Masturbate-a-thon
The Masturbate-a-thon is an event whereby participants masturbate in order to raise money for charity and awareness of, and dispel the shame and taboos that persist around this form of sexual activity. During the past six years, the Masturbate-a-thon has raised over $25,000 for women’s health initiatives and HIV prevention, education and treatment organizations, and has contributed to debates about safer sex and alternative safe methods of sexual expression in the USA, in the face of harsh conservative opposition.
History
In 1997 a San Francisco based sex toy and education shop Good Vibrations declared May to be "Masturbation Month." Since then, it has been the month during which people are encouraged to use "sponsor" forms to write down pledges from friends willing to sponsor their masturbation activities. The funds raised are donated to a sex-positive cause selected by whatever shop sponsors the event in the participating cities.
In 2000 the public Masturbate-a-thon was originated by Dr. Carol Queen and Dr. Robert Lawrence, inspired by the work of Good Vibrations. These annual events are a public education device to increase the use of self pleasure as a strategy for safer sex and to de-stigmatise self-love. The original live Masturbate-A-Thon is managed by the Center for Sex and Culture a 501(c)3 education based non-profit that provides professional level sex education.
In 2006 Europe’s First Sponsored Masturbate-a-Thon Event took place in London. The Masturbate-a-thon, also known as Wank-a-Thon, was commissioned by the UK's Channel 4 as part of a series of programs, entitled Wank Week.
London hosted Europe's first "masturbate-a-thon" on August 5, 2006 in which hundreds of men and women were expected to pleasure themselves for charity raising money for the Terrence Higgins Trust and sexual and reproductive health agency Marie Stopes International.[1] Despite the official press release claiming 250 registrants,[2] reports were of just dozens of mostly-male participants.[3]
References
- ^ "Hundreds expected to come to Masturbate-a-thon". Reuters. 2006-08-04.
- ^ Masturbate-a-thon press release (retrieved August 6, 2006)
- ^ Guardian Unlimited, The Observer, Dozens join hands-on event; only one debater by David Smith, August 6, 2006 (Retrieved August 6, 2006)
- Guardian.co.uk article
- The register.co.uk article
- 24dash.com article
- Londonist.com article
- Carol Queen on NMM/Masturbate-a-Thon Originally printed in The Spectator April 23, 2003.