After months of planning, petitioning and dealing with politics, Nenna Joiner is one step closer to her dream - opening Feelmore 510, Oakland's first sex-positive, woman-friendly sex shop.

Joiner applied for a permit for “Adult Entertainment Activity,” and requested a land use variance that would allow her store to be at 1703 Telegraph Ave., which is within 500 feet of youth organizations. Along with retail sales, Feelmore 510 will provide health education workshops, modeled after Good Vibrations - The San Francisco-based retailer known for its quality products, education and information promoting sexual health and empowerment.

On Wednesday, the variance passing with conditions (such as no adult material in the windows) as recommended by staff is not huge news, but the arguments articulated by public speakers and the ensuing comments from the Planning Commission made for a lively night at Oakland City Hall.

Representatives from Youth Radio and First Place for Youth and other Oakland citizens voiced opposition to Joiner’s store. Speakers were worried about the customers loitering and attempting to exploit teens for sex or sex trafficking. The Planning Commission was urged not to put “one more obstacle” in the already rough path that youth face today. Concern also was expressed that the license would be a permanent one, and if Joiner’s venture failed, new adult businesses might not have the same woman-centered business model.

Despite the opposition, a significant portion of public comment spoke in favor of Joiner’s venture. The Commission was reminded that the Internet made it impossible to shelter kids from sex and that teens themselves have sex and could benefit from education.

This point was picked up by Chair Doug Boxer who suggested that Feelmore 510 and Youth Radio, as a media outlet, should be working together around issues of responsible, medically-accurate sex education. Boxer also confirmed with staff that all of the “stringent conditions would be applied to the next tenant,” should Joiner vacate the building.

Planning Commission member Michael Colbruno said that some of “the language people used really upset me.” He identified himself as a gay man and spoke out strongly against “code terms” that he’d heard during public comments, such as “these elements” and “harmful to children” - as these terms are historically used to oppress queer people. Colbruno described responsible parenting as parenting that educates, not parenting that “pushes sex under the carpet and turns out twisted people.”

For another view of this story, see V.Smoothe at A Better Oakland:Should a sex shop be allowed in Uptown?  http://bit.ly/f6nriU

Read earlier OL coverage:

Feelmore: Local resident aims to open sex-positive shop in downtown Oakland |  http://bit.ly/94HDXP

Opening a sex shop in Oakland: Feelmore 510 Begins http://bit.ly/9FtZBC

and here