For more information:
Dr. Betty Sullivan
Good Vibrations Press Contact
(415) 503-1375
bettys@goodvibes.com

Good Vibrations Celebrates
12th Annual National Masturbation Month and
9th Annual Masturbate-A-Thon

Click to download a high res jpg image. Images courtesy Good Vibrations.

SAN FRANCISCO - (May 9, 2007): Join Good Vibrations, the Bay Area’s legendary destination for sex toys, personal care products and accurate sexual information, is celebrating the 12th annual National Masturbation Month this May. Good Vibes knows that sexual pleasure is a birthright and that masturbation is a powerful source of sexual gratification. Since practically everyone masturbates but few people talk about it, Good Vibrations created National Masturbation Month, a month-long celebration recognizing the many ways we can pleasure ourselves.

Good Vibrations began celebrating National Masturbation Month in 1995, after Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders was fired for saying that masturbation should be discussed as part of young peoples’ sexual education. The goal of National Masturbation Month is to raise awareness and emphasize the importance of masturbation for nearly everyone. Of all the kinds of sex people can have, masturbation is the most universal. It helps people learn about their bodies and sexual responses. It is safe, healthy and pleasurable.

“Masturbation is an elemental component of healthy, happy sexuality for so many people,” explained Dr. Carol Queen, author and Good Vibrations’ Staff Sexologist. “The popularity of National Masturbation Month and our overwhelming customer response reinforces the fact that everyone’s doing it. We’re just the only ones talking about it”.

As part of this year’s celebration, Dr. Carol Queen will be hosting a Masturbation Master Class at Good Vibrations’ 1620 Polk Street store location on Saturday, May 19, 2007, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM. Designed to help people learn how to get off, the class will cover various masturbation techniques, as well as information and demonstrations featuring some of their amazing sex toys and other products. Everyone is encouraged to attend this free event and enjoy light refreshments. The following Saturday, May 26, 2007, Sex Educator Heather Powers will be hosting the same free event for women only at Good Vibrations’ 2504 San Pablo Avenue store location in Berkeley, from 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM.

Annual Masturbate-A-Thon -

In May of 1998, Good Vibes launched the “Come for a Cause” Masturbate-A-Thon and raised $8,500 in donations to HIV prevention and AIDS education organizations. Since then, 1700 people have participated in the Masturbate-A-Thon by returning their pledge forms and raising over $25,000 for donations to worthy beneficiaries, such as the Woman’s Health Initiative. The largest amount raised by an individual is $1,000. The longest recorded masturbation sessions are 8 hours 30 minutes for men and 6 hours 30 minutes for women. Internationally renowned, participants come from several other countries, some as far away as Europe. Last year, the first ever Wank-A-Thon took place in London.

Like a Walk-A-Thon, but different, the Masturbate-A-Thon lets your fingers do the walking. Participants get friends to sponsor them for every minute they spend masturbating in the month of May. Pledge forms are available at Good Vibrations retail locations, or on the website www.goodvibes.com. All participants will get a Good Vibes “goodie” for proudly showing their support, with the top five masturbators receiving an assortment of Good Vibrations gifts. There are no judges for the Masturbate-A-Thon, which is private and conducted strictly on the honor system.

“Who’d want to cheat?” exclaimed Dr. Carol Queen. “It’s so much fun to masturbate. It’s not like you won’t do it and then say you did.”

This year, Good Vibrations is pleased to promote sex-positive education by donating all funds raised to The Center for Sex and Culture, a local nonprofit organization. The Center will also be hosting its own live Masturbate-A-Thon at The Porn Palace, 415 Jessie Street, on Saturday, May 26, 2007. For more information about their event, visit www.masturbate-a-thon.com.

For more information, contact Dr. Betty Sullivan at (415) 503-1375 or bettys@goodvibes.com.

About Good Vibrations
Good Vibrations is the San Francisco-based retailer trusted for nearly three decades to provide a comfortable, safe environment for finding sex-positive products and educational materials to enhance one’s sex life. Good Vibrations offers its products through its retail stores, mail order catalog and its ecommerce website at www.goodvibes.com.

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