Did a Northwestern University human sexuality professor go too far when he held an optional live-sex presentation on campus grounds?
On Feb. 21, Prof. John Michael Bailey, a psychology professor known for pushing the envelope, invited students from his human sexuality class to observe a non-student naked woman being stimulated with a motorized sex toy on stage, NBC station WMAQ reported.
About 120 students attended the demonstration, which was curated by Chicago sex tour guide Ken Melvoin-Berg, according to the Northwestern Daily student newspaper.
The session was billed as a question-and-answer session about fetishes with a demonstration at the end, said Pratik Shah, a senior math and economics student. Students were warned of the nature of the class several times, and some walked out before the demonstration.
"Then, just out of nowhere, the girl just takes her pants off, takes her shirt off, takes her underwear off," Shah said.
Shah didn't stay the whole time, because he was with some people who were uncomfortable and wanted to leave. But he says he can see both sides of the story.
"As long as there's been proper warning, the people that stay shouldn't feel offended," Shah said. "They're choosing to see what they're seeing."
The professor and administrators have defended the class.
"I think that these after-class events are quite valuable," Baily said in a recording of last Wednesday's lecture obtained by the paper. "Why? One reason is that I think it helps us understand sexual diversity."
"Sticks and stones may break your bones, but watching naked people on stage doing pleasurable things will never hurt you," he said.
Northwestern's Dean of Students Burgwell Howard told the paper by e-mail that though "somewhat surprised" by the demonstration it likely "falls within the broad range of academic freedoms — whether one approves or disapproves."
Bailey's class is a popular one at Northwestern, attracting 622 students this semester. After-class panels such as the one last Monday are offered as educational addendums to the class.
