July 28, 2018 · 9:43 am

A (Sexy) Personal Story About My Ex-Girlfriend

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Every now and then, I take a moment to get personal on this site by recounting a particular moment in my life. I enjoy sharing those parts of myself. I even find them therapeutic at times. Most of the time, I do that to help make a larger point about a more serious issue or to celebrate a holiday, such as Mother’s Day.

However, this is not one of those times.

Today, I’d like to share a story of a far sexier variety. Don’t drive your heads too deep into the gutter. It’s not one of those stories that will get as graphic as my novels or my sexy short stories. This is just a little tidbit of my life that should help explain why I have such a lurid mind and such eclectic passions.

This particular story involves an ex-girlfriend of mine. Don’t worry, it doesn’t involve bitterness, broken hearts, or revenge. There are enough stories like that on the internet. Instead, I want to share a story that is both uplifting and influential. To date, I think it has heavily influenced my desire to write and share sexy stories.

To understand why this moment is so influential, I need to provide some context. This particular moment occurred during my freshman year of college. I had met my girlfriend online through a comic book message board. We’d been chatting back and forth for over a year before we actually met. When we finally did meet in person, it was the opposite of one of those catfishing stories.

What we had was a beautiful thing. We were very comfortable talking to each other about things that were nerdy or embarrassing to discuss with others. That didn’t just pertain to comics, though. We also talked about sexy stuff. In our defense, were a couple of horny college students. That’s not an excuse. That’s a valid reason. There’s a difference, as I’ve noted before.

It’s that comfort that helped us forge what might have been one of the sexiest parts of our relationship. During the Thanksgiving holiday that year, my girlfriend came over the visit for a few days. As part of the festivities, we both went shopping on Black Friday. That may not sound romantic, but seeing as how we both love shopping on the holidays, it might as well have been a day in Paris.

I took her to one of the big malls in my area. We spent most of the afternoon there, eating lunch and navigating chaotic crowds. The fact she insisted on wearing heels just showed how dedicated she was to sharing the holiday spirit with me. That dedication showed in the last store we visited that day, which happened to be Victoria’s Secret.

Now, if you’re a healthy heterosexual man like me, you tend to have mixed feelings about that store. You love sexy lingerie and the sexy models who wear them, but when you’re single, spending too much time around a Victoria’s Secret can send all the wrong messages. When you’re with your girlfriend, though, it can be the sexiest kinds of fun.

My ex-girlfriend understood this so she didn’t hesitate to lead me inside, putting me in close proximity with all the sexy attire I love describing in my stories. From there, she demonstrated the energy of a kid in a candy factory, browsing some extra intimate apparel that included a nighty and a thong.

It’s worth noting at this point that my ex was abnormally comfortable with this sort of thing. She wasn’t just the kind of girl who didn’t mind talking about sex. She had a pretty dirty mind and an even dirtier mouth. In public and around people, she was very sweet and polite. In private, though, she said things that would make a hardened sailor gasp. That should help make clear why I was so attracted to her.

She knew this too because we spent more time in that Victoria’s Secret store than we did any other store at the mall. We didn’t mind, though. Personally, I wish we could’ve stayed longer. When we did leave, it wasn’t empty-handed. My ex bought a little something that day, as well. It made for a damn productive day, especially for two indebted college students.

The story doesn’t end there, though. In fact, it gets even sexier because early that next morning, my ex decided to put that new lingerie to good use. Just before the sun came up, she snuck over to my bed and slipped out of the pajamas she’d worn, revealing that she was wearing that same sexy nighty and revealing thong we saw in the store. Needless to say, that woke me up in the best possible way.

What happened after that is something I prefer to keep private. I promise it didn’t get too lurid. Remember, I was at my parents’ house and they weren’t going to let us get too reckless. That said, there were some intimate moments that were pretty intense, probably the most intense we shared during our relationship.

That’s as much detail I’m willing to share about that moment, for now. I hope it offers some insight into where some of my kinky musings come from. Out of respect and appreciation for that moment, I won’t share anything else about my ex-girlfriend. I doubt she’ll ever read this, but I still sincerely thank her for the time we had together.

A while back, I found out my ex-girlfriend actually got married. By all accounts, she’s as happy as she’s ever been and I’m happy for her. I think the man she married is lucky to have her. I sincerely hope that I can build something like it with a future lover. Until that day comes, sexy memories like this one will keep inspiring me.

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July 27, 2018 · 5:38 am

How “Mr. And Mrs. X” Provides Hope (And A Template) For Married Superheroes

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If you were to go back 40 years and ask someone to tell a story about epic space battles, death stars, and wookies, chances are you’d get a lot off odd looks and insipid excuses. Some might even laugh in your face, saying such a story could never be told, let alone make over $7.7 billion at the box office. George Lucas is probably laughing at them on top of a bed made of money.

Great stories like “Star Wars” didn’t just prove there were millions to be made from elaborate space operas and quality sci-fi. It helped establish a template for others to follow in telling similar stories. Some have followed it better than others, but the most important thing “Star Wars” was demonstrate that it can be done.

The current state of married superheroes is in a similar situation to what the sci-fi genre was before “Star Wars” came along. Both Marvel and DC Comics have done a lot over the past couple decades to undermine married superheroes, some of which have left major scars for fans and characters alike. Just look up a story called One More Day for proof.

The excuses Marvel and DC have made aren’t very convincing, but they’re not entirely wrong either. Telling stories about married superheroes is challenging. There are only a handful of married superheroes that have stood the test of time. However, even the most iconic superhero couples have been prone to the complications of marriage.

That’s why a series like “Mr. and Mrs. X” is coming along at the best possible time. This series, which spins directly out of the denigrating heartbreak that unfolded in “X-men Gold #30,” may very well provide both the hope and the template for married superheroes moving forward.

The first thing I need to say about “Mr. and Mrs. X #1” is that it’s part of a larger story that began unfolding before the events of “X-men Gold #30.” Kelly Thompson, who wrote “Mr. and Mrs. X,” also wrote a mini-series called “Rogue and Gambit,” which I highly recommend. That story did something important for both fans of superhero romance and of superhero cartoons from 1990s.

In the world of iconic superhero couples, Rogue and Gambit occupy a gray area of sorts. They’re one of those couples that rarely tops any list of notable superhero romances, but they’ve always been closely linked to one another. This is due largely to the chemistry they showed in the “X-men Animated Series” cartoon that defined so many childhoods back in 1990s. I know because I was one of them.

While Rogue and Gambit have always had romantic potential, it was never fully utilized. Neither the cartoon nor the comics ever took it beyond a certain point and not just because Rogue’s life-draining powers hindered their capacity for intimacy. There was just no real effort to evolve their romance beyond flirting and card puns.

Ms. Thompson changed that with “Rogue and Gambit.” This under-developed romance grew more in the span of five issues than it had in over 15 years of comics, cartoons, and failed efforts to get a Gambit movie off the ground. With “Mr. and Mrs. X #1,” Ms. Thompson dares to skip several steps and let this couple take the plunge into superhero marriage.

Considering how even a much more iconic couple in Batman and Catwoman failed to get that far, that’s quite an achievement. However, the way in which “Mr. and Mrs. X #1” portrays the sexy, romantic details of married superheroes is a far greater accomplishment. I would go so far as to say that it sets a new standard for just how appealing married superheroes can be.

One of the most important things “Mr. and Mrs. X #1” does is expand on the events of “X-men Gold #30.” This isn’t just critical for the sake of Rogue and Gambit’s relationship. It helps fix the greatest flaw in that issue. When the marriage of Kitty Pryde and Colossus fell through in a heartbreaking moment, Rogue and Gambit basically stepped in to keep the ending from being a complete tragedy.

The way their impromptu marriage presented in “X-men Gold #30” is both shallow and crude. It’s basically just forced in there, a marriage for the sake of saving a botched wedding. It never even gave the impression that Rogue and Gambit were serious about marrying one another. They just did it on a whim, their wedding having the depth of a drive-through chapel in Las Vegas.

“Mr. and Mrs. X #1” fundamentally changes that. It dedicates over half the issue to providing more details of that ceremony, making clear that Rogue and Gambit gave this more thought than the brand of cereal they ate that morning. There was preparation, planning, and even a surprise visit from Mystique, Rogue’s adopted mother.

