save sexuality studies!
By Dr. Charlie Glickman • Feb 18th, 2009 • Category: BlogWe all know that we’re in tough economic times. Unfortunately, some reactionary lawmakers are using it as an opportunity to attack sexuality studies. Here’s a clip from Georgia State Rep Charlice Byrd. Note- contains moral outrage.
I’m especially intrigued by this statement:
“The universities in this state are to provide the opportunities for a higher education, not studies on controversial behaviors.”
Funny, I thought that one of the purposes of college was to help people explore controversial topics and develop the critical thinking and self-reflection skills they need to find their own perspectives. But then, if you want everyone to agree with you, critical thinking isn’t going to be your cup of tea.
There’s also this one:
“I am sure many of you share my disgust and outrage at how taxpayer’s dollars are being spent by universities. We need to protect the taxpayers’ dollars from such a gross misuse and stop universities from offering such offensive classes on taxpaer’s dollar.”
Notice how she took her disgust and outrage about sex and turned it into an economic moral high ground. I’m also impressed with how she talked about “protecting” the dollar. Because we all know how our bank accounts get scared when we talk about sex.
Whoever wrote this is really good at twisting the truth. They managed to conflate queer theory (a well-recognized theoretical approach to gender studies), male prostitution and oral sex. Not to mention that they make it sound like the professors are teaching people how to become prostitutes or have oral sex, rather than studying behaviors that people engage in from, say, a sociological perspective.
The National Sexuality Resource Center has created an online petition to save sexuality studies. Here’s a snip from it:
We need to act now to protect the integrity of scientific research and the importance of sexuality and gender studies–including those who do sexuality work in complementary programs like anthropology, gerontology, sociology and ethnic studies.The work of these researchers and academics contributes greatly to a healthier sexuality for all of us, preventing disease, addressing stigma and promoting lifelong sexual literacy with accurate, science-based evidence.
Science and research must trump opinion. We must defend the pursuit of knowledge and scholarly inquiry–the purpose of which is to have a better understanding of humanity and our world in order to work for change for the betterment of humankind. Controversial and innovative research topics are at the very heart of academic and philosophical debate that drive the classrooms and laboratories of faculty, staff, and students to finding solutions to society’s biggest problems.
Pass the link along, go to the petition and sign it (you can do it anonymously, if you want). Do what you can to keep this valuable piece of academic work and scientific research alive.
Dr. Charlie Glickman >> Dr. Charlie Glickman has been working at Good Vibrations since 1996, when he joined the staff at our Berkeley store. Currently, he is our Education Program Manager and (among other things) runs our in-store After Hours workshop program, our Off-Site Sex Education Program, trains our Sex Educator-Sales Associates and writes copy for our website. In 2005, Charlie received his doctorate in Adult Sexuality Education from the Union Institute and University in Cincinnati, Ohio. In addition, he offers classes on sexuality for psychotherapists and workshops on teaching for sex educators.
All posts by Dr. Charlie Glickman
If Charlice Byrd had attended a Gender Studies or Sexuality class while she was in college she’d know the value of it and protect the subject from budget cuts. : /
[...] Charlice Byrd was taking about Male Prostitutes and it reminded me that I was going to spread the word here about FORMERLY KNOWN AS, a male sex worker arts festival. My friend Kirk Read (KirkRead.com) passed this along to me and it looks super exciting! This is taking place in San Francisco in June (Deadline is Mid-March!) CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS [...]