art. He was the subject of the documentary Sick: The Life & Death of Bob Flanagan, Supermasochist (1997), by Kirby Dick, which documents the final years of his life. Flanagan performed throughout the US, often in collaboration with his partner Sheree Rose. Together, Flanagan and Rose combined text, video, and live performance in highly personal but universal explorations of sex, illness, and mortality.
2009:
Campaigner of the Year 2009: The Australian Sex Party (Australia)
Formed in November 2008, when sexual freedom campaigners Robbie Swan and Fiona Patten realised that Australia had even more censorship of sexual material than they did 10 years before. Fiona, the Sex Party Convener states "We provide a positive platform for sexual issues amongst the negative notions of sex that most politicians and political parties have”. The Party raises awareness about its policies and challenges the conservatism that is plaguing politics today. http://www.sexparty.org.au
Female Striptease Artist of the Year 2009: Minky Mix (UK)
Minky Mix is the stage name for the beautiful Political Liaison Officer (and later Chair) of the recently successful Thalidomide compensation campaign. Her only previous burlesque experience was at the The Mama Gena's School of Womanly Arts in New York. Minky Mix agreed to join the Erotic Awards to show us all there is another way. Her striptease differed from other artistes, not only because of her arms, and associated difficulty in removing her bra, but more importantly, she came on stage as if she was enjoying a prank, and the more her clothes disappeared, the sweeter her smile.
http://www.ictacampaign.com/information.html
Photographer of the Year 2009: Victor Ivanovsky (Russia and Croatia) Photo Black and white images that tell intricate romantic stories with great humour and passion. They portray a noble Russian character and a genuine sexual sweetness, naivety and honesty. Ivan could not afford to travel to Britain nor send photos by post, such is his teacher's pay in Russia. http://www.2001photo.com
Campaigner of the Year 2009: Reverend David Gilmore (UK) Rector of St Anne's Anglican Church, Soho, who, in 2009, stood up for the Soho sex workers in court in their defence, saying their house did not cause any public nuisance. The result: they got let off! We were delighted that he accepted his nomination, another sign of his openness to sexuality, and he says he feels honoured. They should make him an Archbishop for his exemplary attitude.
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23644695-rector-in-court-to-support-soho-brothel.do
2011:
Pioneer of the Year 2011: Luca Darkholme (France/UK)
A male sex worker who co-founded the London Sex Worker Open University (and now runs it in Glasgow under his married name Luca Stevenson) allies to explore the richness and contradictions of their industry. Academics, sex workers, activists, feminists, psychologists from London, Denmark, New Zealand, U.S debated and networked. They even aim to understand the abolitionist feminist argument. The Sex worker Open University brought many new sex workers to the world of activism and community, building internationally. http://www.sexworkeropenuniversity.com
Photographer of the Year 2011: Daikich Amono (Japan) Photo
This extraordinary visual artist creates powerful photographs and extreme videos involving girls with octopuses, eels and other aquatic creatures.... all of which are eaten afterwards! He explains his work by saying: "I felt that the relation was amusing and that it was lascivious and then beautiful." Asked if he is an artist or pornographer, he replies: "I think that the people who have an interest in my work should decide... For the way of taking a picture, the pornography and the art are the same." http://www.daikichiamano.com
2012:
Finalist in Publication category 2012: There Is No Word For It by Laura Bridgeman and Serge Nicholson (UK)
A very important, unassuming book, for it gives us insight into why some people feel they have to change gender, and how they cope with their trans journey and self, socially and sexually. It should be required reading in sex education of teenagers and for those who still have fears or confusion about trans individuals and their experience. It is engaging, funny and very moving.
Campaigner of the Year 2012: Brook Campaign for Sex and Relationship Education (UK)
Brook set out to educate the powers that be, on the importance of sex education in schools, through campaigns, petitions and debate. It is our belief that the earlier an individual has their questions about sex answered, the higher their eventual sexual wellbeing, and that many of the crimes being committed now, stem from ignorance. Therefore, we feel that this Brook campaign is very important. We appreciate their education of youth and applaud their commitment to involving young people in their campaign.
http://www.brook.org.uk/sex-positive :: http://www.brook.org.uk/sex-positive :: Simon.Blake@brook.org.uk
Striptease Artist of the Year 2012: Edie Lamort (UK) Photo
Edie Lamort starts her strip as a radical campaigner, wielding prostest signs, wrapped in police tape and hooded. Slowly, up the pole and semi-naked, she reveals the hood to expose a beautiful face with dimples, bright red hair and a lovely smile. Then all is exposed, her heavenly body, dimpled buttocks, peeps at pussy and
views from all angles. For us, a perfect striptease, a balance of erotic entertainment and art.
