The Spokeslut

Poppy Cox and her bicycle, Mademoiselle Margo

I’m Poppy Cox. I am half of the duo that runs this crazy world of bike-sexuality on a daily basis. I do not think I have officially introduced myself here on the blog. But you might have seen some of the posts I have written, or photos I have taken and shared on the Tumblr. You can also catch my 140 character musings on bikes, sexuality, sex work, feminism and other bits of fabulous on my twitter.

I am a feminist. I am a sex worker. I am a slut. I became involved in this project about two years ago. I had already identified as a bike-sexual about 6 months before. (I realized I was primarily interested in being with people who rode bikes.) I had also already decided that I wanted to become a pornographer while I was working at The Lusty Lady in San Francisco. I was around a much greater volume and variety of porn than I had ever been before, yet I still felt like there wasn’t really something for me. I love film and I love sex, but I did not understand why the two were so hard to merge well. I felt the world of ‘straight’ porn was particularly lacking in alternative representations of hetero, but not hetero-normative sexuality.

Then I saw Bike Smut.

I thought it was the best thing I had ever seen in my life. I wanted to get involved, spread the word and make it even better.

Since then, I have traveled all over Europe and America. I have made two short films. One of which was featured in HUMP! and is currently traveling with CineKink. I am currently working on completing a film for Bike Smut 6 which I co-directed with the fantastic Courtney Trouble and will also be featured on her site. Nofauxxx.com 

My goal is to encourage people to ride bikes, and enjoy the fun and freedom that is inherent to that. I also want to encourage people to be more open with expressing their sexuality and desires in whatever form that might be. I aim to be subversive yet approchable and lots and lots of fun. Pushing peoples boundaries enough to open them up to new things, without freaking them out.

This is a really hard balance sometimes.

In light of being dubbed a ‘Spokeslut’ in a comment on a previous post. (Which I am SO excited about, cus how great of a term is that!?! Get it: ‘spokes’ like on your wheels and ‘spokes’ like talking. Totally a slut for both.) I do understand that someone was really upset and was trying to be awful mean. I also understand that internet comments sections tend to breed a very special kind of passive-aggressive hate that is usually worth ignoring, or might even work in ones favour.

But in thinking about the term, and how it was meant to shame me for my slutty nature. (I’m just some bimbo that is so brainwashed by the patriarchy that I cannot see how fucked up the image I created is.) I thought I would write my own personal slut manifesto. A declaration of how I want to live my life. I thought it might provide some inspiration or at least clarification for the rest of you out there. So here it is:

I will have as much or as little sex as I want, with whomever I am mutually attracted to, regardless of race, adult age or gender identity. This will fluctuate throughout my life and I will not feel bad for having more sex or less sex than is usual for myself, or whatever amount society wants to deem is correct. In my sexual interactions, I will always strive to be honest, open, and fulfill my desires as well as my partners, regardless of if they last for many years or just a few minutes. I will not lie or feel shame about my desire to have sex with many people. I will express my sexuality in whatever way I feel fit for me at that point in time, whether it be femme, butch  or any of the rainbow of other shades. I accept that this is influenced by many things, including the patriarchy we live in, but not solely. I will use my voice and my actions to disrupt pre and misconceptions of that sexuality.  I will not fall into the duality of madonna or whore. I am a whole person with many facets. As a sexual being, many of those facets have to do with my sexuality, but it is not the only way I will be valued.