The new sexual revolution is where sexual equality and feminism finally meet. Back in the day, because fighting sexual abuse was the priority, mainstream feminism tended to treat sexuality like a dark horse. The first step towards equality was giving women protection against abuse. Promotion of female sexuality and the next logical progressive steps in the pursuit of sexual equality and sexual empowerment was championed only by "sex-positive" trailblazers like Carol Queen and Susie Bright who spoke out early on about how sexual empowerment could improve women’s lives. In contrast, mainstream feminism drew a black and white line in the sexuality debate; either you were "with us or against us" - and sexual empowerment conflicted with the feminist position of tackling sexual abuse. Simply speaking there was no positive understanding of female sexuality — only the struggle against the powers that be for a reprieve.

Fast forward a few decades and these very strides that were made by second wave feminists have had a huge impact, granting a new generation of women and men greater social equality and basis for sexual equality. But yet, because sexual empowerment was left out of the debate there is still no real actualization of a feminist perspective that brings female sexuality beyond the old standard of fighting abuse and towards an evolved paradigm where interaction, expression, experience, and satisfaction are valued as the building blocks of EQUALITY. To complicate matters, in the mainstream world of media and capitalism, the image of female sexuality is stuck in the role of a commercialization, consumerism, and multi billion-dollar tool. This tool is exploited by the fashion, advertising, beauty and reproductive health industries — creating the perception of need and fear so women buy things to feel better. We need to offer a new vision of experience, expression and exploration to achieve an evolved sense of female sexual culture that goes beyond the black and white paradigms and the commercialization of female sexuality.

The key issue in the evolution of sexuality for a new century is — CHOICE. Women are demanding the choice and access to sexual entertainment as well as accurate and evolving sexual representation in the mainstream. Once you have the choice, you decide what to do with it. But without a choice, women are not equal. When you feel you have a choice then sexuality is empowering. Without choice there can be no equality — without equality, the status quo of sexual inequality is maintained and progress is halted. These are the politics of choice.

For example, this AIDS Day we learned that women are officially over 50% of all AIDS cases, worldwide. Moreover, because of social and economic inequalities, women do not have adequate access to health care that would improve their lives. Reproductive health care here in the United States does not even scratch the surface regarding research into promising technologies, and access. Further, the Bush administration is officially waging a war against the basic reproductive rights women do have. All of this without a whimper of it in the mainstream media.

THE QUESTION STILL REMAINS - WHAT WOULD SEXUAL CULTURE LOOK LIKE IF WOMEN WERE TRULY EQUAL? Feminism has clearly laid out a plan for social and economic equality tackling issues such as equal pay and sexual abuse. But what are the landmarks for sexual equality? Frankly we don’t know yet. Where does CAKE fit in? By offering a choice, the access, and the opportunity to explore and find out. We have definitively found that when given the opportunity and the choice — women go far beyond the standard defensive position, far beyond the definition set by beauty and fashion industries and enjoy the creation of a new set of options for defining sexuality.

There is obviously something missing for women when it comes to their sexuality — CAKE fulfills this experiential part of women's sexual lives. Just take a look at a sample of over the hundreds of applications we receive for the CAKE.CARD - We asked them to write about why they want to be part of a community of likeminded women and men who are into a female driven, sexual revolution.

"CAKE has inspired me to pursue my own sexual journey, to feel secure with my desires and to speak up and demand that my desires be fulfilled ˆ by myself and my chosen partners."

"I have always considered myself a strong feminist, from attending a pro-choice rally in DC at age 14, to reading Gloria Steinem in high school. I think being a feminist and a fiercely sexual woman is not a contradiction in terms. To me Cake is about wreaking havoc on stale ideas of sexuality- outdated values and beliefs that are damaging and inhibiting to both men and women."

"The Cake revolution is about having fun exploring and taking control of one's body, sexuality and pleasure and not trying to get rid of sexual taboos. Without taboo sex isn't hot. More importantly, Cake celebrates couples in a way that is hard to find in the NYC bar/club scene. One can be married or coupled and have an open space to be publicly sexual and to push the limits."

"I want to celebrate that I am a sexual being and live my life as a macho-girlie. I show what I want, say what I want and take what I want and don't fear the feminist outcry that embracing beauty and sexuality is anti-feminist--it's power and pleasure. The most exciting aspect of Cake is the idea that one is sexual throughout their lives and that it is a continuing process to find pleasure. "

Unless these diverse voices are incorporated into mainstream culture's understanding of female sexuality, women's sexual choices will be limited to the leftovers of an outdated paradigm where it's negative sexuality or no sexuality at all. Many feminists will tell you that sexual equality has nothing to do with feminism; that sexuality as a fun and empowering entity in our lives has no meaning. CAKE is here to say, that the actualization of a female sexual culture based on pleasure and choice is an integral part of achieving sexual equality, which is why we believe that - sexual equality is the new feminism.

Let’s take advantage of a lesson the "sex-positive" feminists taught us long ago — that sexuality is a powerful and evolving part of our every day lives that when explored in an equal context allows us to be our actualized, true and pleasureable selves.

Love,
Melinda