Apr 14, 2008 5:00 AM PDT    Text size: 

The first stop will take place on April 16 at the University of Wisconsin’s Milwaukee campus as a featured speaker on “The Path To Sexual Empowerment,” during the Student Union's Spring Sexpo Series.

"The talk is about what it means to be sexually empowered, and I share my own journey which has been heavily influenced by my work in the adult industry," Taormino said.

On April 22, Taormino will appear at Willamette University in Salem, Ore., where she and adult director Candida Royalle will be part of a panel discussion entitled, "Pornography: Scandalous or Feminist? Female Directors Share Their Perspectives." Video clips from Taormino’s and Royalle’s adult titles will be shown during the program.

From April 23-25, Taormino will visit the UC Santa Barbara, as featured speaker on the “Console-ing Passions 2008: An International Conference on Television, Audio, Video, New Media and Feminism” seminar, being hosted at the university. Taormino will also speak at Prof. Constance Penley's film class on April 23.

"I am so excited to speak at UWM, Willamette and UC Santa Barbara. They are very different from one another, and I look forward to sharing my views and hearing reactions from the students. I am especially honored to sit alongside such amazing women as Candida Royalle and Constance Penley whose work has been so important and influential," Taormino said.

Taormino is the director of the award-winning “Chemistry” gonzo series for Vivid Entertainment and also helms the “Expert Guide” educational series for the Vivid-Ed line. She is also the author of the nationally syndicated “Pucker Up” for the Village Voice, as well as several books, including “Down and Dirty Sex Secrets.”