So, why put a dildo on the cover of the first Uniter issue of the decade? It’s a good question. The main reason is that our cover story this issue is about sex toy shops. The second reason is, I thought it would be funny.

But I think that this cover feature, by our city reporter Alex Neufeldt, does touch on some major cultural questions about what our city could look like in the decade going forward. Owners of adult toy stores speak about how difficult it can be to establish a foothold in Winnipeg, saying that Winnipeggers have historically been reserved and conservative when it comes to sex.

That’s something that might be changing, though. And a city (or country or planet) that puts value in pleasure might be a healthier one than we’ve seen this past decade. If judged by the art, politics or even the memes of the 2010s, a defining aspect seems to be a real lack of pleasure. Whether it be the gutting of public services by the provincial Progressive Conservatives, the election of a fascist president in the US or the planet-wide climate disaster, the 2010s have been pretty miserable.

So here’s hoping the 2020s are defined by finding new pleasure in taking action. That action can be in fighting for mental health supports to ensure that we literally, medically feel better. It can be fighting for climate justice to help the planet feel better. Or it can just mean indulging in a good, old-fashioned dildo. Here’s to feeling good and doing good.

—Thomas Pashko

Published in Volume 74, Number 13 of The Uniter (January 9, 2020)