Grad student brings out whips, chains for lecture on sexuality

Ooh . . . Ahh . . . YES! Passing around rubber dildos and requesting volunteers, Graduate School of Education student Sari Locker spoke about both traditional and innovative sexual lifestyles in a lecture in Houston Hall last night. Locker began the 90-minute workshop with a video presentation, in which she compiled familiar images from the media in order to demonstrate its view of sexuality. "The media shows us a sexual lifestyle in a wrong way . . . in a negative way," she said. Locker said she wants people to understand that not only do many lifestyles exist, but more importantly "they can all exist within you." The first on her lengthy list of lifestyles was what she called "traditional sex," -- married couples in bed, with the lights off. She then addressed abstinence and masturbation, highlighting the positive aspects of both. Next she brought out her "Magic Wand," the "number one" selling vibrator by Hitachi, and ran it over the shoulders of the closest audience member. Locker then told the audience to close their eyes and imagine their ideal fantasy while she let her hair down and changed into a slim, black dress. Locker next selected a volunteer from the audience, adorned herself in gold and acted out the Asian mystical sexual practice of Tantra, which focuses on the full body orgasm. "They uplift their sexual energy and they become one with the universe," she said. Locker and the volunteer sat cross-legged, holding hands, and recited vows of their special meaning to each other. In the next part of her presentation, Locker brought out a rubber foot to demonstrate one possible source of erotic pleasure. "There's a lot of people who enjoy feet . . . they kiss them or lick them or touch them or anything," she said, while waving the foot in the air. Next she pulled out whips, chains and leather and took off her shirt to reveal a black, lace corset. She said that "S and M is a lot more than chains and pain," as she lightly whipped another volunteer. She said the first step in S and M, sado-masochism, is always consent and the second is communication. She also explained the close correlation between intensity and duration -- the more intense the pain, the less it will endure. Locker concluded her presentation by urging the over 40 audience members to practice safe sex and not to let the fear of AIDS encourage abstinence. "I can't talk about sex nowadays without talking about HIV and AIDS," she said. "Make your sexual choices based on creativity and based on pleasure. Celebrate your sexuality." Audience members had mixed reactions to the presentation. "I was worried that it would be superficial when I arrived," said College senior Bill Macnulty. "But it was definitely substantive." "It wasn't that arousing, but it was interesting," said Wharton junior Arne Thommessen. "I'm going to go home and have sex with my dog, in celebration of my sexuality," said College senior Ali Jalili. Locker will hold another workshop Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. in Houston Hall Room 238.