Treating sex seriously
To the Editor:
In response to your recent article "Sex educators demystify orgasms" (9/24/08), it's good for people to discuss and raise awareness about female orgasms, but I think the manner in which it was presented is inappropriate.
Sex has become a rather trivial thing to many people in this generation. It is assumed that men and women can have "free sex" with whomever they would chose to be with. However, this behavior does not encourage women to reach orgasm during intercourse. The female orgasm takes considerable time and effort to reach, and can only be more effectively reached in a trusting relationship. Women almost never reach a true orgasm during their first experiences with a new partner.
Clearly this does not define a "quickie" before classes or late after a frat party. Women should be encouraged to find stable and trustworthy relationships before they are encouraged to have sex with their partner.
The second issue I would like to comment on is that of masturbation. It is completely unfounded to claim that daily or regular masturbation is beneficial. As to those who claim that masturbation is a good way to screen for cancer or other health issues, I would like to direct them to what the medical world calls a self-breast examination. Women are encouraged to perform monthly self-breast examinations to ensure that no non-normal growths are left unnoticed. There is nothing sexual about this procedure.
I'm happy to know that one person in the article was able to catch her cancerous growth and get rid of it so quickly. But please - let's not think that masturbation is therefore a positive contribution to the physical and emotional health of women.
Racquel Skold College senior
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