NathanNish

U.S.GenderandSociety

TheCenter

ItwasbroughtupinU.S.GenderandSocietythissemesterthatthewaytoreduce
sexualcrimesmightbetoeducatepeopleaboutsexualityingeneral.Thatsamementalityhas
beenhardatworkforthelastfifteenyearsinSeattleastheCenterforSexPositiveCulture(or
CSPC.)Asessentiallytheonlynonprofitgroupofitstypeinthenation,itisacommunityfor
peopleofalltypesofgendersandsexualities.Hopingforabouttwohundredmembersintheir
firstyear,theyendedupacceptingtwothousandmembers.Themostrecentnumbersreported
arearound11,500.TheCSPCoffersacommunity,educationonsexuality,andwaystoforward
thateducation.
Initially,thegroupwasformedwithacommunitycenterinmind.Theirgoalhasnever
beenforprofit.Instead,theytrytofocusonsexpositiveculture,whichpromotesopen
sexualityanexcellentcontrasttowhatthepopularmediawouldprefertoportraybyconsistently
coveringrapeculture.CSPCdoeschargeformembership(FrequentlyAskedQuestions.),
usingthefundstoforwardtheirideasthrougheducationandalsotocoordinateeventsfor
members.Centraltotheirbeliefs,theyteachthatsexcanbeusedformorethanreproduction.
Sexcanbeusedforcreatingpersonalpleasure,bondingintimaterelationships,promoting
spiritualgrowth,and[by]enhancingemotionalandphysicalhealth.(History.)
Thankfully,theseideashelpdisrupt,intheirownsmall(provable)ways,the
religiouseducationalinstitutionsandgovernmentaleconomicinstitutions:Harmfulideassuch
askillinghomosexualsorsellingspecificsexualidealstoapopulation,forexample.Theideas
theystartedoutwithseemtoconfirmasmuch:Inasexpositiveworld,everyonehasthe
freedomandresourcestopursueafulfillingandempoweringsexlife.(History.)Basically

meaningLGBTQIA,etal.,simultaneouslyaddressingpeoplespoweroverothersonthebasis
ofsexbyempoweringsexualitytoeveryone.
Withoutsayingasmuch,CSPCseemstobeaddressingageoldconflicttheorieswith
religiousinstitutions,especiallyinthispresupposedChristianNation.Theireducationalideas
showanunderstandingofreligiousteachingsofguilt,replacedinsteadwithempowerment.
Curiously,theyalsomaybeincreasingthemeaningoflovethyneighbor.CSPC,onsome
levelsfunctionscomparablyasareligion:Annualmembershipfeesseemsomewhatliketithing,
theyhavemembers,andmembersareheavilyencouragedtoattendevents.However,through
theirideastheyhaveremainedreligiouslyunaffiliated.Infact,founderMichaelGilbertsaid:
Wesawthatsomethingcouldhappenandfelttiredofpeoplebeingtaughttobeashamedof
theirbodiesandsexualities.(History.)Evenmorecurious,thelovethyneighborreligions
areactivelyengagedinpreachingtheoppositeofMr.Gilbertswords.Iftheyswingandmiss,
dowestillhavetoturntheothercheek?Wecould,instead,takeaturntoteach:Actively
attemptingtodecreaseAmericasalarmingraperatebyteachingpeoplethatsex,inalotof
cases,isactuallyprettyokay(except,ofcourse,whenitis
not
.)CSPCdoesthisforpeople
regardlessoftheir(healthy)sexualinterestbyprovidingaphysicallyandemotionallysafe
environment.
AroundthesametimethattheCenterforSexPositiveCulturewasabletoprovidethe
environmentitneededtoexist,itsplitandformedtheFoundationforSexPositiveCulture.For
themostpart,thispartoftheorganizationnowhandlesthemoreeducationalaspectsofthe
CSPC,whilealsoworkingtobenefitarts,advocatesexualissues,andrunresearchprograms.
TheartsbenefitgrewintowhatisnowtheSeattleEroticArtFestival,whichinvitesthecreation,
enjoyment,andpurchaseoferoticart.Again,detractingfromreligionandalsopolitically
conservativemediaoutletsthatwouldratherusbelievepornography,or,thatwhichismeant

