CAPÍTULO IV: RESULTADOS
4.2. RESULTADOS DEL OBJETIVO DOS
Since 1998, May has been National Masturbation Month, during which eager beavers participate in a Masturbate-A-Thon. This pledge drive benefits women’s organiza-tions that promote sexual health. Touching, right? For details on this year’s event, click here. y
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any criticism from him would have sent me scurrying right back into the old missionary position.
First I decided I had to get up enough nerve to watch myself masturbate in front of a mirror alone. When I saw I didn’t look funny or strange, but simply sexual and intense, I was amazed.
Until that moment, I had no visual image of myself as a sexual being. With this new erotic information, I was able to make the breakthrough with Blake. We celebrated our Sexual Independence Day by showing each other that we could have first-rate orgasms by ourselves. We both loved it! Masturbating together demystified the romantic image of orgasm, and I stepped down from my pedestal to become a sexual equal.
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Dr. Dodson also points out time and again that masturbation is not an activity reserved for adolescents or a second-rate alternative to “real sex.” No, she says, masturbation can be an expression of the most enduring love affair of our lives. Partners may come and go, but sex with yourself offers constantly rewarding, ever-expanding contact with your most intimate, sensual nature.
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Lubes , Vibrators, and Sex Toys
Open for business since 1977, Good Vibrations devotes itself to providing access to sexual materials and accurate sex information. It’s a worker-owned, women-owned cooperative that makes shopping for sex aids, books, and videos easy and unembarrassing. Their retail stores replace the dark-and-dirty ambience of XXX adult bookstores with good lighting and clean decor. The Web site, GoodVibes.com,features complete product descriptions (you’ll never find your-self saying, “What’s that supposed to do?”) and a rating system that tells you just about everything you need to know: How intense is the sensation this thing pro-duces? Is it waterproof? Would it be good for someone just starting out, or is it more appropriate for an old-hand? One other thing to recommend it: No pop-ups from porno sites. Two items we especially recommend for first-timers: The Naughty Newbies Kit,which includes the book Toygasms and a beginner’s vibe, batteries, and a sample of lube; andthe lube variety pack,which allows you to try a bunch of products and choose which one you like best.
Information on and Help with Sexual Function
Drs. Laura and Jennifer Berman are sisters, one a urologist with special training in sexual function and the other a sex educator and therapist, in the forefront fight-ing for better understandfight-ing of female sexuality and more effective treatments for women. In 2001, they published For Women Only: A Revolutionary Guide to Overcoming Sexual Dysfunction and Reclaiming Your Sex Life. (To learn more or to order,click here.) They deliver loads of useful content online at the Network for Excellence in Women’s Sexual Health (NewShe.com). Check it out for help with everything from menstrual cramps to talking with your gynecologist to the 94
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T R E A S U R E C H E S T
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negative side-effects of prescription drugs on vaginal health and desire. The Bermans treat patients at the UCLA Medical Center, as well as the Berman Center in downtown Chicago, which opened in January 2004.
Betty Dodson’s Vaginal Barbell
Not only does this one-pound weight get the job done, but it’s also a beautiful sex-ual trinket and toy. It’s advertised as both a vaginal exerciser and a pleasure device, which Dr. Dodson has used for years in teaching women about orgasm. To see the barbell, instructions for use, photos of women demonstrating, or to place an order, click here. (Note: Lou Paget makes a different recommendation in our interview with her in chapter 6.)
Your Very Own Treasure Chest
A goody drawer no more … How about a Treasure Chest instead? Handcrafted of eastern aromatic cedar, this gorgeous chest is the perfect size to keep any and all of your implements of pleasure: vibrators, body paints, lube, you name it. Does not announce your collection, but still keeps it handy and provides the elegant storage it deserves. To see one or to order,click here.
The Big O by Lou Paget (Book)
Packed with revelatory information on both the female and male orgasm, this book delivers total satisfaction. It addresses the mental and physical aspects of the big O and gives you explicit techniques for creating mind-blowing and body-thrilling cli-maxes on your own or with a partner. To learn more or acquire the book,click here.
The author also does terrific Sexuality Seminars and posts lots of great sex infor-mation online. To see what’s available, visit LouPaget.com. (Note: You can also read our interview with Lou starting in the next chapter.)
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Sex for One: The Joy of Selfloving by Betty Dodson, Ph.D. (Book)
A classic first written in 1986, the updated edition also includes new materials by the author, a renowned masturbation advocate, artist, and sexologist. Dr. Dodson takes the shame out of selflove by revealing how satisfying, liberating, uplifting, and sexually and spiritually fulfilling this much-maligned practice can be. A joy-ful, intelligent, useful read by the patron saint of self-pleasure. Contains illustra-tions. To learn more or acquire the book,click here.
The V Book: A Doctor’s Guide to Complete Vulvovaginal Health by Elizabeth G. Stewart, M.D. (Book)
Get a clinician’s perspective on vulvovaginal self-care, plus learn what symptoms ought to prompt a visit to the doctor. Scientific without being boring or preachy, this book provides eminently useful information for every woman. To learn more or acquire the book,click here.
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I
n writing this book, we talked with lots of people, including experts and average Janes. There were a few folks who, by greatly influencing our opinions, giving us invaluable information, or just tickling our fancy, stood out as especially interesting interview subjects. In this chapter, we bring you transcripts of our conversations with four of them:Nance Mitchell . . . .99 Aesthetician (personal groomer) to the rich and glamorous in Beverly Hills, who reveals how to get the most out of every wax treatment;
Tioti . . . .117 Body artist, who uses the female form as his canvas and gives us a peek into the oh-so-open world of Key West
Lou Paget . . . .129 Bestselling author, sex researcher, and educator, who helps us sort through the myths, misperceptions, equipment, and ecstasies of sex
Layne Cutright . . . .143 Relationship educator, conflict resolution consultant, and personal coach, who provides us with simple and simply marvelous exercises to do with a partner for greater intimacy and sexual satisfaction
Look for more interviews like these in upcoming issues of our eZine, which you receive free as a bonus for purchasing this book.