I splashed out and bought a front-row seat for the ten-year anniversary of Berlin’s PorYes Awards.

The awards were held this year in the beautiful HAU1 theater of the woman-run Hebbel am Ufer. Since 2009, the PorYes award (which is a sparkling, open crystal oyster!) stands for respectful portrayal of all genders and a diverse sexuality.

Above is award winner Nan Kinney, elder and pioneer.

She created the first lesbian adult film production company, Fatale Media. I absolutely adored seeing clips of her films from the 80s – they are funny and playful and sexy, with safer sex education and wonderful characters.

Dr. Loree Erickson is doing such important work in empowering queercrips.

Her critical academic work is in practices of resistance such as the “sexy femmegimp politics of flaunting it”, she makes art that fearlessly articulates desire for historically forbidden bodies, and she was wearing leopard and metallic fucshia which is my favorite.

Wayne Yung talked about the reactions he got when he began bringing feminist gay films to festivals.

He said it was not initially an easy concept to sell! I highly recommend a visit to his site to check out his deep catalog of video art – he has produced an incredible body of work.

Here’s Ozzie award winner Anna Brownfield of Poison Apple Productions.

We saw clips from her film The Band and it absolutely knocked me out. She went to RMIT, just like my second-ex-husband.

Award winner (and my friend, Patron and muse!) Sadie Lune, in purple satin.

She’s also wearing a beaded velvet fascinator with a Death’s Head moth I made for her!

I will get this comedienne’s name shortly!

The balloon she is holding was part of a hashtag action about censorship.

PorYes was co-founded by Laura Méritt , seen above – she is a communication scientist, salon holder and sexologist! – and Polly Fannlaf.

A visit to Sexclusivitäten is an essential part of sex-positive living when you’re in Berlin. Polly Fannlaf runs the Freudenfluss Network, which organizes sexual-political campaigns.

The work Ms. Fannlaf and Ms. Méritt have done in making these historic awards is so important. I was honored to be present for the ten-year anniversary, and look forward to fifteen and twenty!