Raising your arms, forming an “O” with your hands and shouting the spirit letter like you’re in Autzen Stadium isn’t normally referred to as “an ‘O’ face.”
But that was the suggestive lead-in Tuesday night in the Ford Alumni Center’s Giustina Ballroom@@http://uoalumni.com/s/1202/blank.aspx?sid=1202&gid=1&pgid=533@@ as MTV filmed footage for its new show hosted by Dan Savage that is based off his nationally syndicated sex advice column, “Savage Love.”@@http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/SavageLove?oid=10571844@@ In the show — which is currently untitled — Savage and sidekick Lauren Hutchinson@@http://theplainsman.com/bookmark/15620954@@ travel the country visiting college campuses and talking to students about sex, relationships and dating.
The duo and the MTV camera crew were on campus Oct. 30 through Nov. 2 filming one-on-one interviews as well as group conversations with students. MTV had an open casting call for any student over the age of 18 interested in being on the show.
In addition to talking to individuals, Savage and MTV held a free Q-and-A session Tuesday in the Ford Alumni Center to talk to students collectively and answer anonymous questions. Students over 18 turned in email-printed tickets at the door then were given a green card to write any questions they had for Savage, which he read aloud and answered. For students interested in asking questions publicly, some spoke to MTV staff beforehand and were preapproved to ask questions on camera at the end of the Q-and-A session.
“I like that they have the anonymous format because for me, I would never, ever do that,” University senior Hannah Jarman-Miller@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Hannah+Jarman-Miller+@@ said of speaking directly on camera, which she described as being “ballsy.”
Jarman-Miller was first introduced to Dan Savage and his blunt column through her roommate, who played the “Savage Love” podcast in their apartment. Jarman-Miller was then interested in seeing him live in an interactive environment on Tuesday.
“I wanted to see how people reacted in a big crowd,” she said.
“Some of his philosophies on monogamy are pretty interesting,” University senior Rachel Bracker@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Rachel+Bracker@@ said before the Q-and-A session started; she regularly reads Savage’s column on the back page of Eugene Weekly. “And as someone who aspires to it, it’s interesting to hear him talk about it as a flawed thing.”
Savage prepared no remarks for the Q-and-A, saying he was there to answer students’ questions. He fielded questions about any subject matter relating to sex, including: breakups, oral and anal sex, sexual identity, sex workers, S&M, fetishes, marijuana, HIV, monogamy and more.
“I’m here to undo abstinence education in two hours — that’s my superpower,”@@lol@@ he said. “We live in a sex-phobic culture.”
Much of his message centered on being comfortable with yourself and your wants. Savage advocates educating yourself and connecting with others who have similar interests, whether that be through blogs, books or websites. Or, to quote Socrates, “Know thyself.”
Worried about the status quo of pubic hair? It varies from region to region.
“Even block to block in Eugene,” Savage said. So do what feels right for you.
Thinking about having a threesome? They can be just as fun — or messy and unsuccessful — as a twosome.
With some questions, students were worried about liking a close friend or being attracted to a member of the same sex for the first time.
“Chill out,” Savage said. “You like who you like … people always ask me ‘How do I do this without being awkward?’” It’s part of the experience, he said. Acknowledging the awkwardness of a moment can make the feeling dissipate.
He had answered only five to seven questions at the beginning of the Q-and-A before a girl in the front row jumped on stage, shouted “Dan Savage is transphobic!” and delivered a glitter bomb — that is, emptied the contents of a container of purple glitter on Savage — and proceeded to sprint from the room.
The audience tittered about what just happened.
“Should we talk about this?” a person in the front row asked.
“It’s awkward, isn’t it?” Savage responded, causing laughter and proving his point from a few minutes before.
Joking aside, he addressed the incident and denied the accusation, saying that as a gay man, he saw himself as on the same side as the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer communities — that is, the whole spectrum of sexual identity, including heterosexuals.
“People have a right to their own bodies and a right to share them with whoever they wish in a consensual relationship,” he said.
Sophomore product-design major Chris Lau,@@http://directory.uoregon.edu/telecom/directory.jsp?p=findpeople%2Ffind_results&m=student&d=person&b=name&s=Lau@@ who listens to Savage’s podcasts with his girlfriend and reads the column in Eugene Weekly, had fun at the Q-and-A.
“It was a really good message,” Lau said. “The basis is in communication. Communicate and you will be happy and satisfied.”
Having a dialogue with your sexual partner about your desires and expectations is important.
“Ask for what you want and be clear about what pleases you,” Savage said. “Ask ‘What are you into?’”
Dan Savage gives romantic advice to University students
Daily Emerald
November 1, 2011
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