There are hundreds of journalism awards out there, for coverage of everything from private aviation to colon cancer. But not one of them addresses sex, be it sexual expression, sexual freedom, or sexual health. The media has improved somewhat on their coverage of sexual orientation—safer issues like marriage or health-care benefits—but when the idea of sex itself comes back into the picture, coverage still veers toward the sensationalistic, full of biased language and puritanical assumptions. We need an award to fill that gap, supporting freedom of sexual expression for everyone. Now there is one: The Sex-Positive Journalism Awards (the "Sexies"), launched November 2007. The first awards were announced in June 2008.

Goals of the Sexies:
By raising the profile of articles that positively address sexual topics, we hope to:

• Encourage conversations about media coverage of sex
• Prompt readers to consider news coverage about sexual topics in a critical light
• Encourage journalists to improve their coverage by aiming for our award standards
• Connect journalists with existing resources to improve their knowledge of sexual topics

Judges:

• Dan Savage, sex-advice columnist and newspaper editor
• Jack Hafferkamp, editor of Libido and former journalist and journalism professor
• Carol Queen, PhD, sexologist and director of the Center for Sex and Culture
• Doug Henwood, journalist, contributing editor to The Nation, and editor of The Left Business Observer
• Marty Klein, sexologist and author of America's War on Sex
• Liza Featherstone, journalist
• Judith Levine, professor at Middlebury college, author of Harmful to Minors
• Claire Cavanah, author and co-founder of Babeland.com

Criteria:
The awards will reward pieces of journalism that:

• Touch on sex—sexual practice, health, or behavior—in some manner (stories just about sexual orientation do not qualify)
• Are intended for a general audience
• Meet high overall standards of reporting, fact-checking, and writing
  

and do at least one of the following:

• Show evidence of fairness in seeking sex-positive sources to respond to sex-negative ones
• Ask hard questions about the motivation and background of sources who rely on sex-negative soundbites
• Avoid biased or sensationalistic language
• Cover newsworthy topics, events, or issues that might tend to be swept under the rug because of controversial sexual content
• Report accurately, respectfully, and with nuance on sex-research results
• Contain fair, accurate, and non-sensational portrayals of sexual subcultures
• Keep a clear separation between sex crimes, such as sexual assault or pedophilia, and things that merely make people uncomfortable, such as consensual kink, teen sexuality or gay priests. Help readers who may not be familiar with the issues make the distinction
• Specifically challenge sex-negative assumptions or practices in society at large or in a specific community
• Educate the public as to the diversity of sexual behavior, without sensationalizing
• Celebrate sexuality as a positive force in human lives
  

We are not looking for racy or sensationalistic stories. The awards will be something any traditional journalist should be proud to hang on his or her wall—a testament to journalistic standards of fairness and accuracy about a charged and controversial subject.

For more information, to submit stories for consideration, make a donation, or sign up to receive more info, visit sexies.org.