Nitke Vs Ashcroft

Send some positive porn vibes this week to New York City-based artist and photographer Barbara Nitke, whose 2001 lawsuit against John Ashcroft went to trial yesterday. Despite having heavyweights on her side like Columbia University professor Arthur Danto and the Village Voice's Tristan Taormino, legal experts say that Nitke faces an "uphill battle" in challenging the constitutionality of the Communications Decency Act—and since this is one case that could impact many aspects of free speech online (including the future of the site you're reading right now), she deserves all the support she can get.

"Fetish Photographer
s Suit Against Ashcroft Begins In Court" (AVN)
"The Sweetheart of S. & M." (NY Observer)

See also: Barbara Nitke: The Sexuality Project (barbaranitke.com)
The National Coalition for Sexual Freedom (ncsfreedom.org)
Thumbnail: Barbara Nitke, "American Ecstasy" (1983)

Previously: Porn Free!, Ashcroft Video Project, Protect Your Porn, Obscenity, Then and Now