Sasha (Sasha Van Bon Bon) is best known as a Canadian advice columnist, authoring the weekly sex advice column Love Bites from 1999 to October 21, 2009. Her column originated in the Montreal Mirror. After she relocated to Toronto, Love Bites made its debut in eye weekly shortly after Dan Savage's syndicated column moved to competitor Now in 1999.
In 2005, Sasha came under fire when she wrote a column offering resources in support of a couple's desire to explore beastiality [1]. This column sparked a community of readers to write angry letters of complaint [2][3], expressing their disgust over the column. Due to the number of complaints, Sasha published a column in defense of her position [4]. She referenced letters that asked if she would "give the same consideration to child molesters and rapists" and she replied "children and women are not dogs"; she also claimed that beastiality takes place with a willing animal, therefore it is not the same as rape [5]. After this column, the Montreal Mirror received more letters of complaint [6] asking "would Sasha condone the sexual use of a willing child? How about the sexual use of a willing, but mentally disabled, adult?" [7]. Sasha did not publish any further response.
Though she no longer writes for eye weekly,[8] she continues to write sex advice columns for other Canadian weekly publications, including Now's online version of its weekly publication.[9]
As Sasha Van Bon Bon[10][11] she is a co-creator and member of The Scandelles, a Toronto male-female burlesque cabaret troupe which has been performing since 2001. Sasha also performs as a DJ at Toronto's Gladstone Hotel.[12]