I literally cannot believe it, but this blog, Girly Juice, is turning TEN YEARS OLD this coming Sunday!!
Yes, it was nearly 10 years ago to the day that I threw together a simple Tumblr-hosted blog, with the intention of spending the summer – just one summer! – writing anonymously about sex on the internet. Now it’s a decade later and this blog is still one of my greatest creative outlets, my home on the internet, and essentially my main “job.”
There are some people I want to thank, while I’m celebrating this anniversary:
- My parents, who raised me to explore whatever authentically interested me, and have been nothing but supportive in my journey toward becoming a full-time professional sex writer and podcaster. (They were initially confused when I started receiving big boxes in the mail a couple times a week – I was still living at home back then – but when I eventually explained that the boxes were full of sex toys I was being sent to review, they were chill as hell about it.)
- My spouse and the love of my life, Matthew, who has been my de facto tech support person for nearly half the lifespan of this blog thus far. They have helped me with innumerable tasks I would have been too daunted or ill-equipped to tackle myself, like updating back-end code and replacing zillions of links when affiliate programs randomly get dismantled. They’ve also been the #1 supporter of my work the entire time we’ve been together, reading almost every new blog post aloud to me over the phone before it comes out, offering feedback and topic suggestions, helping me promote my work, guesting on my podcasts, being interviewed on my blog, and so on. I don’t know what I did to deserve such a kind, generous, thoughtful and brilliant person in my corner, but I’m grateful for them every day.
- My friend Epiphora, a fellow sex blogger and sex toy reviewer. She was one of my major inspirations when I first began this work, and was also the person who sat me down in year 3 of Girly Juice and said, “We’re getting you a self-hosted website. Your blog is too good to be hosted on Tumblr.” She was right, especially since Tumblr banned all adult content just a few years later. It was Piph who initially installed WordPress on this domain, set everything up for me, and moved everything over. I literally don’t think this blog would have existed in the first place without her, and it certainly would not have lasted this long without her help.
- My other sex blogger friends – there are too many to name, but many are linked in the “Blogs I Love” section of my sidebar – for all the advice, support, inspiration and laughter we’ve shared over the years.
- Jessica Mullen and Kelly Cree of the School of Life Design, who designed the blog’s current theme/aesthetic. That was like half a decade ago – I’m overdue for an overhaul, and working on it – but part of why this design has lasted so long is that I really feel like Jessica and Kelly just “got” what I was going for, and what my whole “vibe” is.
- All the various companies who have advertised on my site, commissioned sponsored content from me, and so on. Despite what critics have to say about “selling out,” the fact is that creative people can make their best work when they have enough time and money to do so, and this blog simply could not have endured all this time if it wasn’t a significant income stream for me. It is truly wonderful to get paid for doing what you love to do!
- My readers, of course!!! My deepest, wildest dream when starting this blog was that I’d be able to connect with other people who were as passionately nerdy about sex as I was, and that has happened more than I would have ever thought possible. I love you all so much (except the ones who sexually harass me) and am so glad you’re here. Thank you. ❤️
To celebrate this momentous occasion, this Sunday at 2pm ET I am doing a livestream on Instagram Live. I’ll play some songs and perhaps read some cringey old blog posts and/or invite my spouse to do so, in their beautiful voice. We’ll raise money for the ACLU in Texas, to hopefully help the trans kids (and their parents) being horribly mistreated there currently; song requests will be welcome in exchange for donations. It’ll be a good time. You can check my Instagram page to join the stream when it starts.
Thank you again so much for being here and for joining me on this journey. I hope to continue blogging here for as long as it feels good to do so – and it definitely hasn’t stopped feeling good yet. 💖