Credit: Cover by Zeke Barbaro / Getty Images

Texas has a tortured relationship with sex, to say the least.

Seems like there’s always bad news on that front. In this week’s issue alone, we’ve got Mary Tuma’s piece on the abortion ban and the state’s starting gun to vigilantes to git ’em, which went before the Supreme Court this week, plus Austin Sanders’ temperature check on the checkered reputation of APD’s Sex Crimes Unit. Then again, there’s encouraging news in both those cases: Even a predominantly conservative court seemed to look askance at Texas’ overreach, while APD appears to be taking meaningful steps toward reform.

And then there’s the genuinely, uncomplicatedly great news to be had in this week’s cover story, Wayne Alan Brenner’s lively profile of Forbidden Fruit, which celebrates 40 years in business this fall. (Welcome to the 40s club, y’all!) Keeping Austin well-supplied in sex toys – erm, “educational tools” – Forbidden Fruit has also served as a community hub and an inclusive, empowering place for folks of all stripes to become more at home in their bodies. A true maverick. How Texan is that?

Online This Week

The Book of Boba Fett Credit: 2021 Lucasfilm Ltd.

It’s no “Machete in Space” But… Check out the first trailer for the new Star Wars original series, The Book of Boba Fett. Austin-based filmmaker Robert Rodriguez is an executive producer and has directed several episodes of the show, which debuts Dec. 29 on Disney+.

ACL HOF OMG: Raoul Hernandez sees “California Stars” at Austin City Limits’ Hall of Fame induction; attendees included Jeff Tweedy, Alejandro Escovedo, Terry Allen, Margo Price, Michelle Zauner, Jason Isbell, and Rosanne Cash.

Breakfast and Dinner and Art in Between: Wayne Alan Brenner proposes a South Lamar hat trick that takes you from Patika to the Austin Art Garage and Aviary.

Black Midi Credit: Photo by John Anderson

Levitation Fest Flashbacks: The music staff checks out Chicano Batman, Post Animal, Yves Tumor and Its Band, the Hives, and Black Midi at last weekend’s sprawling psych festival.

Pop That Top: Looking for something different? We round up new canned cocktails.

That’s a Wrap: Catch up on all our Austin Film Festival coverage, including reviews, interviews, and winners.

Nope-a Tejas: Falling to Dallas FC, Austin FC fails in its bid to bring home Copa Tejas’ state bragging rights.

The Austin Chronicle Show on KOOP 91.7FM

This week, Austin Sanders talks about election results and police reform, and Mary Tuma discusses abortion rights in Texas.

Tune in Fridays, 6pm, to KOOP Community Radio. Past episodes at austinchronicle.com/av.

This article appears in November 5 • 2021.

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A graduate of the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas, Kimberley has written about film, books, and pop culture for The Austin Chronicle since 2000. She was named Editor of the Chronicle in 2016; she previously served as the paper’s Managing Editor, Screens Editor, Books Editor, and proofreader. Her work has been awarded by the Association of Alternative Newsmedia for excellence in arts criticism, team reporting, and special section (Best of Austin). The Austin Alliance for Women...