Northwestern University is defending the scholarly attributes of a demonstration involving a sawzall (a common power tool) with an improvised sex toy attached operated by a man on a naked woman before a gathering of over 100 students, according to the school's newspaper (below).
UPDATE 5/9/11: Univ. cancels human sexuality class but retains professor
UPDATE 3/7/11: Univ. plans no release of its investigation, parents persist
UPDATE 3/4/11: Classroom sexcapades not unusual for this professor, or college.
UPDATES 3/3/11: Public pressure forced university president to withdraw support; the professor responsible speaks out, while other 'sex educators' said such demonstrations have no place in a classroom.
UPDATE 3/3/11: Interview with sex performers (video):
-- From "Live sex toy demonstration held on NU campus" by Jodi Cohen and Lisa Black, Chicago Tribune reporters 3/2/11
Northwestern University acknowledged today that an unusual demonstration was held on campus last week in which students observed a naked woman being penetrated by a sex toy.
The sex act was performed in front of about 100 students in psychology professor John Michael Bailey’s human sexuality class. The demonstration occurred after class, and attendance was optional.
The university will pay several hundred dollars to guest lecturer Ken Melvoin-Berg, co-owner of Weird Chicago Tours. His Feb. 21 discussion of bondage, swinging and other sexual fetishes was arranged by Bailey, who gets extra funding from the university’s College of Arts & Sciences for lectures and other activities he routinely holds after class.
After an initial discussion at Ryan Family Auditorium, the class was told that a couple was going to demonstrate the use of a sex toy and female orgasm.
The woman undressed and got on stage with her male partner, who used a device that looks like a machine-powered saw with a phallic object instead of a blade. Melvoin-Berg said the couple are exhibitionists who enjoy having people watch them have sex, and they were not paid for the demonstration.
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From "Class sex toy demonstration causes controversy" by Patrick Svitek, The Daily Northwestern 3/1/11
The 600-person course, taught by psychology Prof. John Michael Bailey, is one of the largest at NU. The after-class events, which range from a question-and-answer session with swingers to a panel of convicted sex offenders, are a popular feature of the class. But they're optional and none of the material is included on exams.
"Talking about it doesn't always lend itself to this sort of thing," Melvoin-Berg said. "We're not just talking about it. We're actually doing it."
NU administrators on Tuesday afternoon offered approving but cautious responses to the demonstration, with Dean of Students Burgwell Howard admitting he was "somewhat surprised" upon first hearing of the after-class presentation. The event, however, most likely "falls within the broad range of academic freedoms — whether one approves or disapproves," he wrote in an e-mail.
Laura Anne Stuart, the sexual health education and violence prevention coordinator at University Health Services, said . . . "As a sexuality educator, I do think that demonstrations of specific arousal techniques — those definitely have educational value."
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