I do not recall their faces being obscured or pixelated or anything. As to how identifiable that makes them, I do not know.
Pathros_1983, so don’t take the class. I doubt people who feel as you do would, anyways.
I myself admit, I would feel very uncomfortable taking such a class. So I wouldn’t.
Guinastasia I wouldn’t, but was responding to the OP because it had an article in the way of “this class needs to be banned and the funding revoked.”
I was simply exploring why I would or would not support that viewpoint.
I’m sorry for not quoting but I am just saying this bit before I’m off. Someone mentioned why taxpayers should get involved. Well, IMHO, if this class did verge upon child pornography, or the professor stepped into the real of sexual harassment and beliggerment towards students, then I could agree with revoking the funds.
From what I’m seeing though, the class was probably not required, so the only people who would sign up for it probably knew what to expect beforehand and signed up for it.
bo989, I think it was you who asked why I feel masturbation immoral? Sorry, but I respectfully chose not to get into an argument (or heated discussion) about my religous beliefs. If you really want to know, you can ask the question in the “Ask a Mormon” thread in MPSIMS. I used to be very contentious about what I believed, but since then have found that it does nothing to support or proport my own beliefs. (Proport probably isn’t the word I’m looking for) There is a lot more behind that decision, but it’s a simple “you can ask, but not here because I don’t want a debate or argument about it.”
I think that’s the point here, actually. If the class was required at a public university, then I could take serious objection to it, but it’s more of a “take it if you dare.”
I am also in a similar class. By any chance, Priam do you attend the UW-Madison?
My professor and her husband alternate semesters. Here’s a link to the text they wrote (and which we obviously use). Yes, we were given “mirror exercises” as assignments. When we were learning anatomy, both men and women were encouraged to explore their own sexual anatomy, as well as that of a willing partner of the opposite sex, if such a person was available. But it’s not like we had to hand in any work about it. Given our society’s anxiety about sex, I think it would be valuable for people of both sexes, but especially women, to explore their anatomy and their responses to various stimuli. Even in a class that you would think would select for students with greater than average knowledge about sex, there are plenty of students who didn’t have a clear idea of how things work.
Masturbation has been encouraged for both men and women. Though women get the added reason of it being good for menstrual cramps. The most explicit video we watched was designed for couples in therapy. A man and a woman were definately having sex, but it didn’t seem like porn (hey, there was no “bam-chicka-wow-wow” soundtrack). Students did not have to watch it. Our professor makes the distinction between “desensitizing videos” (such as that one), which we are not required to watch, and “informative videos” (such as one on fetal development, and one on romantic relationships of nursing home residents) that, come to think of it, I don’t think we’re necessarily required to watch, but we are very strongly encouraged to watch.
This class isn’t about gettin’ it on. We’ve covered fetal development (overall, and with regards to sexual differentiation), sexual anatomy and physiology, menstruation and pregnancy, methods of birth control, sexuality through the lifecycle, theories of attraction, homosexuality, sexual variances. We’ll also deal with sex and the law, and sex education. Our professor emphasizes that not only is the course designed to teach us more about sex for sex’s sake, but also so way down the line, we will be able to properly educate our children about it.
Err, read “variations” rather than variances. This is GD, and I want to be correct.
After doing some googling, it appears that the equivalent class at the University of Kansas uses the same text my class does. The link I provided gives the chapter titles, which should allow you to make some inferences about the course content. Or, go here.
have the students take a bit of responsibility. Suggestions that they should masturbate counts as sexual harrasment? I’ve heard worse things come out of a MATHS lecturer.
And since when did being offended become taboo in the Hallowed halls of learning? If what he was presenting was making people uncomfortable, then the important question is why did it make them uncomfortable?
If it was because he was a jerk, then all you can accuse him of is jerkness, Ive had plenty of jerky lectures. If what he presented was useful, then the students have gained something.
I dont think any of my med friends have ever heard of anyone trying to ban anatomy because it has yucky bones and stuff (I believe the week 4 anatomy lab involves a single human leg with scrotum and penis attached). So why do people have a particular beef with this course?