Illustrated Publication of the Year 2012 Souvenir by RubiCANE (UK)
The publisher/editor/illustrator is the multi-talented Ian Bruce, singer in the band The Correspondents, has been drawing pornography in all it's diversity for a year and a half. This has culminated in a silk bound limited edition book which was launched in Soho on Valentine's Day 2012. Its 20 contributors were invited to write short passages in the form of poems, discourses, short stories, confessions, instructions and lists. A number of these exceptionally talented writers work in the porn industry either as actors or directors and are able to give honest first hand accounts and insights. Book sales donated % to Outsiders. www.rubicane.com, rubi@rubicane.com
Written Publication of the Year 2012: Madam — Prostitutes – Punters – Puppets by Becky Adams
This book, which was selected in preference to Alan Bennett's “Smut”, dispels some myths of the sex industry while being highly entertaining, gripping and heart-warming. www.madambeckyadams.co.uk . madambecky@live.co.uk
Fashion Designer of the Year 2012: Monsterlune (Estelle Riviere) (France)
This highly talented french designer put on a show which transported the audience into a state of wonderment and delight, with over 15 models and outfits, all with masks and erotic touches, never obvious but naughty and completely unique. monsterlune@hotmail.fr
Female Sex Worker of the Year 2012 Dolly (UK)
This sex worker, who is as passionate about art as she is her professional (with a degree in fine art) was inspired at an early age to become a sex worker by Dolores French. She specialises in intimacy and was flattered when a punter said she provides not a girlfiend experience but a “lover experience”. She sees disabled clients as well as clients of all ages and wishes she could become public, but knows her mother's sensitive nature would be afronted.
2013:
Writer finalist of the year 2013: Brooke Magnanti (USA)
for her recent, much ignored book The Sex Myths but also her Belle de Jour books.
Blog finalist of the Year 2013: The Naked Anthropologist (Spain)
Dr Laura Agustín, the Naked Anthropologist, is author of the ground-breaking, highly acclaimed Sex at the Margins: Migration, Labour Markets and the Rescue Industry (2007 Zed Books), which turned her overnight into a lightning rod for international controversy. The book has been praised everywhere from The New Statesman - “One of the most important books on migration published in recent years” –to Italy’s La Repubblica and Susie Bright’s Journal – ‘Will turn every assumption you might have on its head.”
Campaigner finalist of the Year 2013: Femen Ukraine)
A feminist Ukrainian protest group based in Kiev, founded in 2008. The organization became internationally known for organizing topless protests against sex tourists, religious institutions, international marriage agencies, sexism and other social, national and international topics. In October 2012 the organization claimed it had about 40 activists in Ukraine, and another 100 who had joined their protests abroad, as well as tens of thousands of supporters via the social network Vkontakte. Some of the goals of the organisation are: "To develop leadership, intellectual and moral qualities of the young women in Ukraine" and "To build up the image of Ukraine, the country with great opportunities for women". FEMEN activists have been regularly detained by the Ukrainian police in response to their protests. http://gulfnews.com/news/region/egypt/egyptian-nudist-in-new-secularism-stunt-1.1121843
Outsiders Award 2013: Anita Kataraumbe (Zimbabwe) Photo
A newly disabled volunteer who brings delight to Outsiders events. She has modelled in the Tactile Fashion Show and for the Tool Kit posters, exposing her catheter tube. She cheers up members and goes out of her way to help them move forward.
2014:
Devotion to the Cause 2014: Laura Lee Independent Escort in Glasgow who speaks to the media and fights for sex workers rights
Strippers of the Year 2014: Lou Safire Photo was the winner with his balletic sensualism and a close runner-ups was Little Lauren with her punky act ending in ejaculation