UC-Berkeley male sex ed class put on hold

BERKELEY, Calif. (U-WIRE)—The University of California-Berkeley male sexuality class has been suspended by administrators while an investigation into reports of illicit class activities is conducted.

The class's female counterpart is also under review but has not be suspended, officials said.

An instructors meeting of the student-run classes was scheduled for Friday, but when instructors of the male sexuality class failed to show up, the class was pulled, said George Breslauer, dean of social sciences at UC-Berkeley.

Students and instructors of the class said they took trips to strip clubs and "sex exchanges" and watched an instructor strip. Some also said a party at an instructor's house included group sex and a "party game" that had students photographing their genitalia and then trying to match the pictures to the correct body.

Those activities came as a surprise to Caren Kaplan, chairwoman of the women's studies department who oversees the course. She said she does not "police the content."

But, now she is heading the investigation into the reports, Breslauer said.

Kim Brodsky, an instructor of a female sexuality class said, "the male and female sexuality classes are two separate classes and are in no way affiliated. We support and defend the curriculum of our course."

Instructors of the male sexuality class likewise defended their curriculum. Drew Navarro, one instructor, said the classes "provide a much-needed forum" for discussion "of how students really feel about themselves and their bodies."

—Daily Californian

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