This goes a long way towards showing that Rogue and Gambit are serious about getting married. Even if you didn’t read Ms. Thompson’s “Rogue and Gambit” series, the first eight pages do enough to show that there’s genuine love between these two. Moreover, they want take that love to the next level.

Even for a romance not built on Disney-style fairy tales, that’s a pretty important detail. There’s a major difference between characters actually wanting their relationship to evolve and just doing it because it makes for a nice event. It’s the same difference between wanting to eat to McDonald’s and having to eat at McDonald’s. It affects the experience.

That shared desire between Rogue and Gambit shows in both the ceremony and the honeymoon. That’s another key component that “Mr. and Mrs. X #1” adds to the template. It doesn’t just stop at the heartfelt wedding ceremony they share with friends and family. It acknowledges and even shows off the sexy tidbits of married life.

Rogue and Gambit don’t just love each other enough to want to get married. They also want to express that love like any other horny couple. It doesn’t have to be a dirty secret or some trivial side-note. It can be part of the story and thanks to the wonderful artwork of Oscar Bazaldua, it’s a spectacle to behold.

We get to see these two in expensive wedding attire and their birthday suit. There are moments of genuine affection. There are moments of playfulness. There are also moments where they address more serious issues, such as Rogue not being able to touch without the aid of a device that inhibits her powers. All of that is fit into a single issue.

On top of all that, “Mr. and Mrs. X #1” still finds time to squeeze in some heroics at the end. It’s not all heart-warming ceremonies and sexy honeymoons. Rogue and Gambit are still X-men. That means they still answer the call to adventure when it comes. That’s just what heroes do. Being married doesn’t have to change that.

That shouldn’t be such a novel concept, but that is a common criticism of married superheroes. Once they get married, their ability to be superheroes is somehow diminished. That’s like saying being a rock star diminishes someone’s ability to enjoy random songs on the radio. It’s a false flaw that Ms. Thompson and Mr. Bazaldua go out of their way to subvert.

The nature of the conflict that interrupts Rogue and Gambit’s sexy time is somewhat underdeveloped. It involves aliens and space battles, which is basically a typical Tuesday for the X-men. There’s not much in terms of refinement, but that’s less a flaw and more a logistical limitation.

“Mr. and Mrs. X #1” is the first issue of a series, which means there will be other opportunities to expand that story. Rogue and Gambit’s life as married superheroes isn’t ending. It’s just beginning. They’re still going to be heroes. They’re still going to fight aliens in between hot romps between the sheets. Married life doesn’t have to be boring. What a concept, right?

I’m not being coy. That’s the ultimate takeaway from this comic. Two well-known, well-developed characters can get married, share some loving moments, get sexy, and still be superheroes. Being married doesn’t have to supercede their heroics. It can complement it as well.

It’s a lesson that other superhero couples, be they iconic or based on a random hook-up, would be wise to learn. Even powerful heroes like Superman are only as compelling as the relationships and interpersonal dynamics that highlight who they are. In the same way teamwork makes the Avengers and the Justice League strong, marriage can make a superhero couple strong.

That really shouldn’t be such a radical notion, but Ms. Thompson and Mr. Bazaldua do plenty to remind us why it shouldn’t be. “Mr. and Mrs. X #1” sets a bold tone for Rogue and Gambit. It doesn’t stop at a beautiful wedding or a sexy honeymoon. The heroics continue. It just takes a different tone.

The ending of the issue, which I won’t spoil, even sets up some new drama between the happy newlyweds. It’s not the kind that’ll instigate another frustrating love triangle, but it does hint at a conflict that wouldn’t be much of a conflict if Rogue and Gambit weren’t married. Rather than limit their story, it expands it.

“Mr. and Mrs. X #1” does so much in the span of a single issue that it would take me all day to list them all. It’s not a perfect issue. If I had to score it, I would give it a 9 out of 10, just because it had piggy-back on the heartbreak in “X-men Gold #30.” The most important achievement, though, is the precedent it sets. Married superheroes can be sweet, sexy, and fun and this is how you do it.

Like a marriage in a real world, relationships evolve. Getting married is not an endpoint. It’s another step in the dramatic, yet sexy narrative that is romance. Superheroes are fully capable of taking that step without turning into a bad sitcom. “Mr. and Mrs. X #1” shows that this step is worth taking. Hopefully, other couples follow and build on this sexy new template.

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July 26, 2018 · 5:32 am

The Other Orgasm Gap (Involving Men) And Why We Should Confront It

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There are many disagreements about gender these days, but when it comes to orgasms, most reasonable people are on the same page. In general, regardless of politics or genital configuration, we’re in favor of them. We support efforts to experience more for ourselves and for our partners. In matters of sex, it’s one of the few unifying issues.

Even if most people agree that orgasms are awesome, there are still some sources of tension. I’ve already touched on the current status of the orgasm gap, as it pertains to women. That is still an unresolved issue and the current status of gender relations can only improve if that gap is reduced or eliminated.

However, there is another orgasm gap that is rarely touched on, but inescapably linked to the current pleasure parity. This one pertains to men and, unlike the female orgasm gap, is shackled by hard biological limits. Any man, myself included, knows those limits all too well.

It’s no secret, but it might as well be one because it’s rarely talked about. Without getting too graphic, I’ll just say that the female orgasm is a symphony whereas the male orgasm is like a kazoo. It’s a one-note instrument that is simple, basic, and blunt. You can still make music with it, but the range is limited.

That’s because men have something called a refractory period. It’s basically the cool-down period that men experience after orgasm. From a biological standpoint, it’s the part of sex where the brain and genitals tell one another that the job is done and it’s time to rest. That process involves releasing all sorts of hormones and chemicals that are responsible for men getting sleepy after sex.

It’s the reason why men have a difficult time getting aroused again after sex, both physically and mentally. Once a man reaches that peak, it takes a while to get to that level again. It can take as little as 15 minutes to almost an entire day. During that time, though, a man’s ability and desire are significantly hindered.

This inescapable process is also the source of many jokes about premature ejaculation and men who can’t last long in bed. I don’t doubt it’s a factor in the orgasm gap. Whereas it takes a man only two to three minutes to achieve orgasm, it takes a woman an average of 12 minutes to do the same. That is not a trivial gap.

Conversely, women aren’t hindered by a refractory period. Even though it takes women longer to climax, they’re capable of having more orgasms in rapid succession. To give you an idea of just how many more women are capable of, the record for most female orgasms in an hour is 134 whereas the most a man has ever had is 16. Again, that is not a trivial gap.

While men don’t have to look far for tips and tricks that allow men to have multiple orgasms, many of these so-called techniques are just gimmicks. They’re methods for improving stamina and control, which is a great thing to have with any partner. However, it doesn’t change the fundamental biology of refractory periods.

That’s not to say this particular gap is impossible to close. That’s also not to say that there aren’t documented cases of men achieving multiple orgasms. They do exist, but there’s not a lot of research on the topic, especially compared to the amount of research on the female orgasm.

If we’re to close the orgasm gap for everybody, though, this is something that’s worth studying. I would even argue that we can’t solve the orgasm gap with women without confronting this lesser-known gap with men. In essence, that refractory period is the greatest hindrance to true orgasm parity.

Just talking about it only goes so far, though. Unlike the female orgasm gap, the refractory period is rooted in biology rather than psychology. From an evolution standpoint, it makes sense. By achieving orgasm quickly, a man can spend less time impregnating a woman and more time surviving. It was a necessary trait for managing the survival/reproduction dynamic of the human species.

Like many other traits from our pre-modern ancestors, though, these traits are less necessary in the modern era. In fact, they can be a liability. In a world of low infant and maternal mortality, we have more incentive to seek quality over quantity in our lovers. The refractory period, much like our body’s tendency to get fat, is a real hindrance to that effort.

Addressing it is probably not going to be as simple as telling men to do kegel exercises. Men being able to achieve multiple orgasms may require an effort similar to that of developing the female birth control pill. In the same way modern medicine has given women control over their fertility, it may end up doing the same for male orgasms.

How modern medicine would go about that is well-beyond my expertise. However, we already do have some clues as to what goes into reducing the refractory period. Studies has shown that a chemical called prolactin may play a major role.

