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Sex, music and our evolving toleration

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 | Altin Sila

I was browsing through YouTube videos the other day when I came across an episode of “Crossfire” from 1985 in which the brilliant Frank Zappa was the guest. He had come onto the show after testifying before Congress about the possibility of government censorship of popular music. Tipper Gore and many other politicians’ wives had become very upset over the sexual lyrics of some of the popular music at the time and Zappa, along with many other musicians, appeared in front of Congress to defend music and stand against government censorship.

As I watched the older conservatives hurl insults at Zappa for supporting such “garbage,” I began to realize how sex has always been a controversial component of popular music. I also began to realize how far we’ve come as a society in terms of what we tolerate, despite the controversies.

In 1956, Elvis Presley was the most obscene performer popular music had ever seen, because he shook his hips and made girls go crazy. He was so obscene that Ed Sullivan refused to show his hip-shaking on television in 1956 and forced his cameramen to only shoot Elvis from the waist up. That same year, a judge in Jacksonville threatened to have Elvis arrested if he shook his hips onstage.

In 1967, Jimi Hendrix shocked many of the hippies at the Monterey Pop Festival when he essentially made love to his guitar on stage (before setting it on fire). Shortly thereafter, his onstage performance frightened many preteens when his band opened for the Monkees on tour.

In 1968, John Lennon and Yoko Ono released an album called “Two Virgins” in which the two posed nude on the cover. Many copies were confiscated by state governments and most stores sold the album in brown paper bags.

After Congress intervened in the 1980s, the familiar “Parental Advisory” label became required on albums containing content deemed indecent by the Recording Industry Association of America.

And who can forget the events of this decade? Janet Jackson’s “wardrobe malfunction” resulted in the largest fine the Federal Communications Commission has ever given out, and Madonna and Britney Spears’ onstage kiss caused an uproar.

Yet we still tolerate quite a lot. Lil’ Jon is free to yell “skeet skeet skeet” on the radio, and Soulja Boy can talk about super-soaking hos. I wonder what that Jacksonville judge might have to say about that.

So, where does all this leave us? Over time we’ve grown to tolerate more and more explicit sexual content in music. Where does sex in music have to go? What more is there to do? I’m not sure what will be tolerated in 20 years, but I sure can’t wait to find out.

Altin is a senior in Arts & Sciences and Forum editor. He can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].

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ResLife: Twin beds are too small

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 | Staff Editorial
Scott Bressler

Looking to have sexual relations? It can be fun, but not if you have a TINY BED.








The moral of the story: ResLife, a twin bed just doesn’t cut it. When it comes to sex in beds, bigger is better.

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More than study buddies: couples enjoy class time together

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 | Ben Sales
Scott Bressler

Even as they sit in class, passing notes to each other or comparing test scores, the professor may not even be aware of their relationship beyond the classroom.

No matter what the circumstance, lovebirds across campus are finding fulfillment in lectures, language classes and studios.

“We met in Arabic class,” said junior Thom Wall, who has taken multiple semesters with his girlfriend. “She said she was the one that sat next to me, and I say I sat next to her [first]. It’s a point of contention between us.”

Wall has had classes with his girlfriend every day of the week, which he says he enjoyed because it gave them an opportunity to see each other during an otherwise busy schedule.

“It gave us an excuse to talk more,” he said. “It was more meaningful than a lecture class.”

Junior John Monnat, an architecture student, also met his girlfriend in class. Although there’s little division between their work and leisure atmospheres, Monnat says he values the time with his significant other.

“[Class makes it] easier because we can see each other, but [it’s] harder because there’s no boundary,” he said. “We were both in studio every day for hours. There needed to be some sort of boundary, but it being a constant thing was a good thing.”

Marketing major Ali Crouch, a junior, has had a different, but still positive experience with her boyfriend-a fellow marketing student-in business school lectures. She said that being with him makes it easier to pass the time.

“Sometimes we end up writing stupid notes to each other and get distracted that way,” said Crouch. “Mainly I don’t pay attention as much as I would if I didn’t have someone next to me talking to me. But if the class is boring, you have someone entertaining next to you.”

Crouch said that she also enjoys studying with her boyfriend.

“It helps to study together and we only have to buy one book for the class,” she said. “It helps to have a second opinion when we’re studying.”

Monnat said that being in architecture makes it easier for his girlfriend and him to concentrate on the work because they both know how important it is.

“We both understand why we were in studio and why we spend so much time there,” he said. “We have a lot of common things to talk about.”

Monnat added that being architecture students also means they have the same social group. Because of that, classmates are comfortable with their relationship in a classroom setting.

“It would be hard if one of us wasn’t in architecture, because you get so focused in that group of people and in the projects that you do,” he said. “It would be hard if someone wasn’t in the same environment.”

