Eager students may have preferred the seated position, but standing erect was the order of the day last Thursday as a crowd of more than 100 packed the International Lounge in Usdan for a seminar on female orgasm and enjoyment. Sponsored by the Vagina Club and the the dean of arts and sciences, this titillating and provocative forum was one of the five events comprising Vagina Week at Brandeis. Some students hesitated bashfully outside the room, gazing in through the large windows at their friends sitting in front of a table stocked with colorful sex toys. Some of those who had already entered showed their nervousness with frequent giggling and jokes in an atmosphere resembling the first day of junior high sex education class. The evening seemed to promise excitement, and indeed it delivered.

The forum was led by Megan Andelloux, a gynecological teaching assistant at Planned Parenthood. Also a specialist in sex education and enjoyment, Andelloux works at a feminist-run sexuality shop in Connecticut.

In the two hours that followed, the mixed-gender crowd overcame any initial shyness and listened with rapt attention. Participation was welcome and questions were frequent. Most of the content was not about orgasms themselves, but rather on sexual enjoyment in general.

Main talking points included: common myths about sex, safety issues, the best sex books, recommended stimulation techniques and of course, an introduction to each of the dozens of sex toys, vibrators and lubricants that covered the front table. Passing around these devices, it was definitely an odd experience, particularly the three-dimensional rubber model of a female pelvis.

The presentation proved to be more than talk though, as Andelloux gave some graphic demonstrations, such as on proper and safe oral sex technique, which she demonstrated on one of the many phallic instruments she brought with her.

Among some of the important points that Andelloux stressed were:

n Proper sexual technique should never be painful. Pain is a warning of impending tissue damage.

n The right lubricant is a must. There is little to no regulation on what can be sold as lubricant, and some ingredients can do great harm. For instance, glycerine can trigger yeast infections, jelly latex is carcinogenic, and oil-based lubricants will eat right through condoms.

n Many are ignorant about their own anatomy, she said, and grow up believing their organs are abnormal. Some have even sought unnecessary genital surgery as a remedy. One video offered close-up views of the vulva region and how markedly it varies among women. It proved a memorable lesson.

Perhaps the most shocking presentation was a video showing a close-up view of female ejaculation. All stood on tiptoe, waiting. When that moment finally came, some startled people giggled and flinched. It was, literally and figuratively, the climax of the event.

The program was educationally valuable, highlighting important issues and presenting them in a relaxed atmosphere. I hope that it served as a model for the teaching of sexuality in a more positive light. We owe it to ourselves to learn about the positive, wholesome aspects of our sexuality, a point Andelloux tried to convey.



Editor's note: Abra Lyons-Warren '07, features editor of the Justice, is the Events Coordinator for VaginaFest.