Specifically, when a man climaxes and goes through a refractory period, levels of prolactin in the body spike. In rare cases of multi-orgasmic men, though, it doesn’t rise in conjunction with an orgasm. Now, that could be only be part of a much more complex process, as is often the case in medicine, but it’s a start.

In the same way some people are already hacking their biology for reasons relating to health and beauty, it may be possible to tweak certain bodily processes to enable men to have the same orgasmic potential as women. It doesn’t even have to extend to modifying genetics. It can just involve tweaking chemical and hormonal processes, something we’ve been doing in medicine for years.

Unfortunately, research on this phenomenon is scant at best. However, given how much money pharmaceutical companies have made treating sexual dysfunction, I believe the incentives are there. It may take a long time, but given the progress medicine has made on male contraception lately, I think the infrastructure is in place and so is the market.

It’s hard to predict what form modern medicine will take in treating any condition, be it the limits of the male orgasm or the current orgasm gap with women. However, I am confident in saying that any advance that puts everyone on the same level of orgasmic potential will be a game-changer of the sexiest kind.

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July 25, 2018 · 5:05 am

How The Idea Of “Toxic Fandom” Is Fundamentally Flawed

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The internet is a vast, wonderful place full of mesmerizing gifs, amazing stories, and the collective knowledge of our entire species. I would argue that the internet is one of humanity’s most important tools since the invention of fire. I strongly believe that is has done more good any other tool we’ve created.

I have a feeling that this rosy view of the internet is a minority opinion. These days, all the good the internet does tends to get lost in the stories that highlight its many dangers. I don’t deny that there are dangers there. The internet does have some dark places where hate, harassment, and outright depravity are on full display.

More and more, it seems, the internet is becoming an enabler of a new manifestation of popular culture. It’s called “toxic fandom” and it relies on the greatest strengths of the internet to bring out the absolute worst in people. It didn’t start with the heated fan reaction of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” but it certainly made it relevant.

Before I go any further, I want to make one thing clear. There are assholes on the internet. There are also assholes in real life. The internet doesn’t make them that way. It just gives them a platform to be an asshole on a larger scale. That’s an unfortunate side-effect of the internet, but one that tends to obscure a larger narrative.

That’s because, much like inane terms such as “toxic masculinity,” the idea of toxic fandom relies on a series of assumptions that only ever have a sliver of truth behind them. It builds around this idea of there’s this grand, over-arching effort by immature, angry young men who secretly wish they could sexually harass women with impunity. It’s not quite on the level of an Alex Jones type conspiracy, but it’s close.

There have always been overly-passionate fans. It existed long before the internet and would still exist if the internet disappeared tomorrow. “Toxic fandom,” and there’s a reason I’m putting it in quotes, is something very different.

This doesn’t involve obsession with a particular celebrity. It involves a particular type of media like a movie, a TV show, or a video game. In some respects, this sort of fandom is a byproduct of overwhelming success. When something like “Star Wars” or “Star Trek” comes along, it resonates with an audience on a profound level. That sort of impact can last a lifetime.

I can attest to the power of that impact through my love of comic books. I’ve even cited a few that I find deeply moving, both in good ways and in not-so-good ways. Most everybody has had an experience like that at some point in their life, whether it’s their reaction to seeing “Titanic” for the first time or the feeling they get after they binge-watch “Breaking Bad.”

The toxic part usually comes when the media they’ve come to love manifests in a way that’s not just disappointing. It undermines those powerful feelings they’ve come to associate with that media. The results can be very distressing and until recently, the only way to express that distress was to sulk quietly in a darkened room.

Then, the internet comes along and suddenly, fans have a way to voice their feelings, for better and for worse. They can even connect with fans who feel like they do so that they don’t feel alone. The human tendency to form groups is one of the most fundamental acts anyone can do as a member of a highly social species.

Now, there’s nothing inherently “toxic” about that behavior. It has only made the news because the passions/vitriol of fans is more visible, thanks to the internet. Just browse any comments section of any movie or show on IMDB. Chances are you’ll find a few people who claim that this thing they once loved has been ruined and will use every possible medium to voice their displeasure.

This is where the “toxic” aspects of fandom start to have real-world consequences. Most recently, Kelly Marie Tran became the face of those victimized by toxic fandoms. After her portrayal of Rose Tico in “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” she became the most polarizing figure in the history of Star Wars since Jar Jar Binks.

The story surrounding Ms. Tran’s harassment, which was objectively horrible, became vindication for those who believed that the Star Wars fanbase had become a mess of angry, hate-filled fanboys. They didn’t like that something they loved was changing and becoming more diverse. As such, their criticisms don’t matter. They may as well be wounded storm troopers in a room full of angry wookies.

The problem with this assumption is the same problem we get when someone writes off facts as fake news or diversity efforts as a neo-Marxist conspiracy. It’s a simple, convenient excuse to ignore possible flaws and justify personal assumptions. It also conflates the inescapable truth that assholes exist in the world and there’s nothing we can do about it.

None of this is to imply that harassment is justified or that fans can be exceedingly unreasonable. By the same token, this doesn’t imply that studios don’t deserve criticism when they attempt to revamp a beloved franchise in a way that does not keep with the spirit of the original. It’s only when criticism gets lost in the outrage that the “toxic” behaviors become more prominent.

It’s within that outrage, though, where the true flaws in the “toxic fanbase” narrative really break down. To a large extent, the “toxicity” that many complain about aren’t a product of unhealthy attitudes. They’re a manifestation of an inherent flaw in the relationship between fans and those who produce the iconic media they love.

To illustrate that flaw, think back to a recent controversy involving a “toxic fanbase.” Before the reaction “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” became the poster child for this issue, the all-female “Ghostbusters” remake was the most prominent example. It earned a lot of hatred for reasons that I’d rather not scrutinize.

With that hatred in mind, imagine a long-time Ghostbusters fan seeking to express their dismay. They decide to write a kind, detailed, and thoughtful letter to the studio, the director, and anyone else involved detailing their dismay and their criticisms. They may even cite specific examples on what they felt was wrong with the movie.

Chances are this sort of thoughtful, well-worded message would get deleted, ignored, or just plain lost in the digital landscape. Even if the head of Sony studios read it and agreed with every point made, they wouldn’t respond. They wouldn’t do anything ot change it. That would just be too inconvenient and it would look bad publicly.

From the perspective of the fan writing the letter, though, it sends the message that their sentiment doesn’t matter. Their passion for the media doesn’t matter. They might as well not even exist in the eyes of the producers. The only way for them to even acknowledge their existance is to be louder, angrier, and even a little meaner. Even if the reponse is negative, it at least acknowledges their existence.

It’s not the same as trolling. Trolls just want upset people for the fun of it. Fans voicing their displeasure are more sincere in the sense that they believe they’re protecting something they love. Whether or not that’s misguided is debatable. Some, namely those who harass and make threats, are more misguided than others. However, they only ever make up a very small percentage of fans.

In the end, that’s the most important perspective to have when it comes to fandom. Those who are the loudest tend to be the most obnoxious, but they’re loud because they feel like they have to be. The internet just gives them a way to be heard, which is something most fans haven’t had before.

That’s still not an excuse for being an asshole, but it’s also not an excuse for using those same assholes to call an entire fanbase toxic. It overlooks and undermines the genuine and sincere love people have of these cultural icons. As as a result, when someone feels like their love is being ignored, that’s when toxic hate often finds a way to fill that void.

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July 24, 2018 · 5:37 am

Biotechnology And The Future Of Gender

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With each passing year, it seems gender-driven conflicts are becoming more and more heated and less and less rational. Every time I bring them up, which is distressingly often, I feel like I have to walk through a minefield while juggling chainsaws. I know it doesn’t take much to start a controversy these days and I’d rather not add fuel to that fire.

The current state of gender conflict is pretty intense. I expect it to get worse before it gets better, but I don’t want to dwell on that too much for the moment. Instead, I’d like to do what I often do when I discuss emerging technology and contemplate the future. Moreover, I want to focus on the potential for a better future between the genders.

Yes, I realize the situation is pretty hectic now. I also don’t deny that trends in feminism and the associated backlash make it difficult to be optimistic. I’m still going to try because I believe we’re getting close to a point where the barriers that hinder a truly egalitarian society will eventually fall. It’s just a matter of developing the right tools.