Although Crouch does not know everyone in the classes she shares with her boyfriend, she figures that people have found out about their relationship.

“We’re not all over each other in class,” she said. “We come to class together, leave together and are in group projects together, so I’m sure it’s assumed.”

Wall’s experience in language classes was different regarding his classmates because the setting is so relaxed.

“The student/teacher dynamic isn’t quite the same as it would be in a lecture,” he said. “Arabic classes are pretty small to begin with. The class was maybe 12 people tops, so we were all friends.”

But Wall said that even though being with his girlfriend increased the time it took to study, he is glad to have had the experience.

“It took a lot longer for obvious reasons,” he said. “There are a lot of things that are more important than your GPA.”

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There’s always room for ‘more love’

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 | Kat Zhao

Imagine this: Melissa and John have been in an intimate relationship for two years. They are perfectly happy. One day, Melissa meets Michael, and begins to develop a deep attachment to him. She brings Michael home to John. All three sit down to talk and by the end all three are content with the outcomes.

Melissa is now in two relationships-one with John and the other with Michael.

Wrong? Unnatural? Plain cheating? Perhaps to some, but for those engaged in such relationships, it is simply the most natural and right way-that is, to polyamory, the practice of multiple relationships.

“[Polyamory] is the belief in having open relationships, but having your partner know about these various non-monogamous relationships,” said Susan Stiritz, professor of women and gender studies. According to Stiritz, the practice is grounded in the belief that humans are not inherently monogamous and that the limitation to only one relationship is unnatural.

What is natural in polyamorous relationships, however, is the establishment of hierarchy.

“You begin with a primary relationship,” said Stiritz. “If you meet someone new, you would introduce that new person to your primary relationship, and you would all discuss how the primary person would feel about having this person around the house.”

Stiritz attended a workshop on polyamory as part of a wider sex education conference held in St. Louis. As the only non-polyamorous person at the workshop, she learned a great deal from those around her. “These are very serious people,” she said. “They’re innovators in exploring how humans can connect.”

Stiritz does not study or teach the topic herself, she said, primarily because it is not a theme most students are interested in and it is not a type of relationship that would generally apply to adults looking for long-term intimacy.

However, that is not to say that students are not curious.

Senior Josh Ellman, a member of Safe Zones, said that the group at Washington University held a panel on Tuesday, Feb. 12 that touched on issues including polyamory. The panel was made up of Washington University students and faculty, as well as others from the St. Louis community.

“They [spoke] about their experiences and what polyamory means to them. For Safe Zones, this is definitely something we want to learn more about and be able to educate other students on. It’s not something that’s frequently talked about. Also, there have been some misunderstandings,” said Ellman.

Stiritz and Ellman are both firm in making the distinction between cheating and polyamory.

“Most people cheat, but they don’t practice polyamory,” said Stiritz.

“[Polyamory] isn’t just some sexual hookup thing. It is meaningful. It just happens to be different from what people are used to,” said Ellman, “It’s also a common misconception that polyamorous people are just not interested in being monogamous; these people are realizing that just the typical man and woman [relationship] is not working. It’s not realistic; it’s not what’s happening in the world.”

For Michael Brown, coordinator for LGBT Student Involvement and Leadership, polyamory goes as deep as to question what a relationship is.

“It’s really rethinking intimate partner relationships and asking what intimacy is,” said Brown.

“Polyamory simply challenges the whole concept that one person has to be with one person, that this is the only kind of intimacy, and that anything outside of this must not be intimacy,” said Ellman.

According to Stiritz, a book called “Open Marriage,” first published in 1972, promoted the idea that non-monogamous relationships would enrich the lives of all those involved and make them better partners for each other.

“A lot of people tried it, but there is just not enough social or structural support,” said Stiritz, “I think we have a hard enough time getting along with one person.”

Stiritz emphasizes the great amount of work polyamorous people commit to in order to maintain their relationships, especially in dealing with jealousy-an issue even monogamous couples have trouble overcoming.

“They have developed their own techniques, insights that would help anybody understand how to give up jealousy,” said Stiritz. “If you want to go to somebody who can work through marital difficulties, go to somebody who is polyamorous.”

However, despite the valuable qualities of polyamory, Ellman pointed out that the practice is still largely unfamiliar and unaccepted by a society that is grounded in a heterosexual normative concept. Ellman does not know anyone at the University who is engaged in polyamory.

“But the people who practice polyamory swear by it,” said Stiritz. “They find that it is liberating, that it gives them a higher level of being. They love their freedom, the passion that they have in their loves, because they always have a new relationship starting.”

