Blog Posts
Solidarity with Women’s March on London
This Saturday, January 21 2017, the first day of Donald Trump’s presidency, women-led marches are taking place all over the world as part of an international day of action for human rights and fundamental freedoms. The policy statement published by Women’s March on Washington is a radical statement of solidarity […]
Backlash submits written evidence to Home Affairs Committee Inquiry on Prostitution
Backlash has submitted expert evidence as part of a wide-ranging evidence base to the Home Affairs select committee’s inquiry into prostitution. Here is an excerpt: Our position is that criminal sanctions relating to consenting adult sexual activity should be lifted. This includes sexual activities that take place as part of a […]
Chris Ashford on the popper ban in the Guardian
The forthcoming ban on so-called ‘legal highs’ and its impact on minority communities seems to be passing almost without notice, and only ceremonial opposition in Parliament. Chris Ashford offers an important corrective in the Guardian. He explains how merely sharing amongst friends and partners a drug that poses no harm to the vast majority of users could see […]
Frankie Mullin on sex work and gentrification – 30th January
Frankie Mullin is one of the most informed and prolific journalists writing about sexuality in the UK today. In her work for Vice, the Independent, and the Guardian, she has challenged media myths around porn addiction and casual sex, and given a voice to sex workers and victims of sexual […]
Protest Outside Parliament
Myles Jackman, Backlash legal adviser will speak at tomorrow’s protest against sex censorship: It’s a whole year since the London face-sitting porn protest, organised by sex worker activist Charlotte Rose, made global news. The protest was held in response to a new law, AVMS 2014, which heavily restricted which porn […]
Millian Liberalism and Extreme Pornography
My article, just published online by the American Journal of Political Science, argues that the ‘extreme pornography’ ban violates liberal tenets of free expression and privacy. I draw a parallel between what we might call a ‘traditional’ Millian defence of liberal rights and contemporary queer accounts of the value of […]
Itziar Urrutia, aka Ms Tytania: Sexual Freedom Award winner
“One person sticking out in the crowd is a lone, ranting lunatic; two are a movement.” – Anon. On November 9th, I was presented with the Sex Worker of the Year Award, at the 2015 Sexual Freedom Awards ceremony. You can find out more abut the Awards’ history and also, […]
THE MORAL PANIC ART CLUB @ LADA, Hackney Wick from 3 Nov
A THREE PART WORKSHOP ON MORAL PANICS, CENSORSHIP AND THE CULTURAL VALUE OF PORN Presented and facilitated by Itziar Bilbao Urrutia, visual artist, pornographer and adult content producer and activist for Backlash UK: I have the pleasure to invite you to my forthcoming talks The Moral panic Art Club, at […]
Origin Story – How Myles Jackman became Obscenity Lawyer
Edward Docx has written a significant account of Myles Jackman’s life and career for the Guardian newspaper. Myles Jackman is a pro bono legal adviser to Backlash. Docx’s story includes an account of the Simon Walsh trial. Walsh’s acquittal represented a powerful challenge to the extreme pornography ban and the […]
Bondage bears on UK video censorship
Bondage bears on UK video censorship, video by our supporters Hywel Phillips and Ariel Anderssen.