Chief among those tools are those emerging in the field of biotechnology. It’s a subject I’ve highlighted before, primarily in terms of its potential to treat disease and provide better contraception. Those kinds of advances are just stepping stones, though. The true potential of biotechnology goes much further.

With respect to gender, I think most won’t deny that there’s room for improvement in terms of the current dynamic. Whether you’re a man, woman, or something in between, most people don’t have to think too hard to surmise imperfections in the current system. I’ve mentioned a few, but they’re worth scrutinizing.

If you’re a woman, those imperfections take a fairly direct toll and not just in terms of being the gender that bears children. Beyond the burdens that facet of womanhood has incurred historical, there are still some fairly substantial gaps between women and men today. Regardless of whether or not you’re a feminist, the data is pretty clear. Women are not on a level playing field with men.

If you’re a man, that’s just as true. Men may not bear children, but they also bear plenty of burdens. They are expected to fight in bloody wars, making up 97 percent of all war deaths. They work harder, more dangerous jobs that disproportionately kill them. They’re also expected to be okay with having their genitals mutilated as babies. By those metrics, men are not on a level playing field, either.

Things get even more unequal when you put transgender issues into the mix and I’m not just talking about which bathrooms they have to use. Transgender individuals face a unique brand of issues, ranging from housing discrimination to healthcare access. Regardless of how you feel about transgender issues, and some question whether it’s even real, these people are struggling under the current dynamic.

It’s a dynamic that, for most of human history, has been heavily influenced by the limits of biology. Like it or not, we’re very much at the mercy of what evolution has wrought. Even if you’re among the crowd who thinks gender is entirely socially constructed, it’s impossible to get around hard biology, at least for now.

The hard data is fairly clear. Human beings are sexually dimorphic, which means there are intrinsic physical differences between men and women. Since one gender bears children while the other doesn’t, that kind of has to be the case. Considering how well our species has thrived over the past several thousand years, you could make the case that these dynamics have worked fairly well.

However, there’s still room for improvement. In the tradition of the Doug Stanhope principle, it’s worth asking a simple question about our current gender situation. If the current dynamic didn’t exist, would you invent it that way? If you were working from scratch, would you create a species in which half the population had to bear children for nine months while the other half had part of their genitals hanging outside their bodies?

I’m not saying the human body, in its current form, isn’t a beautiful work of nature, but there’s no denying its flaws. As long as those flaws remain in place, the amount of progress we can make towards a truly egalitarian society will be limited. With the emergence of biotechnology, though, there may come a time when we may not be subject to those constraints.

When you get right down to the differences in muscle mass and endurance, much of it is driven by genetics. There’s only so much we can do with hormones and supplements, as female body builders have shown, before genetics comes into play. We’re only just starting to hack some of those genes, but there’s still room for refinement.

That refinement will come as the technology matures, just as we’ve seen with refinements to in vitro fertilization and LASIK eye surgery. It won’t happen all at once, but there may come a point when we have a sufficient understanding of the human genome and how to change it at the genetic level with tools like CRISPR.

Once we have that knowledge, then there’s no reason why we couldn’t modify individual genomes to a point where men and women are completely equal in terms of strength, stamina, and overall physicality. In that situation, there’s no reason why a woman couldn’t carry out the same physically demanding tasks as men.

For the mental side, though, that may end up being trickier. There’s still a lot we don’t know about the brain in general, let alone the innate differences between men and women. Most current research seems to suggest there are some differences, but the extent of those differences aren’t really clear. There’s evidence that there could be even more differences in the brains of transgender individuals.

Even if those differences are biologically innate, they can still be manipulated with the right tool. Some of those tools are already in development in the form of brain implants, such as those being developed by Neuralink. Whether it’s problem solving or emotional intelligence, there’s no reason why any gender-based difference can’t be resolved with a properly-calibrated implant.

Put all these advances together and the future of gender may render our current conflicts obsolete. I believe that if it is the goal of society to create a truly egalitarian structure for men, women, and everything in between, then the necessary tools to do so will make that possible at some point. The only question is whether or not that will actually be the goal.

I can’t speak for everyone who has ever argued for a certain gender-based issue. Being a man, I don’t deny that my perspectives on gender are limited by my experiences. However, if we’re going by what has worked best from an evolutionary perspective, a species that can effectively cooperate, communicate, and share knowledge has a huge advantage.

Reducing gender disparity at a genetic and physical level has plenty of benefits on paper. Add artificial wombs to the mix, effectively removing the burden of child-rearing from half the population, and suddenly our entire species is on a level playing field. That opens the door to entirely new manifestations of gender, as we know it.

I can’t predict what form that will take. Once we start manipulating our genes and our looks, by default, then the line between what is feminine and what is masculine may blur. While I don’t think it will disappear entirely, I think there will be some adjustments. It may even lead to entirely new gender-driven conflicts in the short term.

In the long run, though, I think the future of gender will arc towards greater equality overall. There may come a time where every individual born has the same physical and mental potential, regardless of their gender. Women will be as physically strong as men. Men will be able to multi-task like women. They may still look distinct, but their abilities will be truly equal.

A society full of those individuals will require an entirely new dynamic, one built around a host of new tools that we’re just starting to develop. It could just as easily go in the opposite direction with various gender gaps widening as a result of those tools. However, I believe that the benefits of equality will win out, albeit for purely pragmatic reasons. A future with that level of equality will likely result in the greatest potential for everyone.

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July 23, 2018 · 5:31 am

Why We Should Accept James Gunn’s Apology And Support His Re-Hiring

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In the spirit of honesty and transparency, I’m going to admit something that should surprise no one.

I, Jack Fisher, have said horrible, offensive things in the past. For that, I sincerely apologize.

I’ll give everyone a moment to recoil in shock. Now, I’ll turn off the sarcasm and get serious because this is an issue I’ve already done plenty to belabor. People say offensive things. People write offensive things. I know I have, given some of the sensitive topics I’ve covered.

I’m certainly not alone. These days, it’s hard to go more than a day without reading something horribly offensive on social media. Not all of the offense warrants the same outrage, though. Some comments are just trolling. Some trigger reactions that lead to actual crimes. Not all offensive speech warrants immense outrage is what I’m saying.

That brings me to James Gunn, the man who made movies about a talking raccoon, a talking tree, and the goofy guy from “Parks and Recreation” that went onto make over $1.6 billion at the box office. His star really rose fast after the unexpected success of “Guardians of the Galaxy.” He’s credited with taking the Marvel Cinematic Universe to cosmic heights. He has accomplished a lot in the past four years.

Now, he’s been fired. He’ll have no part in “Guardians of the Galaxy 3.” The circumstances, context, and fallout from this huge turn of events is astonishing, but for all the wrong reasons.

The particulars here are striking. Mr. Gunn was not fired because he committed a serious crime or got embroiled in a disturbing scandal. He got fired because someone who didn’t agree with his political views dug up some old social media posts from 10 years ago that were lewd, offensive, and downright disgusting.

Not surprisingly, Mr. Gunn apologized for it immediately. He didn’t make excuses. He didn’t whine about fake news. He didn’t claim his account was hacked. He took ownership of the things he said and apologized.

Many people who have followed my career know when I started, I viewed myself as a provocateur, making movies and telling jokes that were outrageous and taboo. As I have discussed publicly many times, as I’ve developed as a person, so has my work and my humor.

It’s not to say I’m better, but I am very, very different than I was a few years ago; today I try to root my work in love and connection and less in anger. My days saying something just because it’s shocking and trying to get a reaction are over.

In the past, I have apologized for humor of mine that hurt people. I truly felt sorry and meant every word of my apologies.

For the record, when I made these shocking jokes, I wasn’t living them out. I know this is a weird statement to make, and seems obvious, but, still, here I am, saying it.

Anyway, that’s the completely honest truth: I used to make a lot of offensive jokes. I don’t anymore. I don’t blame my past self for this, but I like myself more and feel like a more full human being and creator today. Love you to you all.

It still wasn’t enough, though. He still got fired and there’s a very good chance that the career he worked so hard for has been damaged beyond repair. It’s all because of horrible things he said 10 years ago. That’s worth emphasizing because the person someone is now and the person they were 10 years ago can be very different.