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Deep Inside the World of Porn

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 | Brian Stitt
Zach Telthorst

Porn has been threatening to go mainstream for quite some time now. Time magazine warned of it all the way back in 1998. But this year, they have finally achieved their much heralded objective. The Adult Video News (AVN) Awards, considered by most to be the Oscars of porn, were covered this year by the CBS program, Sunday Morning. Sunday Morning! If you aren’t familiar with the show that’s probably because it’s a news magazine program watched exclusively by people over 60. Not to knock Sunday Morning or Bill Geist’s humorous report; I just use this to highlight that if my grandmother knows who Tera Patrick is, porn has most definitely arrived.

Preceding the yearly AVN Awards is the yearly AVN Adult Entertainment Exposition, known to most as the Porn Convention, but to insiders as the AEE. Originally a small subsection of their annual neighboring convention, the Consumer Electronics Show, the AEE grew large enough that AVN had to step in and start an independent expo. According to the show guide, this changeover happened in 1998, but don’t expect most people to remember that date. The porn industry is historically very fuzzy with numbers. AVN reported that in the year 2000, revenue from sales and rentals of adult videos topped four billion dollars, but that number has never been independently confirmed. An article in Forbes from 2001 quotes Adams Media Research as giving $1.8 billion a year as a “most generous” estimate. For comparison, Adams estimated the yearly mainstream video market at $20 billion in 2001.

A slideshow of the expo. All photos by Zach Telthorst & Russell Barnes.


But in the seven years since that report, porn has exploded. With the combination of high-speed internet, bit torrent technology and a pop-culturizing of the adult film industry, porn is more accepted than ever. Jenna Jameson graces best-selling book covers, Ryan Gosling dates sex dolls in adorable romantic comedies and the famed million-dollar porn movie, “Pirates,” has become a bona fide cultural touchstone for millions of college students. But the world of porn is still a mystery to most, and offensive to many. The AEE is a perfect place to explore the inherent dichotomies of this industry. Men in suits offer contracts to women in platform heels and skimpy outfits. Note that no nudity is allowed at the AEE. Well, no “real” nudity. Fans waiting in line to meet their favorite stars can watch the women perform all manner of sex acts on the hundreds of flat screens populating the convention floor, but if her nipple slips out of that low-cut top while she’s leaning in to sign an autograph, she could be hit with a big fine.

The AEE isn’t all boobs in booths, though. There’s plenty of business going on at the convention, too. Sex shop managers wander the AEE perusing all the new video titles (“Pirates 2” coming soon!), the newest video camera technology and exercise balls with attachable sex toys. What the AEE offers to people who work in porn is an invaluable business resource and a sense of legitimacy in an oft-derided industry. What it offers to everyone else is total sensory overload: thousands of people milling around the booths with telephoto-lensed cameras hoping to close-ups of their favorite stars, performers eating lunch while wearing naught but panties and pasties and booths offering everything from tooth whitening to 3-D televisions. Words, even photos, cannot do justice to the overwhelming nature of the porn convention.

Abbywinters.com

Guilt free porn? Maybe not, but there is something different about Abbywinters.com. Their booth was certainly the surprise hit of the 2008 AEE. In stark contrast to the heavily made-up, tarty porn stars at most booths, Abbywinters.com took a simple, stripped-down approach. A dozen or so girls wandered around a sloping, Astroturfed area smack in the middle of the convention, wearing jeans with white T-shirts and/or bras. They eagerly and enthusiastically engaged fans in conversation or games of speed chess. At the same time the girls weren’t afraid to start snogging halfway through a yoga session. The entire experience felt somewhat like an after-hours party on the set of “Teletubbies,” with all the cute girls from your Writing 1 class-if all the girls in your class were Australian. It wasn’t just the booth, but the product they were promoting that was in stark contrast to what ruled the rest of the convention. Marigold, a long time model and speed chess fiend, describes it best. “Abby Winters.com is an Australian adult Web site with young natural amateur Aussies having fun in our own environment, usually in our own homes in our own rooms in our own clothes no makeup, full bush, everything natural and real.” And then of course there’s the fact that there are no boys. While this site certainly isn’t a clean alternative to porn, there’s something refreshing about seeing girls actually enjoy themselves in a natural environment while they explore their voyeuristic side.

High Tech Sex Toys

From the OhMiBod, the vibrator that pulses along with your Ipod to the Fleshlight, a flashlight-shaped, dishwasher-safe device men can pleasure themselves with, sex toys are becoming high tech and a big business. The inflatable woman has evolved into the silicone sex doll with realistic flesh and customizable features. The simple vibrator now comes with the option of remote controls and various attachments to enhance pleasure. Many blend form with function, attaining a modern artistic sensibility or successfully disguising themselves as normal household items. My personal favorite was presented to me by a Taiwanese man who spoke little English. The business end of the device seemed like any motorized dildo, one with a substantial base that can thrust itself. But then he showed me the electronic brain behind this ersatz phallus: a silver briefcase filled with dozens of lights and knobs. It seemed to be the sex toy of choice for James Bond. Despite its retro appeal, the toy seemed to feature too many functions. But Pussy Galore would have loved it.

