National Masturbation Month Revisited
How far have we really come in terms of masturbation acceptance?
National Masturbation Month launched in May 1995, after San Francisco-based sex toy company Good Vibrations created this celebration of self-service in response to the firing of Surgeon General Dr. Joycelyn Elders, who made public comments about masturbation possibly being taught in sexual education classes. The month was designed to challenge stigmas about masturbation and make people more accepting of this natural sexual practice.
But how far have we really come in the years since National Masturbation Month was founded? I had another conversation with the resident sexologist at Good Vibrations, Dr. Carol Queen, to find out where she thinks we stand.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how do you feel our views on masturbation have improved since you started National Masturbation Month in 1995?
I think we’re at about 6 or 7, if the only thing I’m doing is looking at the scale about discussion and the profile of masturbation changing. But what I really feel is that we are sort of on a two-branched path simultaneously, and one of those paths really has seen a lot of positive change. I’m especially thinking of all the articles I see in the hip, young women’s websites and things like that, and the sort of…
