ANNOUNCING: The Hole Debate, Live In NYC!

On butthole beauty, vaginal deodorant, Brazilian waxes, and more.

EDIT: This event is sold out! If you’d like to join the wait list, click “Details” under “Sold Out” on the eventbrite page, and it will take you to a link for the wait list.

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I’m very excited to announce this newsletter’s first-ever in-person experience: The Hole Debate, part of Substack’s Stacked Debate series.

Why holes? We might ask the beauty industry the same question. I predicted the emergence of “butthole beauty” last December; since then, the industry has given us the Bidet Bar (a bar soap for butts), Hole Serum, anal Botox, MyBum wipes, mirrors that attach to the back of your toilet seat, and Butt Stuff hemorrhoid cream. Brand-new deodorants for vaginas and testicles abound, from companies like Kiehl’s (promoted by Ilana Glazer) and Dr. Squatch (promoted by Nick Cannon), just to name a few. And think-pieces on pubic hair — they’re everywhere! (See: a meditation on Margiela’s couture merkins, an investigation into reversing laser hair removal, and my own Guardian advice column on the topic.)

What prompted the branded bum rush? What void are consumers attempting to fill? I know you want to talk about this — over 14,000 of you responded to my anonymous Pubic Hair Poll in April — and The Hole Debate will be our pubic public forum for any and all hole-related beauty discourse.

This one-night only event will feature fun and fiery conversations about LABIAPLASTY (is it empowering?), ANAL CARE (neurotic or necessary?), BRAZILIAN WAXES (did they ruin sex?), and VAGINAL WELLNESS (douching in disguise?).

Speakers include Dr. Michael Reed, also known as The Cosmetic Gyn; Cindy Gallop, founder of Make Love Not Porn; Sable Yong, author of Die Hot With A Vengeance and Hard Feelings; Patrick Nathan, author of Image Control and Entertainment, Weakly; Emily Kirkpatrick, fashion journalist and writer of I <3 Mess; Dr. Evan Goldstein, anal surgeon and founder of Bespoke Surgical and Future Method; and Magdalene J. Taylor, sex and culture critic and writer of Many Such Cases. I’ll be hosting and moderating.

It all goes down at 7pm on October 3 at Duane Park in NYC (doors open at 6). I am SO excited to hang with you and discuss the beauty standards society has thrust upon our various holes.

There will also aerial burlesque, a comedy performance, hole-themed bumper stickers for the taking, and drinks. This is a 21+ event. Space is limited, so reserve your spot HERE ASAP. I’ll see you on the 3rd!