XXXChurch.com

Billing themselves as the number one Christian porn Web site, xxxchurch.com actually features no porn whatsoever. “People ask if we have naked nuns; sorry no porn,” founder Craig Gross jokes. “We want to help people that are struggling with porn. We don’t want to shut it down, we don’t want to picket it, we don’t want to get in a fight. If you look at too much porn and want help, we’re here. If you look at just a little porn and you want help, we’re here.” For just over six years (the church celebrated its birthday during the convention) xxxchurch.com has been offering services to people who want out of the industry. Their agenda is not political, and not even aggressively religious. They hand out Bibles emblazoned with their motto, “Jesus Loves Porn Stars,” at porn shows around the world. “Right wing Christians are saying, ‘Lets make everyone do things our way. Lets take (porn) out of hotels. Lets ban it. Just stop buying it.'” Gross isn’t exactly porn friendly, (“God’s plan for sex is a beautiful thing, but we’ve twisted it,”) but he is porn star friendly (“Jesus loves porn stars just as much as he loves pastors”). He tries to focus on letting women know that they don’t need to accept pornography if they don’t feel comfortable with it. “So many girls on college campuses, now, are into porn. I don’t think they’re as visually turned on as the guys but they think they need that to get the guy.”

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Alcohol dependence linked to higher number of sexual partners

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 | John Scott

Individuals who drink heavily are at a greater risk for sexually transmitted diseases since they are more likely to have multiple sexual partners, according to Psychiatrist Patricia Cavazos-Rehg, a researcher at the Washington University School of Medicine.

She studied 601 unmarried individuals between the ages of 18 and 25 to find a correlation between alcohol use and the number of sexual partners.

“As a person’s drinking becomes more problematic, then the individual could be engaging in more problematic, risky behavior such as having sexual intercourse with random partners or different partners,” she said. “If a person has a problem with substance use, what other risky behaviors are related to that?”

The study found that, on average, participants had more than nine sexual partners and those considered alcohol dependent had nearly 12 partners on average.

Of the participants who were identified as alcohol dependent, 45 percent had more than 10 sexual partners; having more than 10 partners is considered high-risk sexual activity.

Cavazos-Rehg also said that the study gives a better idea of what role alcohol plays in sexual activity and its implications for public health.

“If a person comes in for heavy drinking or alcohol dependence problems, [we can] at that same time test them for STDs [or] provide them with education about using protection,” said Cavazos-Rehg. “In this age group, the spread of STDs has escalated quite a bit recently.”

The study states “prevention efforts should target these high risk individuals because they are at risk for STD transmission and other serious consequences.”

The individuals involved in the study all had a relative with some kind of substance dependency but the study can still be applied to a wide segment of the general population because many people are in a similar situation.

“It’s estimated that one out of four persons [in the general public] have a substance dependent person in their family,” said Cavazos-Rehg. “We’re not talking about a small amount of people in the population.”

Several studies have already addressed binge drinking and other high-risk behaviors, especially in college-age individuals, but this study differed because it addressed those that had been diagnosed with alcohol dependence.

The study also attempted to report issues that are more specific than just “heavy drinking” in self-reported surveys, through the use of clinical diagnoses given by a trained interviewer.

Related studies have been done in the past, but this one stands out because of its focus on clinical diagnoses.

The study also differed from previous research because other studies usually considered lower numbers of sex partners.

“I haven’t seen any studies that actually look at more than six partners, so this study is also new in that way. We were looking at a higher number of sex partners,” said Cavazos-Rehg.

Other studies on how alcohol use influences sexual activity are in progress as well, including the age at which an individual first engages in sexual intercourse.

Freshman Ben Ingell was not surprised by the results of the study.

“I could [understand] that. I think the drinking on this campus is about average,” said Ingell.

The study utilized the Diagnostic Statistical Manual to determine which individuals qualified as alcohol dependent. Criteria include withdrawal symptoms, interference with work or school and hazardous behavior. Multiple criteria must often be met for an individual to be classified as substance dependent. The most prominent symptoms are heavy and persistent use of alcohol.

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Getting up close and personal with a porn star

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 | Brian Stitt
Zach Telthorst

Sasha Grey is a porn star. Right now, she’s at the top of her game, having just collected the 2008 Adult Video News (AVN) Award, for Female Performer of the Year. Speaking with her at the Adult Entertainment Expo, before her win at the AVN Awards, she seemed unworried about the awards show, considered by many to be the Oscars of the porn world.