People grow, develop, and change over the course of their lives. I certainly have. In that time, people will say and do things that they don’t realize will have major consequences 10 years down the line. We can’t even know what kind of person we’ll be a week from now, let alone 10 years.

We’re going to do and say dumb things. That’s just a part of being human. However, now that the internet and social media document these things, our worst moments and most ill-advised decisions are there for all to see. We can no longer trust people to just forget. In Mr. Gunn’s case, someone went out of their way to dig up these horrible comments and that continues a dangerous precedent.

That precedent was already set with Rosanne Barr and this effectively raises the stakes. Now, even when you don’t blame sleep medications and give a sincere apology, you can still lose everything you’ve worked for. All it takes is someone with enough free time, resources, and hatred to do it. For celebrities, these are dangerous and unforgiving times, indeed.

Now, I know it’s hard to feel sympathy for celebrities, who live in big mansions, get preferential treatment wherever they go, and never have to worry about their next mortgage payment. Mr. Gunn is probably going to be okay thanks to the millions he’s already made. At the same time, though, what does undermining his career accomplish?

It doesn’t undo the things he said. It doesn’t undo any of the offense people felt. If anything, it sends a message to aspiring celebrities that anything they say and do will be used against them in the future. Even if that makes some people more careful about what they say online, it doesn’t change the fact that people will say and do dumb things every now and then.

It’s a no-win situation. If you can’t make excuses or offer a sincere apology, then what is the recourse? What was Mr. Gunn’s alternative? Short of going back in time and punching himself in the throat, there was nothing he could’ve done. How is that fair? How is that even logical?

On some levels, I don’t blame Marvel Studios and Disney for cutting ties with Mr. Gunn. They’re a multi-billion dollar media conglomerate that is very sensitive to the value of their brand. They’re also a private entity and not a government so the first amendment does not necessarily apply to them. They can fire whoever they want for whatever reason they want.

Even so, there doesn’t appear to be much effort to accept Mr. Gunn’s apology. While some have expressed understanding, there isn’t much effort in terms of undoing the damage. It’s as though this is the new normal. This is what happens to anyone who dares to let their stupidity end up on the internet. There’s no forgiveness. There are no second chances, either. If you mess up once, you’re finished and your career is over.

Think about the larger implications of that situation. If that’s how we’re going to deal with people who say offensive things, then where’s the real incentive for people to learn from their mistakes? Why would anyone even try to apologize or show regret if the end result is the same?

That’s not to say the situation is hopeless. There is already a Change.org petition to urge Marvel and Disney to rehire Mr. Gunn. As of this writing, it has over 150,000 signatures. Whether that’s enough remains to be seen and the fact that something like that is necessary to accept someone’s apology is still saying a lot.

I already worry that the next time a well-known celebrity says or does something offensive, they won’t even bother with apologizing. Why would they if it’s just going to sink their career or require a petition to keep it going? What kind of excuses will they resort to and how much more damaging will they be?

Accepting apologies aren’t just good values to live by. They’re critical to helping people grow as human beings. I believe Mr. Gunn meant it when he apologized, but I worry that he and other celebrities like him will come to see it as an empty gesture that won’t save their careers.

There are plenty of cases where accepting someone’s apology just isn’t warranted, especially if they have a history of saying and doing terrible things. Mr. Gunn is not such a case. If ever there was a time to set a precedent for accepting someone’s sincere apology, this is it. Even if it’s too late for Mr. Gunn, it’s still a precedent worth setting.

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July 22, 2018 · 12:06 am

Jack Fisher’s Sexy Sunday Thoughts: San Diego Comic Con 2018 Edition

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Another year has come and so too has San Diego Comic Con. For die-hard comic book fans like me, it’s like Christmas with sexier costumes. Between the news about my favorite comics, fresh movie trailers, and the greatest cos-players in the world, it’s basically my Woodstock. While I’ve made numerous trips to the New York Comic Con, one of the items on my bucket list is to go to San Diego one year.

I wasn’t able to make it out this time. I’m hoping that when I become a best-selling writer, I’ll have the money, time, and resources to make the trip. I’ll even try to make an elaborate costume, whether it’s one of the X-men or Wonder Woman. I don’t know when that moment will come, but for now I’m content to just follow the big news, admire the cos-players, and discuss the best and sexiest moments.

The middle of summer is awesome enough between hot weather, trips to the beach, and valid reasons for sleeping naked. Adding San Diego Comic Con to the mix is just an extra thick layer of frosting on top. I can think of no better summer event for which to dedicate my Sexy Sunday Thoughts. Whether you’re lucky enough to be in San Diego or just like browsing the internet while dressed as a superhero, this is for you. Enjoy!

“There’s no right way to finding out you enjoy having your nipples pinched.”

“A G-spot only exists for those determined to find it and willing to share the journey.”

“Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar, but a cucumbers tends to have some pretty specific implications.”

“You can’t say you’re in love without knowing the distinct scent of your lover’s genitals.”

“To argue with someone after great sex is akin to sleeping after a long nap.”

“Children are a joy because they’re the literal manifestation of orgasms.”

“Yelling the name of a deity during sex is the only prayer all faiths share.”

To those who got to addend the San Diego Comic Con this year, I envy you and I hope you had an excellent time. I hope to join you one year. Until then, keep making those costumes as sexy and awesome as possible. For events like this, you guys are the real heroes.

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July 21, 2018 · 6:47 am

“The Motivator” A Sexy Short Story

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The following is a sexy short story I wrote involving job interviews, confidence, and a beautiful woman who helps with both. Enjoy!

“You can do this, Mike. You can do this. You’re ready! You couldn’t be more ready if you tried.”

Michael Young said those words again and again as he paced restlessly in a small conference room. In just under an hour, he was scheduled for an interview that might very well determine the course of his life. He’d been busting his ass, working long hours and late nights at this company for nine years. After all that time and toil, the opportunity he’d been hoping for came along.

Six weeks ago, a new senior executive position opened in a newly-formed department. Whoever got that job wouldn’t just be taking over for some old employee who retired. They would be in a position to forge a bold new path for themselves and the company. It wouldn’t just be a promotion. It would be a clean slate with which to build a career to call his own.

Michael had been searching for that opportunity since he graduated college, having gone into debt and lived in crappy shared apartments for nearly six years. He only recently began driving a car that was less than 10 years old. Just paying off his debts wasn’t enough, though. Michael aspired to something more.

“This is what you worked for,” he told himself. “Nobody else will do this as well as you. You know that. Don’t you?”

That last part made him cringe, so much so that he had to stop pacing and lean on the conference table for support. He closed his eyes and cussed himself out for having such crippling doubt. That had been his biggest flaw ever since he started working, having lost out on more than one promotion because of it. His ex-girlfriend once told him his doubts made him falter and when he faltered, it was painfully obvious.

“You know. You know. You know, damn it!” Michael repeated, trying to hammer that into idea into his brain.

He checked his watch again. He now had 55 minutes left. Time was going painfully slow and he was already sweating bullets. At the rate he was going, he’d be a wreck before the interview started.

Michael refused to let that do him in. He already got much farther than most. Only five people were set to interview for the new position, him being one of them. His old supervisor even told him that the Board wasn’t looking to bring someone in from the outside. They wanted their new executive to come from within. They wanted someone who knew the company and was ambitious to build it up. That fit him to the letter.

Then again, those four other candidates probably thought the same. Some might even be more qualified, connected, or experienced than him, at least on paper. If he was to have any chance, he had to make a lasting impression in the interview.

He’d been practicing, mentally and in front of a mirror for nearly three days straight. Little things like sleep and relaxation had been exceedingly limited. He refused to use that as an excuse, though. He’d worked as hard as he could, preparing as best as he could. There was literally nothing else he or anyone could possibly do.

As he leaned on the desk, trying to purge his mind of all shreds of doubt, the door to the conference room opened. Having been told the room was supposed to be vacant all day, it caught him off guard.

“Michael Young? Is that you?” a female voice said.

“Yeah, who wants to…”

Michael stopped himself in mid-sentence. It wasn’t because he’d been overly shocked by the unexpected intrusion. It was because the intruder happened to be a tall, beautiful, and distinctly buxom woman in a black buckled sheath dress. Having become very familiar with the men and women who worked at the company, Michael didn’t recognize her and that was a telling sign.

