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Back in the ’90s, the Punany Poets taught a kind of adults-only sex ed course, using erotic poetry and kinky cabaret to drive a message of safe sex. These days the performance artists have a fresher directive, challenging black men and women to fervently embrace sexual fluidity, an open-minded approach to labels like “straight,” “bi,” and “gay.” Tonight, the Punany Poets will titillate with explicit stand-up comedy, body-painted models, burlesque dancers who move like strippers, and intimate audience interaction—don’t be surprised if you get pulled up for a lap dance. But Punany Poets founder Jessica Holter, a former Howard University student, will also speak to her experiences with sexual violence and her struggles with race and sexual identity. The show, which shares its name with Holter’s latest book, Speak the Unspeakable, is open to all genders but will directly address women, encouraging them to “Speak the unspeakable, if you dare. Say it, ‘I am God,’ mean it, show it, hold it, like a quarter between your knees.”
The Punany Poets perform at 4 p.m. at Layla Lounge, 501 Morse St. NE. $40-$90 admission includes a copy of the book.