“It’s not a big deal. From a business standpoint, it would be nice (to win) because it helps to sell your product. There is an audience who only looks at porn that wins awards.” But Sasha Grey’s popularity goes far beyond porn fans. “I have a large fan base who doesn’t watch porn, just because of my outside interests.” A quick scan of her MySpace page shows that she does not live up to the typical perception of the porn actress.

She keeps long dark hair and her eyes have a sleepy quality but burn with confidence. Her interests include Bauhaus architecture, the Dogme 95 film movement and she lists Carl from “Aqua Teen Hunger Force” as a personal hero. In other words, she’s a pretty, intelligent college-aged woman capable of holding a conversation on any number of topics. She spoke with ease and knowledge about everything from the election to her career to Radiohead’s new album and its unique release style. “It’s so awesome. Who …does that? Radiohead, I guess. I, myself, am a collector of music and film. I collect packaging. So, when that vinyl comes out, I’ll defiantly be getting it.”

At 19, she looks and acts like a college student, which is to say that she is strongly opinionated but still curious. Sasha grew up outside of Sacramento, California and, after spending some time in college started looking into the adult film industry. She saw it as a way to make her mark on an artistic scene and explore her sexuality. Sasha toyed with the idea of entering adult film for several weeks before she started looking into it seriously. “Don’t do it for the money. I did research for eight months before I got in and it still isn’t enough.”

Sasha is known for performing in very hardcore, often rough, sex scenes. She understands the concerns many have with the porn industry and especially with its treatment of women, but thinks a lot of the animosity towards pornography comes from a misunderstanding of intent. “A lot of the concern people have with pornography comes from the fact that they don’t know how to express themselves sexually.you’re never going to learn unless you try.” She refers to herself as a pervert and is quick to point out that her sexual tastes, which include spitting, slapping, vomit (basically anything that doesn’t involve kids or animals) are not the norm. “I don’t mean you’re going to go watch porn and learn something; that’s not how normal people usually have sex. [Watching porn] is an experience and you should want to experience and to learn.”

Because of her age and her choices, she meets a lot of resistance from the public. An appearance on the Tyra Banks Show turned into an attack on the porn industry and its appeal to young girls. Sasha doesn’t complain about her appearance on that show, she knew from the beginning that it would turn out the way it did, but she does mention that the program was heavily edited to make her seem more na’ve than she is.

“People challenge me because of my age and because I’m a woman. People don’t believe that a 19-year-old girl has an opinion. They don’t see that I can do what I do and be proud of what I do.” Her attempts to change the health care system within the porn industry have been fruitless so far, (“It should be a lot better,”) and acknowledges that even within the industry, people hold her age against her. But Sasha’s rising fame should give her a larger platform, as well as open her up to more criticism from the public. “Honestly, I don’t care, as long as I’m not hurting anybody, right?… I know what I’m doing and I know why I’m doing it.”

Like many porn stars, Sasha Grey has a plan, but hers seem more than just mere pipe dreams. “I want to direct and make an impact on this industry. If I do get into mainstream film, I’d want to bring my voice, but I’d want to play a real character, not just myself.”

Sasha Grey has already made an impact on the industry. Her popularity and marketability is growing every day. Los Angeles Magazine posed the question in 2006, “Will 18-year-old Sasha Grey become the adult film industry’s next Jenna Jameson?” With her crossover appeal and intelligence it’s certainly possible. Vertigo, the DC comic which has graced the covers of such classics as “Sandman,” “V for Vendetta” and the recently ended “Y: The Last Man,” wants to make a graphic novel based on her, and she talks cryptically of a mainstream film project with a “very well-known director.” But Sasha Grey offers something that even Jenna Jameson hasn’t got. First, it is a dedication to the ultra-hardcore porn that is now emerging into the mainstream adult market, and second, that she is relatable. She doesn’t have fake breasts or bushy blonde hair, and she doesn’t fit the stereotype of “porn star.” But still, she isn’t apologetic or regretful. She doesn’t rule out growing tired of the lifestyle eventually. “The minute I don’t like what I’m doing I don’t want to do it anymore, I don’t want to be one of those people who hates my job, who hates my career.” While her recent award win has certainly sped up that track to mainstream fame, Sasha Grey seems unflappable. She has made her choices and, while she doesn’t expect everyone to agree, she hopes people will be able to respect her enough to let her make them.

On movies
“I like filmmakers who take a risk. Somebody like (Jean-Luc) Godard or Robert Altman, or somebody like Crispin Glover.” She especially appreciates Crispin Glover’s attempts to promote his experimental movies, like “What Is It?” without much help from the studio. “I really like the way he’s touring with his film, like it’s his baby. I think the fans, especially cineastes, like to go see that.”

