Make Me See Stars -

    Dateline Washington, DC. December, 1994.          President Clinton today called for the resignation of the world’s top doctor amidst claims she openly uttered an alarming twelve-letter word... What had Dr. Jocelyn Elders, the Surgeon General done that could be so offensive to warrant her dismissal? Did she say something derogatory about the President? Or question White House policy? Nope! It was something really offensive. She used the word “masturbation” in public.

    Ten days earlier, during the World AIDS Conference and after concluding a speech on the spread of communicable diseases, Dr. Elders had opened the floor to questions. A psychologist in the audience asked whether masturbation should be promoted as a means of preventing young people from engaging in risky forms of sexual activity. Her response that would later so outrage the White House: “masturbation is a normal part of human sexuality, and a discussion of the topic should perhaps be included in already-mandatory sex education classes.”

    Although teaching students about intercourse is common in the vast majority of American public schools, the idea of individually-owned sexuality remained a radical, and to some, offensive notion. As Dr. Elders was soon to discover, the mere mention of the ‘m’ word makes people squeamish. Indignation was so severe she was given a choice: resign or be resigned. It seems that in this age of open communication it remains a taboo of monumental proportions to discuss the safe and universal practice of sexual self-pleasure.

    In the last decade, the wall of myth surrounding this issue has begun to crack. The topic is being broached on popular television shows; in a variety of books in almost any bookstore; and comedians joke about it without alienating their audiences.

    Despite the progress, the sheer mention of the topic still causes many to wince or snicker. In a time when the average age of a girl losing her virginity is 14; when sexually-transmitted diseases infect millions; and when nearly one-half of all pregnancies are unintended; it is still unacceptable to discuss the safest sex act available. Long after her departure from Washington, Jocelyn Elders pondered the rage, embarrassment and shock with which the subject is met in our culture. “What other word, merely voiced, can provide justification to fire a Surgeon General - or anyone?” she wondered.

    It is unclear why the act, or even the mention of it, still causes such discomfort. We see television commercials promoting the use of condoms, even complete abstinence, but none advocating self-sex. While polls show that children go to their parents first for sexual information, many feel uncomfortable talking to their kids about intercourse, orgasms, or the dreaded ‘m’ word.

    Decades ago, the practice of solitary sex was blamed for conditions like blindness, dementia, and infertility. As a friend recently remarked, “I spent my entire youth in agony waiting to go blind because my parents told me that’s what would happen. I guess I could have stopped, but going blind seemed the better option.”

    Today these myths have been solidly debunked, and the overwhelming majority of medical professionals believe that sex-for-one is a natural and healthy act. Furthermore, a recent study has documented the health benefits of “enjoying a little Southern comfort”. The Australian Cancer Council has shown that the more often men “flush the ducts out” when they are younger, the less likely they are of having a build-up of carcinogens which may cause prostate cancer later in life.

    The benefits for women, although perhaps not as potentially life-sparing, are no less positive. Reduced menstrual cramps, better sleep and stress reduction are but a few of the gains of female orgasmic release. The tragedy is not just that the obvious benefits are often over-ridden by social pressure, but that a true visionary, such as the former U.S. Surgeon General, was laid low by the hypocrisy of a government more concerned with its image than the overall health of it’s citizens. Little did the President know then that the act could provide political benefits as well; self-pleasure is certainly more discreet and acceptable than gratification by a White House intern. Long live Jocelyn Elders, master of her own domain!

    Deneise Reid of SELF Expression, is a sexuality coach who helps women reach their full potential of sexual fulfilment & freedom of expression. Individual sessions & group seminars are available. 403.277.6051  www.risingwomen.com/selfexpression