If any of your current sexual quandaries include masturbation, the best methods of shaving “down there,” safe sex toys, good lubricant, easy and enjoyable anal sex, or how to find the oft-sought “G-spot,” then you should have attended Tuesday’s “How to Have Hotter Sex” workshop.
Held in the Judd building, the event was run by master-of-sexual-ceremonies Megan Andelloux, who works part-time as a community educator for Planned Parenthood of Connecticut and at a feminist-run sex toy shop. As one could imagine, Andelloux brought a veritable kit ‘n’ caboodle of sex toys, dildos, vibrators, lubricants and other lesser-known copulatory enhancers, all of which she demonstrated how to use. Other demonstrations included a tutorial with a vulva puppet as well as an educational film, created by renowned septuagenarian sexpert “Betty,” which explicated, in complete detail, how to discover the full scope of one’s vagina.
A raffle for a newly-released vibrator, “the best on the market” according to Andelloux, was won by Nicole W. ’06.
“It’s a great vibrator,” she said. “It looks like a bright blue sneaker tread. I’m pretty sure I’ve seen that ridge design for sneakers that need traction. Supposedly the ridges on it are supposed to create a sensation like fingers.”
Rachel Silverberg ’05 was responsible for bringing “How to Have Hotter Sex” to Wesleyan. She has been working in a year-long internship with Planned Parenthood and has previously hosted other events involving contraception and reproductive health.
“I wanted to have an educational lecture that had some spunk,” Silverberg said.
She met Andelloux though Planned Parenthood and asked her to come to campus to give a lecture.
“My intention was to provide students with a safe space where they could learn more about their own bodies and the fun they could have with them,” Silverberg said.
She asked Andelloux to begin with the very basics, not assuming anything about the participants of the forum.
One of the more striking aspects of the workshop, according to attendees, was the video, which featured women examining their vaginas in mirrors.
“I thought that was one of the most helpful things,” Nicole said. “I think it’s something that a lot of women are self-conscious about.
The workshop ended up taking two and a half hours. While Andelloux was not able to retain the full audience for the entire duration of her lecture, the people who stayed said it was worth all 150 minutes.
Nicole said that the benefits of attending the workshop extended beyond just winning her new plastic playmate.
”I did think it was useful,“ she said. ”She talked about stuff that usually doesn’t get talked about. Everyone’s had sex ed. She was talking about things that usually are glossed over.“
Nicole noted specifically the warning that women prone to yeast infections should not use lubricants that contain glycerin, a common ingredient in many lubricants.
”I don’t think most people know it,“ she said.
While Nicole admitted that watching a video showing close-ups of the female genitalia made her uncomfortable, she thought that it was something necessary to watch.
”If people are afraid to talk about something because they think it’s explicit, it’s not going to help anyone,“ she said.
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