Although she works constantly (after less than two years she has 90 titles listed on the Internet Adult Film Database) she finds some time to watch new releases. “Two films that defiantly stick out are “No Country for Old Men” by the Coen Brothers and “There Will be Blood” by PT Anderson. Brilliant. I keep thinking about that movie. The woman in front of me in the theater was wearing Patchouli oil and for some reason it brought a whole different vibe to the film. It was really bizarre how it worked.” Some of her favorites include “Jules et Jim”, Godard’s “My Life to Live” and Steve Soderbergh’s “Schizopolis.” “As much as I love “There will be Blood” we already have films like that that challenge art and film-making. But people are unaware of them, but because they have PT Anderson and because of how well known he is, it gets more leverage.”

On music
Musically, her tastes run the gamut, but, more recently, Sasha Grey has strayed towards the experimental side of music. “I’ve been listening to a lot of Current 93, a lot of Coil, Danzig.” Her attitudes on illegal downloading lean toward the negatively apathetic, but for a performer who certainly loses some money to piracy her attitude is understandable. “It depends on what your take is. The market will split in half between people who want to own and the online people.” She is in a small, unsigned experimental band called Atelecine. “We record whenever we can, we’re pretty much doing it for ourselves. You can hunt us down on MySpace and check it out.” Anyone whose MySpace page has three references to David Bowie has got to make something worth listening to.

On politics
“Can’t wait till November. It’s exciting but it’s also scary. I think there will be a Democrat in office but I’m curious to see who and I’m curious to see if the y live up to what they say.” She is careful to not be too specific with her political leanings, but certainly is open with the cynicism so many young people share. “I was listening to NPR the other day and they were reporting on a rally and the people there were shouting “We want change! We want change!” and it gets me because I don’t hear the conviction in their voices. I just think it’s a spark. One person started saying it. I don’t feel the conviction. It depresses me because I do want change and I know there are a lot of people out there that do as well.”

When asked about her feelings on a viable presidential candidate that didn’t believe in evolution, she responded with a little laugh. “Just like all porn stars are supposed to be on crack-I’ll just say no comment, because that’s just ridiculous.”

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International students struggle to adapt to campus sexual culture

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 | Johann Qua Hiansen

As international students adjust to the United States, they are surrounded on all sides by new things. For many however, the biggest adjustment comes in dealing with the different sexual landscape on campus.

For example, seeing multiple couples hook up at W.I.L.D is a shocking introduction to the U.S. for many international students.

While international students adjust to living in St. Louis and studying at Washington University in the first few months, they also need to adjust to a culture of dating, hook-ups and on-campus romance.

“I was surprised that many people have had sex here,” said Renault, a student from Taiwan who asked not to be identified by his full name. “I thought students here would have more self control. In Taiwan, sex is like marriage. It’s very serious.”

Several international students come from cultures where the general public usually frowns upon public displays of intimacy and pre-marital sex.

“Korean culture is very conservative,” said freshman Chan Lee, from South Korea. “A typical Korean would find it awkward.”

The definition of a relationship and how far one can go with a significant other also differs overseas.

“I haven’t seen much of dating in the freshman year,” said freshman Canan from Turkey. “It’s mostly based on hookups, which is not the case back home. It’s less physical in the beginning [in Turkey].”

“Here, it’s easier to [distinguish between a] hookup or to be in a serious relationship”, said freshman Ken Sakamoto from Japan. “Japan is more in-between.”

The initial interaction between males and females is also different overseas from what students have experienced. “In Turkey, guys are more flirty,” said Canan. “Girls have to try a lot more [here].”

Freshman Tina Wang, who is from Taiwan, lived in El Salvador for several years before coming to St. Louis. “Latin America is a very affectionate place,” said Wang.

According to Wang, two people may not have even exchanged names before kissing each other on the cheeks. On the other hand, as the region is largely Catholic, making out in public is uncommon. “I don’t see everyone grabbing each other,” said Wang.

Many international students had encountered American culture before, especially in the form of television shows such as “One Tree Hill” and movies such as “Old School.” “The extent to which it is publicized is ridiculous and blatantly offensive,” said another freshman from Taiwan. “It’s completely unethical.”

For some students, these early encounters with U.S. media have either caused outrage or helped cushion the shock of seeing someone “sexiled” or hearing about a neighbor’s hookup experience.

As American culture spreads to other countries in the form of language and multimedia, the values of local societies, especially amongst young people, have been liberalized.

“Taiwanese values are changing,” said freshman Anny Chung from Taiwan. “My grandma would be shocked. In the beginning, I felt uncomfortable but now I guess I’m used to it.”

At the same time, however, all students interviewed for this article agreed that the movies they saw did not completely and truthfully reflect American culture in the dating arena.

Some students cited their ability to legally drink at an earlier age as preventing them from having any regrettable hookups of their own.

