YNOT – CatalystCon, “a conference created to inspire exceptional conversations about sexuality,” has announced the speaker and topic lineup for its inaugural event. More than 50 presenters will participate in 40 sessions Sept. 14-16 in Long Beach, Calif. The participant list includes some of the most recognizable names in the fields of sexuality and adult entertainment, including jessica drake, Kelly Shibari, Allan Gelbard, Carol Queen, Ducky Doolittle, Rachel Kramer Bussel, Charlie Glickman, Joan Price and Reid Mihalko.

CatalystCon creator Dee Dennis called the conference “a melting pot of sexuality” and said the event’s goal is to unite sex educators, sexologists, sex workers, writers, activists and anyone else with a passion for creating change.

“Knowledge is power, and sharing that knowledge is the first spark in igniting change,” she said.

Dennis co-organized the MOMENTUM conference on sexuality, feminism and relationships earlier this year in Washington, DC. In the wake of the profound success of MOMENTUM, she felt there was a very real demand for a similar conference on the West Coast. Thus arose CatalystCon.

Attendees will be able to participate in discussions about a wide variety of subjects including sex work, porn, polyamory, sexism in hip hop, senior sex, sex and religion, and sex education.

Battles over sex education, reproductive rights, gay marriage, obscenity, pornography and other forms of adult entertainment and expression have played a central role in the 2012 election season. Sex is always a political issue, but it becomes even more so in challenging economic times, both dividing and uniting individuals. CatalystCon’s opening keynote plenary, moderated by Women’s Studies Professor Lynn Comella (University of Nevada at Las Vegas) and featuring panelists Dr. Marty Klein, Megan Andelloux, Maggie Mayhem and Francisco Ramirez, will tackle these issues head-on as the panelists address ongoing debates over sexuality at the local, national and global levels.

Comella predicted CatalystCon will be “one of the most exciting sexuality conferences that I’ve ever been part of. Sex, reproductive rights, gay marriage and pornography have been at the center of an often-heated 2012 campaign season, which makes this conference especially timely.”

CatalystCon will take place Sept. 14-16 at the Long Beach Hilton Executive and Meeting Center in Long Beach, Calif. Pre-registration is required to attend; early bird pricing is available until July 1. Registration may be accomplished online.

Organizers plan to announce future developments via a Facebook page and a Twitter stream.