“Um…I’m sorry, ma’am,” he said awkwardly, trying to collecting himself. “I’m just a little tense right now.”

“I can see that,” the woman said with a wry grin, “but if you are Michael, then I’m in the right place.”

“Are you sure? The facilities guy told me I’d have this room to myself for an hour. I’ve got this big interview coming up.”

“I know about the interview. I also know about this room being unoccupied for the day. That’s what I was hoping for. I’d rather not have any interruptions.”

There was a mysterious, but alluring subtext to her voice. Michael wasn’t sure what to make of it, but did not protest as the woman closed the door behind her, locked it, and set her purse aside.

As she walked over to him, he noticed something else about the woman that might or might not have been intentional. Not only was her dress somewhat undersized for her voluptuous figure, it did a poor job of containing her large breasts, so much so that he swore he could see her nipples poking out from the fabric. Having grown up in a house with three sisters, he could tell when a woman wasn’t wearing bra.

That alone hinted that the woman wasn’t the new intern in accounting. She couldn’t be the senior VP’s new assistant either, who was gay and extremely uptight about the office dress code. The way she walked and the way she carried herself made clear that she did not work at the company, but her poise gave the impression she owned every room she entered.

“My name is Elizabeth Sweet,” she said, now standing so close that he could smell her perfume. “I’m a consultant, of sorts. Your old friend Oliver hired me to help you before your interview.”

“Ollie hired you?” Michael said with a raised eyebrow. “Oliver Owen, the same guy who hired strippers for our college graduation party and still somehow married my ex-supervisor’s daughter?”

“Yep! That’s him,” Elizabeth affirmed. “He’s what you might call a novel thinker in the field of human resources.”

“That’s the least vulgar way to describe Ollie’s approach to management, but I’ll go with it.”

“For the past year, he’s hired me a few times to help motivate those he feels has potential. He told me you have more than anyone he’s come across and paid me extra to help you realize it.”

Michael opened his mouth to respond, but fell silent when Elizabeth moved in closer and snaked her arms around his neck. The warmth of her body, the soft touch of her smooth skin, and the devious glint in her eye helped captivate him to a point where he forgot about his earlier doubts. On top of that, he could feel her breasts pressing up against his chest through his suit, confirming that she wasn’t wearing a bra.

It also confirmed that Elizabeth Sweet – which he doubted was her real name – wasn’t the kind of consultant who lectured companies on leadership skills. Michael had been to enough strip clubs and bachelor parties – mostly with Oliver, no less – to recognize a sex worker. That helped him piece together what his friend had done for him.

“Remind me to thank and/or kill Oliver when this is over,” Michael said.

“It’s probably best you decide after you get your promotion,” replied Elizabeth in an overtly seductive voice.

“After? You sure sound certain.”

“And so should you,” she retorted. “You probably think I’m just some bimbo your buddy hired to boost your spirits…that this is just some elaborate prank meant to help you loosen up.”

“You don’t strike me as a bimbo, Ms. Sweet,” he said, “but to be fair, that sounds exactly like something Ollie would do.”

“I don’t think you give your friend enough credit. You see, I am in the business you think I am, but not to the extent you assume. I have a specialty, so to speak. I have a talent for gauging someone’s potential and helping them realize it.”

As if to make her point, she trailed her hand down his chest and over his torso. Even through his dress shirt, he could feel the warmth of her touch. It sent shivers through his body, which was a welcome contrast from all the anxious feelings he’d been experiencing.

Then, when she reached his pants and traced around his groin, Michael felt his dick spring to life. He was somewhat embarrassed at first, but a coy grin from Elizabeth helped reassure him. For all he knew, he’d just made her point.

“In my extensive experience with men, there’s a considerable difference between who have great ambition and those who actually pursue it,” she went on, her hand still rubbing the outline of his cock through his pants.

“What kind of difference?” asked Michael, trying his best to distract himself.

“It’s akin to the difference between wanting something and really desiring it,” Elizabeth said, using very erotic overtones for that last part. “Most people want that big promotion, a fat raise, or a beautiful woman to rub their cock. To desire it, though, you need to be extra motivated. Not just to work hard, either. It has to really matter to you.”

While still rubbing over his pants with one hand, she used the other to grasp his wrist and guide his hand to her butt. Having been leaning back on the conference table, it left him off-balance. He quickly regained it, though, reaching around with his other hand so that he had her heart-shaped butt in her grasp.

Even through her dress, it felt so good. Her presence, her body, and her voice just radiated so much sex appeal. He found himself giving her butt a quick squeeze, evoking a favorable response in Elizabeth. In fact, she seemed genuinely aroused by it.

“I can tell you’re motivated, Michael,” she said. “I sense this promotion does matter to you.”

“Is that really all you sense?” Michael said with a half-grin.

“I could spend the next several hours documenting all the things I see in you…your demeanor, your sense of passion, and even your taste in clothing,” said Elizabeth, “since we don’t have much time though, I’ll cut to the chase.”

“And hopefully it doesn’t involve my taste in men’s fashion.”

“It doesn’t. It involves the finding the necessary strength a man needs do more than pursue his ambition. If he’s going to get what he desires, he needs to be motivated into tapping that strength. That’s where I come in.”

The voluptuous woman gave his groin another squeeze. At that point, there was a noticeable bulge in his pants. Her touch, her presence, and her seductive tone had gotten his blood flowing and his heart racing in just the right ways. Considering how stressed he’d been moments ago, it was quite a feat, which said just as much about Elizabeth than it did about him.

With that bulge so visible, the beautiful woman reached behind and grasped his wrists. From there, he guided his hands up from her butt onto the zipper of her dress.

“Here,” she told him. “Help me out of this tight dress.”

“But…” Michael began, his mind racing almost as much as his heart.

“It’s okay. I checked with the facilities guy too. There won’t be any interruptions.”

He smiled awkwardly and did as she requested, unzipping the back of her dress all the way down. Someone walking in on them at that point was only one of his concerns, but as soon as he got a glimpse of Elizabeth’s half-naked body, all those concerns disappeared.

Once the dress fell to the floor in a crumbled heap, the beautiful woman was in nothing but a black thong and overpriced heels. The sight of her smooth skin, blemish-free skin filled him with a mix of awe and desire. Her breasts, especially, caught his attention.

“Whoa,” Michael said, much to her amusement.

They were so big and round. How that dressed contained them comfortably was beyond his understanding. He doubted they were natural. He knew the signs of surgically-enhanced cleavage as well as any man with an internet connection and a healthy male libido.

He was tempted to find out for certain, but before he could even ask, Elizabeth kicked her dress aside and guided his hands onto her breasts. Beyond just confirming they were fake, they gave him an intoxicating taste of her wondrous flesh.

“Go on,” Elizabeth told him. “Feel my breasts. Squeeze them a little. Show me your strength.”

“Um…okay,” was all he could get out.

Like a kid in a candy store, Michael began fondling her breasts. He wasn’t too firm, but he wasn’t gentle either. After squeezing her butt earlier, he got the impression that she appreciated shows of strength. The way she moaned when he squeezed her luscious tits, giving the nipples a little pinch for good measure, further affirmed that sentiment.

“Mmm…that’s it. I like that!” she purred. “Your hands a strong. Strength comes from ambition. Ambition comes from desire…really powerful desire.”

“Powerful…yeah,” Michael said distantly.

It sounded like a mind game, but it worked. He soon found himself rubbing and kneading her breasts with more fervor, really enjoying the way they felt in his hands. He wanted it…desired it. As such, he seized it. Doing so didn’t just fuel his arousal. It made him feel stronger.

It seemed to have a similar effect on Elizabeth. As she moaned, she reached between his legs again and rubbed the bulge in his pants. He felt his dick tense under her touch again, reflecting another growing desire. As that feeling intensified between them, she leaned in a bit closer and kissed the side of his face before. Then, she whispered something into his ear.

“Undo your belt, unzip your pants, and sit down on the table,” Elizabeth said. “I’m going to suck your dick.”

“Is that supposed to make me stronger?” he asked

“In a sense,” she replied.

Whether or not that was part of the mind games didn’t matter to Michael at that point. Now feeling both aroused and motivated, he did as she asked. He released his grip on her breasts, albeit reluctantly, and undid his pants. He couldn’t get them off fast enough, even fumbling somewhat to push them down his legs along with his underwear. The presence of a raging boner didn’t help, but being so motivated, he got them off.

