The SEX FILES: From Our Hallowed Halls
This week two sex positive reports from academia…
Dr. Ley might just get you laid.
Our old friend Dr. David Ley, PhD is at it again…God I just love this guy!
First I mentioned his book here, then I received an email back from the guy after I reviewed the book and I even had a sit down with the Dr. on the radio.
Now Dr. Ley recently published an article about what he calls the “pornography addiction model” in Springer’s Journal Current Sexual Health Reports. Espousing the view this very learned man has held for quite a long while ….and what he has learned/researched and taught as a clinical psychologist in Albuquerque (he has a BA degree in Philosophy from Ole Miss as well as a Master’s and Doctoral degrees in clinical psychology from the University of New Mexico) and as the Executive Director of New Mexico Solutions, a large outpatient mental health and substance abuse program also in Albuquerque, NM.
The very good doctor puts us all right (once again) about porn/sex addiction.
“Pornography addiction” was not included in the recently revised Diagnostic and Statistical Manual because of a lack of scientific data, Ley says (and actually told me when we first spoke about his research.) This fact has been seemingly overlooked by those who consistently call for the application of therapies for men (and it’s almost 100 percent hetero men who are considered sex addicts) who need to be ‘cured’ of their desire to watch porn or get laid…or at least not get laid by/with their partner or watch porn in lieu of having sex with their partner (see a pattern here?)
Ley’s Springer’s piece sheds the clear bright light of reason on what he claims are faulty ‘experimental designs’ of various studies on sex addiction and points out that so far, research into this field shows very little evidence of any lasting, and most importantly, a real lack of negative side effects of what is generally just mislabeled porn “addiction.” You can read it here:
Thank’s doc, you’re one of the good guys for sure!
Have a SEAT and enjoy the week.
This week we also have the backlash of the SEAT (Sexual Empowerment and Awareness at Tennessee) 2nd annual Sex Week at the University of Tennessee. I spoke with Brianna Rader at the school, an organizer of the event, to learn how once again-and with a much stronger legislative heavy hand this time out-the powers-that-want-to-be-telling-you-how-to-be (or at least those that can legislate) are attempting to shut down this student-funded wholly sex positive week of symposiums, lectures and events.
What happened last year was that those opposed to the week attempted to de-fund it, but financial support was brought in (in 36 hours no less) via online and word-of-mouth money gathering for the festival from all over. This year the complaint rests in the fact that there are some taxes involved with student dues (or at least this is the linchpin the opposition can rest their argument on) and there are some actual resolutions trying to snake their way through the legislature (and God knows, any state’s legislature has the time, energy and funds to concern itself over a college’s sex week) attempting to shut the whole week down…though they are too late at this point, fortunately.
For instance, proponents of the resolutions want the U.T. to be “strongly urged” to make a list of the activities students are paying for with their dues. According to Brianna this resolution would simply create an “extra step” for a student to check a box to say if they want their dues to fund events like the sex week.
Brianna told me the entire week came from what she felt was a need on the campus to explore birth control and help expand student social/sexual interactions…among other things. An articulate champion for better sexual awareness and health (and as a student studying the health sciences actually), Brianna seems rather level headed for such an obvious pervert out to destroy Tennessee’s constitution…though she did admit the past few weeks have been stressful. She does foresees a wonderful week though (which started this past Sunday actually) with speakers like Tristan Taormino and Dr. Lindsey Doe, to name but a few participating.
See the full schedule of events here.
So let’s hear it for our hallowed halls, the men and women-students and teachers both-bolstering our understanding and interaction with our sexuality. From a teacher/doctor’s view point dispelling pseudo science mucking up sexual desire to students making a difference and setting a positive sexual tone for their fellows, we applaud you all.