Partnering with Campus Activities Board, the Student Sexuality Information Service held Sex in the Dark on Sunday. The event featured a Q&A panel where ‘sexperts’ from New England answered students’ “anonymous questions about sexual health and relationships,” according to the event description.

The event started at 6 p.m. in Shapiro Campus Center Atrium. There, experts from various organizations answered students’ questions on sexuality. The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health was one of the organizations at the event. Located in Rhode Island, CSPH works on “creating spaces where adults feel free to ask questions without any shame,” according to Alicia Gauvin, the executive director of  CSPH. CSPH tours college campuses to present lectures and organizes community events in Rhode Island. 

In addition, the organization provides therapy services for individuals who want to speak with a professional about any issues related to sexual health or gender. CSPH also provides pre-recorded webinars for people who cannot physically be in their Rhode Island office and for those who want to learn at their own pace. 

Good Vibrations, an adult retailer store that also offers various workshops on sexuality in Harvard Square in Cambridge, MA, and Coolidge Corner in Brookline, MA, answered questions on how adult toys work.  

Pleasure Pie, “a small, sex positive activist organization based in Boston, MA,” according to Jean-Pierre Frost from Pleasure Pie, was also at the event. According to one of their informational zines, Pleasure Pie’s work “centers around ending sexual shame and/or preventing sexual assault” by making alternative sexuality education materials, including zines and other print materials, having sex positive events and offering workshops. Their events include a discussion group called Sex Positive Boston, and Sex Letters Open Mic, during which people read letters they’ve written to their teenage selves on what they wish they could have known about sex at a young age.

Planned Parenthood, New England Leather Alliance, Boston Alliance of LGBTQ Youth, Brandeis Chaplaincy and the Brandeis Health Center were also among the organizations at the event, according to the event’s Facebook page description. 

The event continued in the dark in the SCC Theater at 8 p.m. Students texted their questions anonymously to a number and a moderator from SSIS relayed these questions to the experts. The panel started with the question, “Is it OK that I lie to health professionals about how many sexual partners I have had?” Experts emphasized the importance of being open and honest to healthcare professionals “because the more information we give them, the more they can help.” 

The panel then proceeded to discuss tips for dildo sizes and measurements. Questions continued about fetishes and anal sex. Experts encouraged being at peace with fetishes, not making it sound like a deal breaker and having open conversations about fetishes with partners. They also suggested using enemas before anal sex.

Questions that experts did not answer during the panel will be answered via text within 24 hours.