“It puts us at an advantage,” said William Hsu from Hong Kong. “We know our limits.”

Most of the students interviewed were ambivalent regarding their classmates and peers engaging in public displays of affection. Many of them have already gotten used to the stories they hear or the things they witness.

“It struck me how people here are more explicit about sex and relationships,” said Chung. “[But] people can do what they want with their lives.”

“My view on [hookups] is I don’t want to see it but people can do it,” said freshman Ian Chui, from Hong Kong.

Some have nothing against it. “[Hookups are] part of the college life,” said freshman Levent Dinckal from Turkey. “It’s a good part of life.”

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Sleeping with the stars: Your advanced guide to which attainable celebrities should be on your to-do list

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 | Matt Karlan and Cecilia Razak
Scott Bressler

Hey, typical Wash. U. student: Are you nonplussed about your body image? Depressed that your looks may range somewhere between sub-par and frumpy? Well, “The Insider’s Guide to Colleges” says that Wash. U. undergraduates call themselves a “moderate to very attractive student body.”

Oh, my, it seems you’re all in denial. Well, that’s simply not healthy at all.

But for those of you who have faced the truth, you homely realists, all is not lost. You may be thinking to yourself, “I have jowls, unsightly sweating patterns and a rigid hunch like a diving board. I would never have a chance with my favorite celebrity.” Well, this is all very true. But hold on there, funny Valentine; that doesn’t mean every celebrity is off limits. I mean, you’ve got some redeeming qualities. You’re unbeatable at Halo, you have an impressive ensemble of North Face jackets and your score on the ACTs was in the upper percentiles (though only a few points shy of your BMI).

So, as a guide to bedding that famous beau, here’s a list of the most attainable celebrities around. If you happen to see any of these homely personalities while getting your unibrow styled or picking up a quart of frozen yogurt to down before noon, you are welcome to hit on them without being maced. In fact, you could probably sleep with them by the end of the day on their futon made of residual checks.

The cast of “Sex and the City,” excluding Kristin Davis (the hot brunette)

A secret of the trade: The acting on this show seemed so authentic because it wasn’t acting. The leading men and women were actually used to scoring members of the opposite sex with facial abnormalities. I have always been flummoxed by the drawing power of watching horse-faced, plastic surgery ridden ladies get their jollies, but it does instill some hope that there’s a whole stable of actors out there who would get with anyone who owns an apartment on the upper east side.

Randy Quaid

Randy Quaid, also known as the less-hot Quaid, the poor-man’s Quaid and “not Dennis,” seems like a likable guy. He seems fairly personable. And he seems passably attractive. I would jump on him as soon as Dennis turned me down, just to prove a point.

Christopher Lloyd

The man who brought us the time-traveling Delorean could never be a has-been, but he still can be had. As the wild-haired Doc, the no-haired Uncle Fester and the hat-haired Al in “Angels in the Outfield,” Christopher Lloyd is not just an icon-he’s a dish in any dimension, and with all those hair mishaps, an attainable one. “Great Scott, Marty, let’s take that co-ed Back… to the apartment!”

Jared (Fogle) from Subway, and the Verizon Guy

Your friends will certainly be impressed in hearing you were double teamed by these pillars of advertising. I’d imagine they would approach you at a bar or your local Subway restaurant and the Verizon Guy would ask, “Can you sleep with us now? Good.” Then you’d all go back to Jared’s house and jump in the sack, and, by sack, I mean Jared’s old pants. Jared would ask if you wanted a bite of his foot long. And you’d vow to never call them, which would be simple because Verizon has such shoddy coverage.

The 1.5 men who are not Charlie Sheen on “Two and a Half Men”

Gangly John Cryer and round young Angus T. Jones seem the perfect prey, so overshadowed by their famous counterpart that they might just jump on anything that tosses a bone their way-even a Wash. U. student.

DJ Jazzy Jeff

Even if he insists on doing it “Big Willie Style” and yelling out Tatyana Ali’s name at orgasm, you will get to meet Uncle Phil in the morning when he shows up to collect overdue rent money. “Man, parents just don’t understand I’m in the lowest tax bracket.”

Rick Moranis

I’d let Rick Moranis shrink me and launch me down a plastic ramp in a toy car any day. He could ravage me at the fifty-yard line after sending Icebox and Junior Floyd out for ice cream. Those domineering nerd glasses, combined with his fumbling hands and endearing stutter only make him more sextastic. Best of all, only he knows the specific anatomy of a person two inches tall, and therefore only he can hit all the right buttons.