toarouse(inthiscase,eroticart)isbadforuswhilesellingabstinencebeforemarriageor
sexuallylacedadvertisingforproducts.Optimisticallyhere,sexpositivecultureisaconcept
institutionscouldlearntoworkaroundinordertobetterbenefiteveryone.
ThebiggestdrawbacktotheCSPCrightnowisitseconomicbasis.Althoughdifficultto
change,theorganizationhasclearlylaidthegroundworktomakedentsinandrocentrismand
sexismweseeintheworkplaceorontelevision.Empoweringpeoplethroughsexualitystarts
conversationsthatcandismantlemensperceivedpoweroverwomen,orevensimplypeoples
powersoverothersbyteachingtheideathatsexishealthywhenpracticedsafely.CSPC
advocatessafersexandcleanlinessinparticular,whichcouldeasilybeconstruedasa
femininegendercharacteristicoranotheropportunitytobegindialogueonwhetherornotwe
wanttobeasexpositivecultureortherapeobsessedculturetheinstitutionswouldcreditusas
being.WithyetanotherlogicalitytotheCSPCsposition,itbecomesmoresurprisingthatmore
peoplearentsupportingit.ItdoesnotcurrentlyoperateitselfoutsideSeattlerightnow.Onone
levelitlackstheeconomicbasistoextenditself,onasymbolicinteractionistlevelitseems
morallyquestionabletoextendtheeconomicinstitutionalspheretojustincludesexratherthan
usingsextosellthesubtlehintsthatappearinadvertisements.
Atthispoint,itmerelyseemsasthoughtheCSPCislittlebetterthantheusual
patriarchalbargainswefindinourstrictlygenderedsociety.However,withinitsstructureis
offeredthechancetosupportchange,withanendmissionseeingtoincludingthe
resources
for
asexuallyfulfillinglife,regardlessofgender.Althoughlegalizinghomosexualmarriageinthe
U.S.isagoodstep,itisbynomeansthelaststep.Onasociallyacceptablelevel,wecannow
exchangevowsandgainlegalrightsthatprobablyshouldhavealreadybeenthere.Love
betweenmorethanheterosexualcouplesisnowsymbolicallyrecognizedbythegovernmental

institution,butatermlikesexuallyawarepolicymakingisoftenmarginalizedbymoreimportant
things,suchasbailoutsandcampaigning.
Asithappens,atleastonegrouphasbetterthingstodo:CSPC.Theirgoalsbeyondthe
legalizationofgaymarriagedoincludeextendingbothnationallyandinternationallyinorderto
furthereducatepeopleonsexpositivecultureandsafersexpractices.Theirlastgoalasstated
isthatTheCenterservesasamodelandhasincrediblepotentialtochangeacultureand
propelthesexpositiverenaissanceforward.Withthisvision,itskindofdifficulttoseewhy
therehasntbeenamoreimmediateinstitutionalchange.Quickenoughforgovernmentwork
isasaying,thoughandhereitshows,astransparentasanyNSAwhistleblowercouldrequest.
Inthiscasemeaningespeciallyslow,thegovernmentisnotverygoodatshiftingitspower
structure.Nopresidenthaseverbeenablebalancethewagebetweengenders,eveninthe
WhiteHouse.Iftwoinstitutionshappenedtofunctionsay,thegovernmentandtheCSPC
together,thenUtahsownstategovernmentmightevengetonboardwithsexpositiveculture.
Utahsownsexoffenderlistfellunderthe>10,000category(Nolan.),surprisinglynotseenas
aredflagbythedominantproabstinenceonlyvoterdemographic.
TheCenterforSexPositiveCultureisalreadyestablishingrulesconcerning
nondiscriminationandinclusivenorms.Theextentthatgovernmentpushesheterosexual
breadwinner/housewifenormsthroughitsactivelylegislatingofmonetarygainsforcoupleswho
followtheexistingnormmightonedayfinditselfatoddswithamorethoroughlyeducated
society.Insteadofsiftingthroughrightsfortheselectfew,theselectfewcouldlookupfrom
theirproverbialsiftingandseethereareotherwaystoprosper.Althoughemasculating,the
governmentadmittingthatitswrongwhilepursuingeffortstorightthewrongsitsadmittedto
couldjustbeseenasnongenderedsmartparticularlybyapopulacethatactuallysupport
whattheirgovernmentisdoing.LookingtotheCSPCforhowtobetterestablishnormsand

educateothersonagenderedsocietythatcouldincreaseacceptanceanddecreasecrimeson
thebasisthatpeopleareapartofnature,oftenjustasuniqueasthethingswefindwithinit
mightinitselfleadtothemoreegalitariansocietyweallwantbutseemincapableofchoosing.
Asanorganizationthatadvocateseducation,volunteerwork,andsexpositiveculture,
theCenterforSexPositiveCultureispoisedtohelpsociety.However,itsalsoaninstitutiona
historicallydamagingthingforupto49.9%ofpeople,dependingontheconditionsofthe
democraticvote.Forsome,thisriskmightbetoogreat.Bycateringtothosewithextramoney
tospendonasexuallyhealthylifestyle,theCSPCcouldpotentiallybejustasdamagingasany
religionorgovernmenttosexualrights.Overtime,thosewhoinherittheorganizationwill
choosetokeepitsmissionforanallinclusivecommunityasanactivegoalbypursuingless
monetarybasedoperations,orallowthingstofallbythewaysideashasoftenhappenedwith
theinstitutionsthathaveestablishedthemselvesasauthoritiesinourlives.Intheend,wemay
onlyneedtoeducateothersonacommunityandagrassrootslevellikesomanyother
exercisesforhumanrights.

References:
FrequentlyAskedQuestions
TheCSPC
.TheCSPC.August,2015.Web.
History
TheCSPC
.TheCSPC.August,2015.Web.
WhichStatesHousetheMostSexOffendersperCapita?
Markham

Nolan.
Vocativ.15April
2015.Web.