“OPERATION PHONE SEX” CHALLENGES FCC & INTERNET COMPANIES CONTENT BANS

For Immediate Release

Contact:
Crystal Syben Haidl
UnConventional Books
(215) 680- 2020
crystal@threesomebook.com


(Philadelphia, February 10, 2006) Sexual dialogue in America isn’t getting the respect it deserves. Not on Valentines. Not on the airwaves, nor on the Internet— and only with a little compromise at your local Kinko’s. That, according to small press editor and publisher Crystal Syben Haidl, is why she’s challenging 333 Americans to discuss their sexual feelings in individual 33-minute phone conversations with her, beginning February 14. Haidl, whose non-fiction coffee table is about threesomes— hence the campaign’s “three-isms”—
is initiating the person-to person radio-appearance outreach to publicize the importance of sexual freedom of speech against the growing range of businesses— like Internet behemoth EBay to independent US print shops— that are choosing to not conduct transactions with sexually themed companies.

“There’s a grave paradox and ironic insanity in America’s handling of sexual discussion as a kind of contraband,” says Haidl. At a time when the Pope recently surprised the world with his poetic embrace of Eros, or sexual love, as primordial and “rooted in man’s very nature,” America’s blatant love affair with sex focuses on economic tease. Sexualizing high-tech, seducing food and beverages, and titillating porn have established flirtatious comfort zones for consumers and companies. But serious sexual discussion makes corporate America and the FCC squirm. Ducking under fears that adult content has high risk return rates (which the Adult industry denies) to citing the Supreme Court’s ruling for “community standards”— as a protection to employees, conservative clients and consumers, alike—sexual content is conveniently blanketed under a one-size- fits- all label. The porn industry can afford higher priced vending options to overcome the restrictive hurdles imposed by banking, corporate and FCC dictates. But less profitable sensual, educational products are left somewhere lost between the bed sheets.

Haidl’s nude-imaged socio-erotic anthology III(Three) was banned by PayPal, had to be printed in Canada, and she endured a Kinko’s employee’s outburst upon seeing one of the book’s faxed nudes (later apologized for by management). The majority of other e-commerce ban sexual content, too. Nonetheless, Haidl attests, “Before Janet Jackson’s inspired FCC crack-down, radio listeners didn’t hesitate to call-in during my interviews and they’re still sharing their experiences in 2006. The difference is there are less shows allowing sexual themes. ”

A forty-something brunette, who is neither sexologist nor health care professional, Haidl intends to start talking to people as soon as e-mails come in (phonesex@threesomebook.com). “Talking about sex is as humanizing as you can get. It’s both fun and intimidating, and in the end you get to know more about yourself and the world.” She hopes her efforts encourage well-known sexologists and celebrities to continue the campaign, and anticipates another book in the making.

About Crystal Syben Haidl
Crystal Syben Haidl is a civic advocate and publisher of UnConventional Books. III (Three): The Fantasy And Experience Of Threesome Sex( www.threesomesex.com) is a limited print Collector’s Edition ISBN 0-9718392-1-2. Continuing the series in 2007: II (Two): The Intercourse of Coupling and Opposition , I (One): The Sexual History of Self. ##