Sneezy

Yes, yes, I know. “Sneezy?” you say. “I couldn’t get Sneezy if I were Brad Pitt. Hell, Snow White couldn’t even hit that, and she had skin as pale as Marcia Cross.” He may seem out of your league at first, but there’s a simple way to this dwarf’s heart: carry a box of tissues and a miniature bottle of Claritin, and he’ll be like nasal fluid in your hand.

Cookie Monster, The Count

In a similar vein, the Cookie Monster has a well-documented one-track mind. Tuck a package of Chips Ahoy away in your girdle-and they start with C, so they must be good enough for him. If, during coitus, you find yourself slightly left out while he pays special attention to the sweet treat’s chocolate chips, well, you’ll just have to wait. Hopefully the Count is nearby, and you can make sweet puppet love three times. Ah, ah, ah! One! two! three!

Rachel Dratch

Think Tina Fey is secretly hot? Well, secret’s out, because so does everyone else. Trust me, you aren’t the only one who thinks her scar is “actually quite cute.” But she’s really successful right now and out of your league, so go after her more asymmetric companion, Rachel Dratch. Sure, there ain’t nothing like the real thing, but hey, she’s cuter than Rob Schneider?

Tia and Tamara Mowry, Ben Savage, Dave Coulier

I actually saw Tamara Mowry at an all-you-can-eat $6 Thai buffet over the summer. (Yes, I can tell them apart.) Her boyfriend was some overweight, unemployed nobody. And she still looked in pretty good shape. Which made me realize that out-of-work former stars of family shows probably have such low self-esteem now that any schlub with $6 and a mode of transportation could get with them. And you could brag to all your friends that Cory Matthews said your body was sexier than Topanga’s. (Although, so is Seabiscuit’s.) “Hey, did Uncle Joey talk dirty in bed?” “Not really. He did a lot of impressions of Yosemite Sam and Popeye, though.”

Olive Oyl

Speaking of Popeye, if you’re incredibly jacked but have the face of a Doberman Pincher and the complexion of a poorly-played game of Battleship, then here’s your lady. She’ll be impressed by how much iron is in your system and how poorly proportioned you are. Just make sure to keep it gentle, she’s fragile and malnourished.

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Program provides sex education, with a twist

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008 | Ann Johnson

Some come for information, some come because they are required to and some come hoping to win sex toys.

Whatever the reason, every year students turn out for Sex in the Dark, a sex education program led by Paola “Poli” Rijos, Student Health Service’s Health Educator, for residential college and dormitory floors.

Sex in the Dark takes a question-and-answer approach to sexual education. Students are given the chance to write down or e-mail questions they have before the program. During the program, the lights are turned off in the room and the questions are answered.

“We turn off the lights because even though the questions are anonymous, people still might blush when they hear their question being answered,” said Rijos.

In theory, by fostering a sense of anonymity, students are more likely to ask questions about what they are really wondering, rather than being constricted by embarrassment.

In general, the event is tailored to make students feel comfortable.

“We avoid scare tactics,” said Rijos. “We also try to remind students that not everyone is having sex. It may seem that way, because the only things you’ll hear about sex are from the people who are having it and being loud about it. But there are just as many people who aren’t having sex and being quiet.”

According to data from the Student Life sex survey, nearly 54 percent of freshmen report being virgins; this is comparable to data in other surveys circulated prior to the Sex in the Dark program.

Many students are surprised when they hear statistics similar to this at their floor’s Sex in the Dark program, based on data collected from students on the floor.

“I’d thought that a lot more people were having sex,” said freshman Andie Sporck.

Because students have had a vast range of experience with sex education in high school, students’ reactions can vary from “nothing I hadn’t heard before” to surprise or shock over the frankness of the program.

“Sex in the Dark freaked me out. I can’t believe they raffled off vibrators and anal beads,” said one freshman, who said she’d never had such explicit sex education before and preferred not to be identified by name. “I didn’t even know what they were until Sex in the Dark. It made me feel uncomfortable-I thought it was a little inappropriate.”

Another student jokingly complained that the name “Sex in the Dark” was false advertising.

Even as it attempts to cater to students with different educational and life experiences, the program attempts to distinguish itself with a candid environment and humorous tools like a fake vagina dubbed Lola.

Almost all students interviewed, though, appreciated the realistic approach that Sex in the Dark took.

“I thought it was good because they understood that people are going to have sex, and they weren’t ignoring that,” said Michael Fazio, a freshman. “They were very honest and frank and realistic in their approach, and that was good.”

Josh Lalo, another freshman, agreed.

“It’s good to have a place to talk about [sex], for people to talk about their problems,” he said. “I liked how they were so open about everything, especially the people who weren’t afraid to answer questions with stories from their personal experience.”

By the end of the first semester, every freshman has had the chance to attend Sex in the Dark with their residential college.

Most take advantage of the opportunity, but several students didn’t attend citing tests, busy schedules or just lack of interest.

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