“Hmm…I see some of your strength is already endowed,” she teased upon seeing his erect dick.

“Somehow, I think I’m going to need more,” Michael said as he sat up on the table.

“That’s why I’m here…in a sense.”

She snickered seductively, carrying herself like a temptress and a guide. Michael could honestly say he’d never been more motivated to see where this went, with or without his pants on.

Once on the table, his pants falling off his legs in the process, Elizabeth dropped to her knees and positioned herself between his legs. She showed plenty of ambition of her own, grasping the base of his cock with one hand and reaching into her panties with another. He saw plenty of desire in her as well, not to mention uncanny sex appeal.

“Time to taste the extent of your strength,” she said, licking her lips in ambition. “Let’s see if I can bring a little extra out!”

“I’d…like to see that too,” said Michael.

That sounded less confident than he’d hoped, but that didn’t dissuade the ambitious woman. With the kind of intent that any businessperson would respect, she leaned in and enveloped his cock with her mouth. As soon as he felt those soft lips and wet tongue on his shaft, he leaned back on the table and moaned.

“Ohhh fuck!” he gasped. “That’s…real strong.”

She responded by unleashing a focused onslaught of oral sex, sucking and licking his member with a skill that was nothing short of professional. Given his situation, seeking to prove his own profession competence, there was something uniquely fitting about that.

From feeling so uptight and tense mere moments ago, Michael felt a welcome wave of contentment as steady streams of pleasure coursed up through his body. That feeling of hot, slithering bliss around his manhood left him feeling empowered as well as aroused. He eventually had to remove his blazer to better-cope with the heat. However, as good as it felt, he still wanted more.

There was that ambition within him…that powerful desire that went beyond a simple want. Getting his dick sucked by a beautiful woman during a work day was nice, but there was potential for so much more and he sought to realize it.

“Mmm…Elizabeth,” Michael grunted, “That feels so good, but…”

“But what?” she asked, briefly ceasing her sucking, but still stroking his cock.

“I want more,” he told her.

“You want more?”

“No!” he said with more intent. “Here’s what’s going to happen. I’m going to fuck you on this table. I’m going to fuck you hard. And I’m going to fuck you until we come.”

“And that’s what you desire?”

“Fuck desire! That’s what’s going to happen. I’m certain of it.”

Michael said those words with more strength than anything he’d ever uttered to that point in his life. It surprised him much more than Elizabeth. If anything, Elizabeth seemed smug about it, as though her suspicions of him had been vindicated.

Regardless of vindication, she gave his cock one last lick before rising back to her feet. She then casually slid her panties down her thighs, revealing her perfectly-groomed womanhood, which had been fondled to full arousal during her oral teasing.

“Very well, Mr. Young,” Elizabeth said in an official tone. “Do as you say. Use your strength to realize that certainty.”

“Oh I intend to do all that and then some!”

Flushed with confidence, arousal, and overall desire to fuck a beautiful woman, Michael got up off the desk and took the now-naked Elizabeth in his arms. She kept goading him with that seductive gaze of hers, daring him to fuck her as hard as he promised and then some. He had every intention of delivering.

With strength radiating from every muscle, he turned her around and bend her over the conference room table. Her breasts now mashed up against the polished wood and her heart-shaped butt pointed towards him, Michael grabbed her by the hips and positioned himself behind her.

There was no hesitation or reservation of any kind. As soon as the tip of his dick made contact with her wet opening, he drove his hips forward, thrusting his rigid length into her womanly depths. That hot feeling of her flesh surrounding his was incredible. Moreover – and more importantly, with respect to his pending interview – it brought out a new strength within him.

“Ooh Michael!” the beautiful woman gasped. “Your dick…so deep and powerful. I love it!”

The sound of her voice – and the message her words conveyed, more so – inspired Michael to fuck Elizabeth with more energy than he had ever dared with a woman. He treated the act of having sex with her as the most important, meaningful task in his life at that moment. If the sheer volume of her moans were any indication, that effort showed.

He was intense, but not rough with his motions, imparting a unique intensity into each thrust. The way her body rocked with each movement, her nails raking down the wood as her naked skin rubbed up against the table, reverberated with his passionate energy. It wasn’t just the sex itself that conveyed the feeling. He made full use of his hands, reaching around with one to fondle her clitoris and using the other to squeeze her butt.

It didn’t just reflect his desire. It demonstrated his certainty with respect to delivering as he promised. He was going to fuck her. He was going to make her climax. There was no doubt or uncertainty. It was going to happen and he was going to make it happen. No other thought crossed his mind.

“You’re going…to come,” Michael grunted in between thrusts. “I’m going to…make you…come!”

Every thrust of his hips, providing the heated rhythm of his manly flesh pumping into her feminine depths, pushed her closer to that goal. The way she bucked her hips and arched her back helped supplement his motions, reflecting her own desire to achieve that same peak. Through that focused desire, shared by a common motivation, he sent Elizabeth to the brink of orgasm.

“Oohhh Michael!” she panted. “You’re…you’re going to do it! You’re going to…make me…come!”

He barely heard those words and the moans that came with it. Michael was so focused that the world around him became muted. He just kept working his hips, fucking her pussy and fondling her clit until she crossed that special threshold.

When it finally happened, there was no ambiguity. The beautiful, voluptuous woman closed her eyes, threw her head back, and let out a cry of ecstasy as she achieved her climax. Michael finally slowed his thrusting, enjoying the fruits of his labor.

“I did it,” he said. “I am that strong.”

He couldn’t help but grin in accomplishment, feeling he pussy throb around his cock while her euphoric moans echoed throughout the room. Beyond just making a beautiful woman come, Michael felt a rush of confidence he didn’t know he had. It was like tapping into a hidden well of energy, filling him with something he didn’t quite understand, but embraced none-the-less.

From that intense rush, he also recalled his lingering desire, which remained unsatisfied. Having given Elizabeth her taste of ecstasy, he was ready to embrace his own.

“Now, I’m going to keep fucking you,” Michael told her. “I’m going to fuck you until I come and I’m going to shoot my load on your tits.”

“Yes…do it, Michael!” Elizabeth said, still drunk on the ecstasy.

It sounded like she hadn’t forgotten her desires, either. There was no way an ambitious woman like her would’ve been satisfied with just getting fucked to orgasm. She sought more than that and so did he.

Making use of his newfound strength, he took Elizabeth by the waist and repositioned her, turning her around and lifting her up slightly off the floor. He then set her on the table, pushing her legs apart so he had a clear path back into her pussy.

Without hesitation, he got between her legs again and thrust his dick back into her throbbing depths. Now leaning back on her arms, Elizabeth locked her gaze with his. That intensity in her eyes that he’d seen earlier was stronger than ever. Unlike before, though, he matched it every step of the way.

“That’s it, Michael. Fuck me!” Elizabeth urged. “Fuck me with that strength of yours!”

“That what you call…motivation?” he said, matching her tone.

“Fuck yes!”

He wasn’t sure if that was confirmation or just him hitting an extra sensitive spot in her pussy that supplemented her post-orgasmic state. Michael didn’t bother speculating. He just their sex, focusing once again and delivering as he said.

He was more fervent and direct with his humping, really working his manhood inside her with unfretted desire. Holding onto her thighs, watching her breasts bounce every time he rocked her body with his movements, he didn’t just pursue that ultimate peak. He charged towards it at full speed. The end result was a direct path to that sweet, euphoric release.

“Ohhh yeah!” Michael grunted as he felt the coming onslaught. “I’m ready, Elizabeth.”

“Me too, my future executive.”

Her choice of words just added more satisfaction to the blissful rush that followed. As soon as he was in a position to blow his load, he withdrew his cock, pulled Elizabeth’s body closer to his, and aimed his throbbing manhood at her breasts.

Holding his dick in both hands, he let out a deep, powerful grunt as he released his manly fluid onto her amble cleavage. An eruption of intense, empowering pleasure followed. Elizabeth, not content to play a passive role, pressed them together to gather up every drop. She even rubbed them up against his cock, adding an extra level of intimacy to this act of strength.

“There!” Elizabeth said with triumphant confidence. “That’s how I know you have the necessary desire.”

