Eroticon 2019 Meet and Greet

We’re at three weeks until Eroticon, and I am significantly more organised than last year. I have booked train tickets, sorted accommodation, and planned another pre-Eroticon-knicker-shopping adventure with a kinky friend. I’m so excited.

Last year when I joined in with the virtual meet and greet I pointed out that I specified in my post title that it was my 2018 meet-and-greet post. I hoped that while it was my first Eroticon, it wouldn’t be my last. I never thought that I’d not only be returning in 2019 but coming back as a speaker. Which means I’m not only excited, I’m also terrified. It’s the good kind of terrified, but there’s definitely some terrified mixed in there.

Learning from last year, I think that writing my meet and greet post early, before reading everyone else’s, might help reduce my anxiety about doing so. So, once again, I’m going to try and answer these questions:

NAME (and Twitter if you have one)

I’m Quinn Rhodes and my Twitter is @OnQueerStreet. Some of you have met me before under various aliases and pseudonyms (due to last July’s… discovery) but this year I’m going to be introducing myself as Quinn.

Tell us 3 things you are most looking forward to at Eroticon 2019

Just three things?

1. Seeing my friends and meeting new sex-positive folks! I can’t wait to talk to and learn from everyone else who is attending Eroticon, because there will be some really brilliant people there and I love learning new shit. I know they’re going to inspire me to do more and to do better.
2. Running my session! I’m terrified, but also incredibly excited. I’m going to stand up and speak about something that’s incredibly important to me, and even thinking about it makes me feel powerful. I know I’ll be dreading it on the day, but I also can’t wait. I’m trying to hold onto that feeling.
3. Being Quinn for a whole weekend! I often have to hide some aspect of my secret sex-blogging superhero identity or another. At Eroticon, I get to be entirely myself without censoring my words or hiding any part of myself. I can talk loudly about butt plugs or even make out with a cute girl who I sometimes have sex with.

We are creating a play list of songs for the Friday Night Meet and Greet. Nominate one song that you would like us to add to the play list and tell us why you picked that song.

This is the question I found easiest to answer this year, because I’ve been listening to one artist pretty much non-stop for the last month. Grace Petrie is a socialist, feminist, lesbian, leftwing protest singer, and I’m a little bit in love with her music. She writes angry songs about social justice and sad songs about lesbian relationships not working out, and I’m nominating my favourite one – it’s called ‘Black Tie’ and it fills me with a fierce determination to go out into the world and fuck with traditional gender roles.

What is your favourite item or book you’ve purchased so far this year?

I’m still learning how to express myself through how I dress, whether that’s a swirly skirt and necklace or dungarees and a Doxy t-shirt. My new thing, to add a little of myself to every outfit, is pin badges. I like them as a subtle (or not so subtle) way of flagging to the world who I am. Kinky, queer, a feminist, and a switchy sex nerd. I’ve bought quite a few this year, but my favourite is this wonderful red umbrella pin from Parlour Talk.

You can have an unlimited supply of one thing for the rest of your life, what is it? Sushi? Scotch Tape?

Adventures.

What is your favourite quote from a movie?

I love Pride, the 2014 film about London-based gay and lesbian activists who lend their support to striking miners in 1984 Wales. Unsurprisingly, my favourite quote originates therein:

“Terrific, let’s bring down the government.”

It always makes me smile, and I love how it’s delivered by a snarky, spikey-haired lesbian.

What is your word suggestion to next years Eroticon anthology?

Expose.

Complete the sentence: I feel…

… ready to face the adventures – both good and bad – that befall me in the next twelve months. I am scared and acknowledge that fear, while knowing I’m strong enough to kick ass.

I can’t wait to see some of you at Eroticon 2019!

Quinn Rhodes

Quinn Rhodes (he/him) is a freelance journalist, sex writer, and professional transsexual. His work focuses on dismantling shame and queering sex.