SAN FRANCISCO—To mark International Masturbation Month, the Center for Sex & Culture in San Francisco has scheduled this year’s Masturbate-A-Thon for 7-11 p.m. Saturday, May 25. All genders and orientations are welcome.
The Masturbate-a-Thon began as part of Good Vibrations's National Masturbation Month. Started in 1995 after then-Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders was fired for saying that "masturbation ... is perhaps something that should be taught" about in the context of sex education classes, NMM was intended to get people to talk about self-pleasure. Every year Good Vibrations added something new to the mix: the Masturbation Hall of Fame, lists of favorite masturbation euphemisms and places to masturbate. And finally the Masturbate-a-Thon was born. In that context a private event (one person, or a couple, would get pledges from appropriate people) in which money was raised based on how long people spent masturbating (comparable to the way a Walk-a-Thon is based on distance). Good Vibrations disbursed 100 percent of the money to its NMM charities, which focused on sex education and sexual health.
A few years later, after CSC director and Good Vibrations Staff Sexologist Dr. Carol Queen had been doing radio interviews with shock jocks who all wanted to come be judges at the Masturbate-a-Thon, and having to protest that it was not a group event, she and Robert (her life partner and co-founder of the Center for Sex & Culture) looked at each other and said, "WE could hold one." The live Masturbate-a-Thon, while not administered by Good Vibes, has the originating organization's blessing, and has been an annual event since 2000.
This year the Masturbate-a-Thon will join together with the Jack-and-Jill-Off to create one sexy event. The Jack-and-Jill-Off was developed in 1987 as a collaboration between the San Francisco Jacks and women from the Institute for Advanced Study of Human Sexuality. Intended to be a safer sex event that made it possible for people of every gender and orientation to enjoy a group sex environment without concern for HIV status, it is also a fabulous zone for honoring masturbation and for celebrating National Masturbation Month.
The Masturbate-a-Thon can be participated in from anywhere -- people do not have to come to this CSC event. Ages 18 and over only are asked to participate.
To participate, download a pledge form from http://masturbateathon.tumblr.com/post/49050859942/official-pledge-form-for-center-for-sex-and and get pledges. Your pledgers can give based on the duration of time that you masturbate; number of orgasms you have; or they can agree on a flat pledge rate. Pledges are tax-deductible.
On May 25, masturbate—either with the group at the Jack-and-Jill-Off, or elsewhere (at home, for instance)—then let your pledgers know how much to remit.
Those who have pledges can attend the CSC event for free. Prizes will be given for most orgasms, most money raised, and an ejaculation distance contest if there are participants who want to go for this onsite record. CSC will still announce record holders and breakers, so people who participate offsite are encouraged to report in after the event.
Participants may come to the JJO for a $30 minimum entry fee, or bring a sponsorship form with pledges they have collected from others (pledge form here: http://masturbateathon.tumblr.com/post/49050859942/official-pledge-form-for-center-for-sex-and).
Check CSC's Twitter feed on May 25 for updates: @CentrSexCulture. If you're going to participate in the Masturbate-a-Thon, Tweet about it with the hashtag #comingforacause.
Participation can be done either at the CSC (1349 Mission St., San Francisco) or at home. Anyone striving for longest masturbation record (record currently set at near 10 hours) must participate at home.
