By William A. Weathers
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Elyse Metcalf in her Northside store, kept open by friends while she recovered from burns suffered in a house fire. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

On the mend from serious injuries she suffered in a fire, the owner of Elyse's Passion - a Northside store that sells sexually oriented videos, gifts, books and toys - is back at work and was in an especially good mood on a recent weekday afternoon.

"I was spared from the fire," Elyse Metcalf said of the Feb. 10, 2002 blaze at her Carthage home in which she suffered smoke inhalation and burns over nearly 50 percent of her body. "I was spared for a reason. One of my greatest dreams for my passion as a sexual advocate has been realized."

Metcalf, 43, was referring to a May 30 appeals court decision that threw out a pandering obscenity conviction against Jennifer Dute.

Dute, a 32 year-old Anderson Township resident, had been convicted of selling videotapes of her sexual encounters and had served seven months of a one-year sentence. In a 2-1 decision, a panel of the 1st District Court of Appeals determined that Dute did not get a fair trial and received too harsh a sentence, paving the way for her release from prison.

The appeals court decision contained several references to Metcalf's case - in which she was acquitted of pandering obscenity in 2001 after a Hamilton County jury determined that adult videotapes she had sold to an undercover officer were not obscene.

"I'd hoped a win would put a precedent on the books - that I could be part of history," said Metcalf, who kept in touch with Dute while she was in prison.

"I visited her, talked to her, wrote to her. We exchanged letters and phone calls," she said.

Metcalf had strong feelings about Dute's conviction. "It's obscene to label a woman's sexuality obscene. The obscenity is not her sexuality, but labeling it obscene.

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"I think that people in the (Hamilton County) prosecutor's office have no knowledge whatsoever in the area of human sexuality. And I don't think people who have no knowledge should be judging people (concerning their sexuality)."

Hanging on the wall of her store are several photographs of Metcalf and various adult video stars that were taken at the Adult Video News awards program in January 2002 in Las Vegas. Metcalf was presented a special achievement award for her successful court fight.

Metcalf, who wears elastic pressure gloves, said she recalls little about the fire ("I remember trying to get out") and her "a month, a week and a day" hospital stay.

"I remember coming out of what I think was drug-induced coma, and right after that I was told I was going to go home."

Friends kept Elyse's Passion open during Metcalf's hospital stay.

"I think she's more than a survivor," lawyer H. Louis Sirkin, who represented both Metcalf and Dute in their pandering obscenity cases, says of Metcalf. "I think she's a very good person. She's willing to stand up for what she believes in."

And despite the emotional stress of the past two years, Metcalf "has kept her spirit," Sirkin said,

"The world needs more people like Elyse. She's well-meaning and committed," he said.

How does Metcalf describe herself?

"What I am is a sexual advocate."

Metcalf was a court reporter for 15 years before deciding to start her own business.

"I wanted to change careers. I was burnt out on court reporting."

The Hamilton native, who moved to Cincinnati at age 12, did a lot of "self-study" in the field of human sexuality prior to opening her store.

Metcalf said she specially enjoys helping customers select items that may help them improve their sex lives or bring them more understanding of their own sexuality. For example, Metcalf, said, if a man comes in looking for something for his lady friend to help spice up their sex life, she might suggest he not buy something then, but instead bring his lady friend in and they can choose something together.

"The part I hold most dear to my heart is the literature," said Metcalf, who shares a home with her male partner. One of the titles she often recommends is Women Who Love Sex, by Gina Ogden.

Any plans for the future?

"The one thing I like to do is concentrate more on writing" essays regarding various facets of human sexuality.

Metcalf originally opened her store in Northside in October 1999, and moved to the Sycamore Street location in Over-the-Rhine a year later. Business was good until the riots in April 2001, which prompted her to move to her present Northside location at 4181 Hamilton Ave.

"It affected everyone," she said of the drop in customer traffic for most Over-the-Rhine businesses after the riots. "I was willing to stay, but I couldn't convince my customers that it was safe during the daylight."

And how's business now that she's back in Northside?

"It's been much better than it was on Sycamore," Metcalf said. "I like Northside. Northside is a diverse community that is accepting of people's difference and diversities."

Despite the Queen City reputation as a conservative city, there are plenty of potential customers of her store, Metcalf said.

"The naughty factor is alive and well. I think many people in Cincinnati are not who they really are publicly. I think a lot of people don't live by their (personal) beliefs," she said.

Her store's clientele is diverse, Metcalf said.

"Men and women, young and old, heterosexual and bisexual, gays and in-betweens, professionals - doctors and lawyers - and blue collar."

Despite her court victory, Metcalf remains careful in operating her business "in light of the climate we're in Cincinnati." Customers are asked to prove they are at least 21 years old.

On this recent afternoon, a young man who appeared to be in his 20s entered the store and realized he didn't have his picture ID with him. He showed Metcalf some identification with his age on it, and told the store owner he was in the day before with his picture ID and asked if she remembered him.

"Go get your ID," replied the cautious Metcalf, who didn't recall the man's previous visit. "Just come back when you've got it."