Auntie Vice's August Newsletter
- Rebecca Blanton
- Aug 2
- 7 min read
Dear Readers:
Welcome to August! How the hell are we 8 months into the year? Seriously, I feel like I looked up and three months have surged past me. Hope y’all had a good summer (winter in the southern hemisphere). We have been lucky here (Grass Valley) with a milder than usual summer. Fingers crossed we will make it to the end of the month without a weekslong run of 100+F temperatures (39+ C).
All Bodies Swim
July was fun! I got to do the All-Bodies Swim (thanks to Nicole Weaver for sponsoring this year’s swim). We had a great turnout and several people who had not been in a public pool in years (or ever) came out. This is exactly what the swim is designed to do. It was a lovely evening (around 80 degrees F). We saw new faces and several folks who were just visiting joined us as well. We will repeat it in 2026. Stay tuned!
Immigration
On the national level the fuckery continues. We have a growing number of concentration camps and now tuberculosis is being reported in one. The reports are horrendous. Maggot-filled food, children housed in literal cages, people dying because of lack of health care. And for some reason the mass media is just kind of ignoring this horror. If you want to take action, check out the work by the ACLU and support them if you can.
We are also now a state with a secret police. Masked folks with no identification have been kidnapping people off the streets. Pro Publica found more than 70 counts of ICE officers breaking car windows and hauling people through them on the streets. ICE claims this is “minimal force,” but what the ever living fuck?!? Rep. Goldman (D-NY) introduced HR4176, the “No Secret Police” Act which would require ICE agents identify themselves and be banned from concealing their identity in the majority of cases. Its time to call your representatives and tell them to support this bill.
Trans Stuff
Good god it is bad in the US for anyone who is trans or gender non-conforming right now. The rollback of healthcare access for anyone under 18 plus the attempts to roll back access to hormone therapy for adults by major healthcare conglomerates is horrifying! Similar things are happening in Ireland as well. I’ve been bulking up my lists of resources and places to still access healthcare. You can find that in the Member’s Resource segment of LoveLettersToAUnicorn as well.
For those who are local to the Sacramento/Nevada County area, I met with my personal PCP this week. We chatted about the politicization of healthcare for LGBTQ+ and trans folks. She assured me that her group (Auburn Medical Group) is committed to continuing to care for us even with these changes. They have been great with gender stuff (their intake form lists 7 gender options, asks for the name you want them to use, etc.). So, if you have a questionable relationship with your current PCP and need someone who is in your corner, they are accepting new patients and take a wide-range of insurance.
Heidi Hall Fund Raiser
On a political note, I live in a Congressional district with one of the worst Trump sycophants, Kevin Kiley. This year, we have a strong candidate running against his racist, homophobic, anti-woman ass: Heidi Hall. I’ll be hosting a fund raiser for her campaign on September 6th at my home. We need funds for her campaign to help unseat Kiley. You can donate here and RSVP. I encourage everyone (even if you are not in my district) to donate what you can. The DNC has targeted Kiley at a Top5 Congressperson for removal because he is so stuck to Trump and a campaign of cruelty. Also, I need four volunteers to help with the fund raiser. If you are local and want to tend bar, man an IG station, or help great folks, please RSVP to me personally.
In case you are on the fence about attending, I throw a hell of a party. My partner will be DJing a vinyl set in the gazebo, flowers are in full bloom in the yard, and the food will be great!
Work Updates
I have started writing for the blog and substack again. I just posted a piece on the increasingly popular use of hypnokink. I know there is a lot of interest in incorporating healing modalities into BDSM because they can work. Hell, I just wrote a book talking a lot about this. HOWEVER, in the wrong hands or with unskilled practitioners, many of these modalities can cause harm. This is not just in theory. My post on hypnokink was spurred by several people asking me how to undo the harm a previous partner had caused. You can read it here. I will be continuing regular blog postings for the next couple of months as well.
I have also been booking teaching engagements for the fall. September 13 (Saturday) I am teaching “Getting to Your Kinky Core” with Stockroom University in Los Angeles. I am still working out with them if this will be a hybrid class or just online. As soon as I know that and have the link to the class registration, I’ll post to my IG, TikTok, and website. In November and December, I’m teaching with the Portland Leather Education group. In November I’ll be covering “I’m Kinky and I Vote” and in December I’ll be doing my class on aging and sex. Those links will be coming soon as well. I am continuing to schedule other classes for the fall. Want to know the info first? Either follow @AuntieViceNSFW on Instagram or subscribe to LoveLettersToAUnicorn.com. Want me to teach for your group? HMU
The book is with my editor and I’m still waiting on feedback. Fingers crossed we are still on target for an early 2026 publication date. When I have information on the presales, I’ll post. Also, if you want a sneak peek at some of the tools I’ve included in the book, I’ve added them to the resources for members section of LoveLettersToAUnicorn.com. Membership if free, I just ask for an email so I know who is accessing these things (I’ve had issues with plagiarism and I track stuff now because of some unscrupulous educators).
Some of you are aware that social media is increasingly hostile to LGBTQ+, fat-positive, and sex content. It recently came to light that Mastercard’s ban on using its services for “adult content” deplatformed 1,000s of video games, including ones with no adult content. This included a PG game which showed gay people holding hands (*Clutch my pearls! Gay people hold hands!*) If you have been in the camp of “bans on porn and sex stuff doesn’t really impact me” check out this article.
Because of these bans on social media and with various payment groups, I have had to move a few things around on the interwebs. I am not mostly posting to Bluesky and my own site. While I continue to post some stuff to the IG accounts, I am largely off TikTok, Twitter, Facebook, and Reddit because stuff keeps getting flagged even though there is no sex content, just mentions of LGBTQ+ and consent issues. Click on the links in the paragraph to take you to my accounts on these platforms to follow me if you want too.
R/L/W
I have mostly been reading academic articles on mental illness and neuropsychology. There is a ton of exciting work being done in these fields right now! Not going to link to most of these because they reside behind journal paywalls. However, I updated my recommended reading on the LoveLettersToAUnicorn site with accessible journal links.
The most exciting healthcare news I came across with about lenacapavir. At this year’s World AIDS Conference, it was announced that this injectable drug was nearly 100% effective in HIV prevention. It only requires an injection every 6 months. No daily or weekly pills. Just a shot. As someone who has been working and following the HIV/AIDS crisis since the mid-1980s, this had me crying happy tears.
My partner has been making new mixes and sharing them with the world. One of the benefits of dating a DJ is that you get a constant stream of music and can have a soundtrack to your day. Check out the free mix collection here.
On the trashy TV side, I’ve been watching the Trainwreck documentaries on Netflix. They are not brilliant television, but they are highly entertaining. I checked out the new Superman film. OMG it was bad!!!! The one and only redeeming quality is that Lois Lane (played by Rachel Brosnahan) dresses like a 1990s lesbian. South Park started its 27th season with an epic dig at Trump, Paramount, and news media with its episode “Sermon on the ‘Mount.’” I have watched it several times. It is so good!!!!
It's rough out there, y’all. Thanks for continuing to support my work.
Stay Kinky!
Upcoming Events and Classes
August 27th, 6-8 PM Dyke Night, Gary's Place, 158 Mill Street, Grass Valley, CA
September 6th, 5-7 PM Heidi Hall Fund Raiser with Auntie Vice
September 13th, 12-2 PM "Getting to Your Kinky Core" with Stockroom University
September 20th, 12-3 PM, Annual Yuba River Clean-up Day
September 24th, 6-8 PM, Dyke Night, Gary's Place, 158 Mill Street, Grass Valley
Journal Prompts
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