Masturbate-a-thon Celebrate National Masturbation Month

San Francisco Proclaims Self Love

May is National Masturbation Month and San Francisco is taking things into their own hands. They have created an event called the masturbate-a-thon. The Masturbate-a-thon is being hosted by the Center for Sex and Culture to raise money the center needs for its sex educational programs.

The Center for Sex and Culture is a non profit group that teaches people about positive sex. They regularly provide classes, workshops and social events as methods of educating diverse people about safe sex. They also provide a library and search materials that cover every range of sexual topic that comes to mind. The goal of the Center for Sex and Culture is to reach a wide variety of people from all different types of backgrounds, cultures, ethnicities and financial brackets. They have been chosen by the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists to assist in educating the educators. Their doors are always open to college interns and universities in need of a little sex ed.

Masturbation Month was originally started in 1995 by a company called Good Vibrations to protest firing U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders. Elders was asked a question about safe sex and responded with, "Masturbation is something that perhaps should be taught." Sex education providers around the nation agreed with her but the conservative consensus did not and so she was canned. In lieu of that firing, Good Vibrations decided to rage war against the conservatives by bringing masturbation to the front lines; to make it a visible topic of discussion amongst Americans.

When asked why Good Vibrations chose May as their month to target they stated, "The merry, merry month of May has long been seen as symbolizing sexual awakening. Also, because "May" and "masturbation" both start with "M."

The Masturbate-a-thon was the concept of Carol King at Good Vibrations in the year 2000. She thought group activities would be more fun that spanking the monkey at him in private.