A group of Long Beach State students have organized Sex Positive Week, a three-day celebration of sexual awareness starting Oct. 6 at the school’s campus. Members of the student group Feminist Organization Reclaiming Consciousness and Equality organized the event with the intent of increasing positive and progressive thinking about sex.
“The idea for Sex Positive Week came about from a growing frustration with people's attitudes about sex and sex education,” Wandie Kabule, a CSULB journalism student and co-chair of Sex Positive Week, said. “One of our campus newspapers printed an opinion piece that was blatantly judgmental of alternative sexual lifestyles. It was very closed-minded. We agreed that these attitudes are a result of our society's antiquated sex education. It’s still hard to get people to admit that the problem is our educational system and the lack of information available for teenagers and young people.”
With discussions on traditional sex education topics – sexually transmitted diseases, sexual assault, and the role between sex, drugs and alcohol – Sex Positive Week will offer students information about sexually-related issues.
“I'm especially looking forward to Sex Workers Outreach Program coming to campus (CSULB),” said Mariana Velázquez, a co-chair of Sex Positive Week and a human development major at CSULB. “I don't think that most people think positively when they think of sex workers, so I'm sure this one's going to raise some eyebrows and hopefully push some buttons. I really want people to take advantage of the presentation to try and allay stereotypes they may have about the profession or the people involved in it.”
Cal State Fullerton’s women’s studies department hosted their own event last year, but with a different focus.
“We had a similar event, but it was a single day and we called it 'I Heart Consensual Sex,'” said Dr. Renae Bredin, the program coordinator of the women’s studies department. “We wanted to recast the idea of sexuality outside the concept of violent sex. It’s a really critical place to begin. In instances of sexual violence, women often get framed only as victims. We want to encourage women to have the autonomy to say yes. It’s about reframing the question of sexuality as something positive.”
Sex Positive Week aims to do the same thing this year, with speakers coming in from across the country to discuss not only a woman’s right to enjoy sex, but how men and women can enjoy sex more together.
“My personal hope for Sex Positive Week is that women, if they don't already, realize that their sexual needs are just as important as any other aspect of physical or mental health, and that it’s not some taboo thing,” Justine Schneeweis, co-chair of Sex Positive Week, and a political science and creative writing student at CSULB, said.
An apparent goal for Sex Positive Week is to impart a sense of empowerment to women concerning their sex lives.
“I want women to feel empowered for taking care of their sexual needs, not ashamed by it. And, of course, since we have three sex workshops going on, I want both men and women to leave with some great tips that will make their sex lives better.”
Presenters from Babeland and The Pleasure Chest, female-friendly sex boutiques, will be hosting the workshops, including one entitled "The G-Spot: A User's Guide." There will also be screenings of the films “Beyond Vanilla” and “Sex Positive” and a panel discussion on positive sexuality.
Some of the topics are sure to be controversial, but that hasn’t done anything to slow the interest in the event.
“So far, the reception has been overwhelmingly supportive,” Kabule said. “People seem to be excited. We want this to be an event that is open for anyone to attend. This will be a good way to create a healthy and productive dialogue. We hope that any local university students, professors, high school students and curious people will attend.”
The entire schedule of events can be found at sexpositivecsulb.blogspot.com
A new spin on sex ed at CSULB
Students take sex education a step farther with Sex Positive Week
Published: Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Updated: Tuesday, September 23, 2008
1 comments
Wandie
Thanks for covering the event!
