In an especially sweet victory for sex positivity in the U.S., the Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health(CSPH), the first non-profit sexuality resource and information center on the East Coast, was granted a permit to open in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Despite months of controversy and opposition during a long, drawn out battle over “zoning permits” (read: sexuality and sex-related scare-tactics), the Center is finally open for business!
Megan Andelloux, a board certified Sexologist and Sexuality Educator is the founder and director of the non-profit Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health, and she’s had to go through a lot to see this center come to fruition. Despite the seemingly obvious benefits of having a center like this to educate, inform, and empower, she’s actually been in a legal battle over the opening since September since- surprise, surprise, the idea of this center wasn’t immediately a popular one in the Rhode Island town where it now resides.
Carnal Nation, where Andelloux is a contributor, reports that the rumors surrounding the Center’s opening were as flagrant as they were false:
“Accusations ranged from claims that they would teach sadomasochistic practices to schoolchildren to essentially being nothing more than a brothel.The grand opening celebration, which included speakers such as Carol Queen, Gina Ogden, andElizabeth Wood and attracted over 200 people, had to be held off-premises in Providence because the zoning board refused to let the Center open on the grounds that their location wasn’t zoned for educational purposes. As Megan herself wrote a few months ago, ‘That’s correct, folks: the city of Pawtucket, RI took a firm stance against ‘education’ coming into their town.’”
Scare tactics and fear surrounding sexuality and sexual health are nothing new, which is why I’m so glad the verdict came down on the right side this time. The Center will provide tons of crucial community services, including one-on-one coaching services and group classes, as well as hold drop-in hours and offer access to resources on sex, sexuality, pleasure, and health. And it looks like even those who initially opposed it have had to come around to the importance of these services in their community- the press release issues by the Center notes that:
“While the introduction of The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health started off rocky, and false rumors swirled about what the CSPH would be providing, members of the conservative, liberal, and libertarian community eventually stated that The CSPH mission, to provide adults with a safe space to access information about sex, did indeed fit in with their community values.”
Love it. Big congrats to Megan- She deserves major kudos for her perseverance and courage in the face of all this unfounded opposition.
For more, check out a video on Waking Vixen of Andelloux telling the story of the controversy.
h/t to Audacia Ray
Traceback: http://classic.feministing.com/cgi-bin/movabletype/mt-tb.fcgi/18128
I recently decided that I don’t want to pursue academia but rather some kind of reproductive-rights-related social justice / nonprofit work or something relating to sex education and empowerment – something exactly like this center. It’s really inspiring to see Megan Andelloux’s efforts come to fruition!
I’ve had the good fortune of knowing Megan for several years, and nowhere can there be found a more approachable, fun, informative example of adult sex education. Her presentations are as accessible as they are informed. The skill and perseverance with which she navigated the press, the Pawtucket city council, and all her other obstacles to get the CSPH off the ground cannot be overstated. Congrats to a great woman for her great work.
While I understand the alleged purpose of zoning laws, I’ve only ever seen violations or warnings given for things related to sex and sex-positivity. It’s a classic tactic, and virtually impossible to work around since zoning appeals are glacial. I had a friend whose house parties/National Coalition for Sexual Freedom fundraisers got shut down because they counted as “commercial activity”. What, fundraising can only happen in ballrooms now? No, the neighbors were afraid their kids would (somehow, at midnight, several dozen yards away) see someone in fetish shoes and a long jacket and be sullied and turn to the dark side of BDSM *eyeroll*. I’m always glad to see other people fighting the good fight. I’m even happier when they win.
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Megan is a superstar. Her work in Providence has literally transformed lives, especially for women in the community. Glad to see her getting some recognition here!