Sex Toys Workshop Gets Hands Dirty

In preparation for last night’s sex toys workshop, an array of multi-colored and multi-textured dildos, vibrators, lubricants, strap-ons, and other devices mimicking all forms of oral, anal, penile, and vaginal stimulation spread across the long table of Adams Lower Common Room.

Sex educator and sexologist Megan Andelloux led the workshop, which was sponsored by the Adams House BGLT Tutors, HLS Lambda, and Harvard Law Students for Reproductive Justice.

The event was part of this month’s Gaypril festivities, but was not targeted only at LGBT people, said former co-president of HLS Lambda and Adams House tutor Erika J. Rickard.

“This reaches beyond the LGBT community because straight people like sex too, not just the queers,” Rickard joked, clarifying that the idea behind the event was to explain that these things can be applicable to any gender or sexual orientation.

In response to Andelloux’s repeated emphasis on being happy with one’s body and oneself, Ez U. Cukor, a law student involved with both HLS Lambda and Harvard Law Students for Reproductive Justice, said that this sex-positive emphasis was an attitude that could benefit much of society.

“In high school you learn all the ways sex can hurt you,” said Cukor, adding that she hopes to see society become more accepting of various forms of sexual behavior. “I think the more chance people have to access this information, the more change there will be.”

Andelloux said that she teaches about sexual play and displays a variety of toys because traditional sex education often leaves people thinking only of the negative sides of sex.

“It’s important to focus on why people play, why they want to be touched, have orgasms, and explore fantasies,” she said.

In addition to explaining the collection of items on the table, Andelloux talked about basic anatomy, even bringing out a vulva puppet dubbed Veronica, complete with fabric clitoris and a rosette urethra.

“If you’re playing with the vulva, lubrication comes from here but the clitoris is up here,” she said, pointing to the appropriate areas of pink cloth. She said that clitoral stimulation and vibration are effective ways of reaching orgasm, but added that it was important to remember that an orgasm does not necessarily have to be the ultimate goal of sexual play.

“If you feel like you had a good time and lost control of your body a little bit, that’s what matters,” she said. “All these toys can be used to have an orgasm or to have fun and to play, and if it makes you feel good and it’s good for your body, why not?”

When asked what was the best sex toy, Andelloux had a simple answer.

“Fingers!” she exclaimed, holding up both hands. “You have ten sex toys with you all the time, and you can do tons of amazingly naughty things with your hands that we don’t give enough credit to.”

After passing a table full of sex toys around the room and testing the texture of multiple bottles of lube, most of the attendants left the event with pretty sticky fingers.

—Staff writer Alice E.M. Underwood can be reached at aeunderw@fas.harvard.edu.