By: Ray Rife – raysbbr@gmail.com

Imagine you’re a college student at a prestigious institution of higher learning taking a human sexuality class. You discuss the Kinsey Report and all the things traditionally associated with human sexuality. Then one day, your professor tells you about an after-class, optional lecture about kink and fetishes. The class has been interesting and there aren’t any good drink specials on campus that night, so you decide to head to the lecture.

During the lecture, the question is brought up regarding the “realness” of a female orgasm. The guest speaker shows a video about the subject. The guest speaker also invited an engaged couple to come along and assist in the lecture. The couple decides that the video does not address a “real” female orgasm sufficiently. So, the female strips naked and her fiancé produce a sex toy and begin to penetrate her until she is able to demonstrate a REAL female orgasm. Now that’s a lecture!

This really did happen at Northwestern University at the end of February. The professor of the class, John Michael Bailey, decided to offer this additional exploration of sexuality. He hired a gentleman that owns a bus tour called Weird Chicago Red Light District Sex Tours to give the lecture. About 100 students attended the after-class lecture. The class normally has about 600 in attendance.

Needless to say, the morality police are out in full force. In reading the articles in the Chicago Sun-Times, many of the people posting to the story have generally been aghast. One poster suggested that jail time was warranted and this is what was wrong with the country.

What really is so wrong with this lecture? This is what’s wrong with the country? I mean, these were all adults; the professor, the speaker, his guests and the students. It was a private screening (ok, maybe a bad choice of words) and optional. Attendance did not affect a student’s grade. Pacman Jones didn’t show up and make it rain, so why are so many people upset?

Personally, while I might have been speechless, it would have been an interesting exploration into BDSM. (My personal experiences are none of your business). Especially at the college age, I’m sure some of the students may have incorporated what they saw into their own sexual repertoire and good for them.

I know, I know, is a live sex-show something that they should condone in a University setting? Should they teach this at a school that gets public money (school loans)? Should they teach and show these young impressionable minds, these kinds of sexual activities?

Do you know how much sex happens in most dorm rooms?

Relax, while I understand that our country has come from a Puritan background and many of those beliefs permeate throughout our society, if the students didn’t complain, why should we? From the Sun-Times article it seems like many of them were shocked but could justify it academically.

Who cares, it’s a natural part of biology and I wish we would quit getting our proverbial panties in a bunch anytime someone decides to have the audacity to show a little skin or approach sexuality in a way that the church choir gets upset. I actually find it a bit hypocritical considering what some people actually do behind closed doors or in a parked car or in a bathroom stall at an airport or a lecture hall or wherever one decides to engage in carnal relations.

I ask for more flashing of breasts during halftime of football games. Don’t leave it for just the celebrities and students at an academic institution. We need more openness about sexuality. I mean, it’s only a breast! Besides, I actually think it would add some artistic merit to the games (Thanks, Janet). Well, maybe not, but can we collectively stop being so damn dramatic over such trivial matters.

So I’ve been thinking of getting another college degree. I hear Northwestern University has a tremendous liberal arts program…does anyone have the number to the admissions office?