Speaker addresses sexual issues

The "Go Ask Alice" presentation Tuesday featured serious, funny and weird questions about sex -- just as organizers expected.\nJudith Steinhart, senior health educator for Columbia University and member of the team behind the "Go Ask Alice" Web site, gave the presentation, entitled "From Alfred Kinsey to Go Ask Alice," at the Indiana Memorial Union's Whittenberger Auditorium. \nSteinhart discussed sexual health topics concerning females and males.\n"We're talking about women's sexual health, but in a broader sense," Steinhart said Tuesday. "It's fun and lively to talk about sexuality; it's a cornerstone of who we are."\nSteinhart, a regular presenter at National Sexuality Conferences, came as part of the year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of "Sexual Behavior in the Human Female," written by Alfred C. Kinsey, founder of the Kinsey Institute.\nKathryn Brown, health educator at the IU Health Center, said she knew of Steinhart before Tuesday's presentation.\n"I remember being impressed at a sexuality conference," Brown said. "She has a winning combination of being experienced, funny and warm about issues that are important to us."\nSteinhart began her discussion by telling everyone how honored she was to be at IU and the respect she has for Alfred Kinsey. She described it as "the privacy of standing on Kinsey's shoulders.\n"Kinsey is one of the few people to figure out what questions to ask," Steinhart said. "The body of knowledge builds from Kinsey, which is why 'Go Ask Alice' exists."\nShe explained the importance of sexual health and having the confidence to share who you are or what you like with another person.\n"Create comfort with language. Talk to your partner," Steinhart said. "We're all unique, let them know 'a little to your left, harder, softer. I've never done X, but how about we do Y and try Z later.' Be comfortable to say what you like."\nPeople have choices and sexual knowledge helps make good decisions, Steinhart said. The goal is to increase your options.\nSteinhart said she believes a lot has changed in how we view sex and the questions we ask.\n"Things have not necessarily improved after 50 years, but only changed," Steinhart said. "There are new questions about herpes and HIV because that didn't happen back then."\nThe "Go Ask Alice" Web site reaches students in a different way. It was started privately in 1993 and expanded on the World Wide Web reaching readers from 85 countries. More than 2,500 questions have been received and five are posted each week. \nSteinhart said the team doesn't know where the questions come from, giving students more privacy.\nStudents and adults applauded and laughed with Steinhart throughout the presentation. Sophomore Sarah Medcalf said she thought the subject was interesting because it doesn't come up that often in depth.\n"I think this is good for those who are not even sexually active," Medcalf said. "It's a subject women don't like to talk about, but (Steinhart) talked about self-esteem and knowing yourself. Some parts made me feel uncomfortable, but it's good to be stretched."\n-- Contact staff writer Marilyn Jaynes at mjaynes@indiana.edu.