“Yeah…that’s a lot of desire,” Michael said breathlessly.

“And now you’re motivated to pursue it. Am I right?”

Michael needed a moment to come down from his orgasmic peak. His legs were weak, his dick throbbed, and light ripples of pleasure were still reverberating throughout his body. He’d also wrinkled his dress shirt and tie, thanks to the sweat he’d worked up, but that didn’t bother him in the slightest.

As he leaned on the table, the naked Elizabeth still sitting there with her legs casually draped over the edge, he came to a realization. In doing so, all that doubt and anxiety that had made him a nervous wreck seemed so trivial. It was no longer a matter of whether or not his interview would go well. He already knew the outcome.

“You’re right,” he told her. “I know what I want and desire. I’m going to that interview, I’m getting that promotion, and I’m going to be the strongest goddamn executive this company has ever known.”

“Spoken like a man of strength and confidence,” Elizabeth said proudly.

“And it’s all thanks to your sexy brand of motivation,” said Michael as he began getting dressed. “I’m ready now. I’m not just confident, this time. I’m certain!”

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July 20, 2018 · 6:06 am

Recalling The Time I Felt Most Emasculated

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Everybody has a few low points in their lives that they would prefer to forget. Even the richest, most privileged among us have moments where they feel like a wounded deer in a den of hungry wolves. I’ve certainly had my share of those days. While the pain they’ve caused me has waned over the years, I still remember them as clearly as they day they happened.

Talking about those moments is never easy. Most are content to keep them buried in the past and not think about them, a tactic favored by eccentric mad scientist cartoon characters. However, I believe there is some therapeutic value to revisiting those moments. Some of them can even offer insights that are more relevant today than they were when they happened.

In that spirit, I’d like to share one the greatest low points I ever had. What makes it relevant, though, isn’t that it was just especially bad. This one particular point marked the time in my life when I felt most emasculated, as a man.

Seeing as how I’ve talked a great deal about masculinity, from the way it has been demonized by ongoing social trends to the double standards that affect it, I think moments like this stand out more than they would have in previous years. I’ve even found myself recalling these moments more lately, but this particular moment tends to hit me the hardest.

To understand this memory and why it left me feeling so emasculated, I need to establish the situation. It takes place back when I was in grade school, specifically the fifth grade. That’s an important detail because this is a time when most kids are on the cusp of puberty and just learning what it means to mature from a kid to an adult.

Even before this particular event, I wasn’t handling that transition as well as I’d hoped. I had some attitude problems back then. I wasn’t much of a troublemaker, but I had a nasty habit of getting defensive. I would take things way too personally and overreact way too easily, even by the standards of a fifth grader.

As a result, this left me with few friends and more than a few enemies. I won’t say they were outright bullies, but they were close and I did everything I could go to goad them. My social skills were just that poor and my insecurities were just that great.

All those issues culminated near the end of the school year when my class took part in this big Civil War project that was supposed to be fun. The way it worked was we all picked names out of a hat to represent notable Civil War figures. Then, we would act out those roles in a make-shift activities, the last one being this big mock battle outside using water balloons.

It should’ve been fun. It was late May, the weather was warm, and we’d have an excuse throwing water balloons at each other. For me, though, it turned into one of the worst moments of my pre-adult life. I still consider it one of the most damaging moments of my life, to date.

Back when we were picking names out of a hat, I had the misfortune of picking the name of a woman. The name of the woman was Louisa May Alcott and, for all the wrong reasons, I’ve come to shutter at that name. That’s not to criticize her place in history, but picking that name really made that project a nightmare.

I tried to get another name, but my teacher wouldn’t let me. In hindsight, I could understand why. There were a lot of girls in that class stuck with male roles and there were only a few female roles to go around. I couldn’t even trade with someone. She basically told me to suck it up and go with it.

That, alone, was tough because I was the only boy in that class stuck with a female role. Needless to say, I got made fun of pretty quickly. Thanks to my attitude and immaturity at the time, I did everything possible to make it worse.

Throughout the project, I felt very uncomfortable playing this role and didn’t do a very good job. No matter what I did, I just gave everyone another reason to make fun of me and I reacted in a way that just gave them more incentive. In many ways, it was my fault for letting it get that bad. There were easy solutions, though, and my teachers never did a damn thing to help me.

Finally, on the day of the water balloon fight, it all came to ahead. I had already been in a bad mood that day and I did a lousy job of hiding it. As a result, I heard some kids talking about how they’d gang up on me and target me alone with their water balloons. It left me genuinely scared that I was going to be completely humiliated.

That might have been paranoia on my part, but it was more than enough to make me sit it out. When we were lining up to start the water balloon fight, I slipped away and sat down near the back wall of the school. I don’t remember if I told my teacher. I’m pretty sure I got knocked down a grade for not participating, but I wasn’t thinking about that.

However, that wasn’t the worst part. Shortly after the water balloon fight started, some of the kids from my class started mocking me from far. They started calling out, “Hi Louisa!” None of them ran up to me and threw their water balloon at me, but the damage had been done.

It was at that moment, all those kids laughing at me and calling me that woman’s name, where the distress I felt turned into outright emasculation. Make no mistake. There is a difference. Just being embarrassed is hard enough for anyone. Being emasculated, though, feels much more personal.

Regardless of how you feel about gender being a social construct or the faults in masculine standards, our gender is very much a part of who we are. Being a man is part of who I am, more so than me being a comic book fan or an aspiring erotica/romance writer. When I feel like that part of me is under attack, the damage runs much deeper.

Hearing those voices from my classmates and the laughter that followed didn’t just make me feel upset, sad, and angry. I suddenly felt less than human, lacking the qualities of men and women alike. I had no sense of worth, dignity, or identity. I felt like a wounded animal, just waiting to get eaten.

I tried to shut it out. I just kept my head down and stared at my shoes the entire time, trying with all my might not to break down and cry on the spot. I managed to avoid that, thankfully. I don’t doubt that would’ve made the moment even worse.

I’m also grateful that one of the school counselors stopped by and sat next to me. I think her presence was what stopped the chanting. She talked to me, but I don’t remember her saying anything that made me feel better. I just sat there and waited for the day to end.

Eventually, it did. I got through it and moved forward, but that moment still left quite a few scars that took a long time to heal. After that day, I became much more of a shut-in. I stopped talking in class. I stopped trying to make friends. I basically shut myself off as much as possible, saying as little as I could to get through the day.

I’m not saying that moment was completely responsible for my poor social skills, which would carry on through high school where a terrible acne problem helped compound my situation. However, I do think it set the tone. It damaged my sense of self, both in terms of my gender and of the person I was growing into.

It took a long time and a lot of work, complete with the undying support of my friends and family, to recover from that moment. When I think back on it now, I feel like it has greater meaning at a time when masculinity is seen as inherently negative. Having had my masculinity attacked at one point, I understand how damaging it can be.

These days, it’s not uncommon to hear people decry and demean men, as a whole. There have been women who advocated for the outright murder of men. They’ve been brushed off, not unlike how my teachers brushed off my discomfort on that fateful day. However, if a man even shows a hint of misogyny, they’re outright vilified. Just ask Henry Cavill.

That gives the impression that it’s okay to make a man feel emasculated, but you’re an outright monster if you make a woman feel offended in any way. It’s as though our gender determines how much compassion we get. That’s not just unfair. That’s unjust to an egregious extent.

I’ve since come to terms with what happened that day. I acknowledge that I was responsible for how parts of it played out, but there were also factors I couldn’t control and it hurt me on a deeply personal level. I don’t doubt for a second that plenty of men out there have found themselves in similar positions, feeling so low and utter unmasculine that it’s downright traumatic.

Nobody deserves to feel that way, regardless of their gender. I hope that by sharing my experience, other men will feel comfortable sharing theirs as well. There may still be those who hear stories like this and roll their eyes, thinking a man’s pain just cannot compare to that of a woman or someone who is transgender. To those people, I would say that pain is pain. It doesn’t care about your gender. It still hurts all the same.

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The following is my review for “The Life of Captain Marvel #1” that I wrote for PopMatters. Enjoy!

‘The Life of Captain Marvel #1​’ Comic Preps Fans for the Upcoming ‘Captain Marvel’ Film

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July 19, 2018 · 4:39 pm