Editorial Cartoon: Specter
4/15 Corrections added
People played Twister, wrote sexual confessions on a plywood board, played “pin the clitoris on the vagina” and colored pictures of penises at the Sex Positive Fair and Masturbate-athon on Tuesday night in the University Ballroom in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.
The event raised more than $800 through optional raffle tickets purchased at the door and in donations.
Will Kendall, a sophomore art history major and event coordinator, said the money would be donated to Planned Parenthood in Effingham.
The gift bags raffled contained chocolates, candies, an assortment of condoms, sex toys donated from Passion Parties and coin banks that said “Sperm Bank.”
Two rows of tables stacked with sex-related presentations were arranged in the ballroom.
Students and volunteers stood next to the poster boards displayed on their table and talked to anyone who stopped by.
Laura Wussow, a junior physics education major and coordinator of the sex fair, ran a table decked out with several erect plastic penises wearing a variety of condoms donated by Rubber Lovers. Students were allowed to take packaged condoms from the table, which varied in color, smell and shape.
Kirstin Bowns, a sophomore special education major, made a booth about abstinence.
She said she made the poster because she “wanted to portray abstinence in a positive light.”
“It would be a shame to have a sex positive fair and have it without an abstinence angle,” she said.
Bowns said waiting for the right time to have sex is “a beautiful thing.”
The “Myth of the Vaginal Orgasm” was presented in a booth created by Carly Guerriero, a senior women’s studies major. She said despite scientific evidence proving that the cliterous is the source of the female orgasm, some people still support the claim that the vagina is more important. Guerriero said the reason people believe that is because they want to perpetuate the need of a man’s penis in female sexuality.
Nicole Pixley, a representative from Passion Parties, had a booth set up to promote the sex toy company.
Although the company was not allowed to sell the many arranged toys around the table, Pixley said the students were able to take information on how to purchase sex toys online or plan their own sex toy party.
She said sex toy parties were very popular.
“I’m booked up every weekend until June,” she said.
At around 7:15 p.m., Jeannie Ludlow, a professor in the women’s studies department, gave a speech on the history of America’s sexual revolution. She drew comparisons from those who opposed the early feminists to those who are opposing the Sex Positive Fair.
Event coordinator and sophomore art history major Kendell introduced Ludlow as a late replacement for a speaker who backed out at the last minute.
Kendall said Meadows called him at 11 a.m. Tuesday to cancel her speaking engagement.
Terri Fredrick, an English professor and advisor to EIU Pride, said people had called saying they were going to protest the event.
The only protesters to show up were two faculty members who instead of shouting slogans and waving signs, were out in front of the University Ballroom promoting the “Last Lecture” series going on down the hall.
Fredrick said the event organizers were expecting a lot more protesters to show up to the event. She said she had been in contact with the University Police Department just in case anything got out of hand.
The UPD was not present because there was no need.
Fredrick said she appreciated the protesters behavior, calling it “professional and respectful.”
Michael Dubois, a faculty member in the department of student teaching, was one of the protesters. He said he came out to express his “frustration with the over-the-top activity (that) . does not represent the University very well.”
“Sexuality is a lot more serious and important than sex toys,” Dubois said.
Laura Wussow, a junior physics education major and event organizer, said the protesters had a right to express their opinions, but she said it was “sad that they are trying to keep college students from getting information about safe sex.”
All of the money raised from the event will go to Planned Parenthood in Effingham, which caused issues for the organization.
Kendall said people were complaining to Planned Parenthood about their “support of the event,” which Kendell claims they do not.
Kendall said Planned Parenthood has never been affiliated with Pride or the Sex Positive Fair. Pride will donate the money to Planned Parenthood not as affiliates but as a private donation.
Doug T. Graham can be reached at 581-7942 or at DENnewsdesk@gmail.com.
