An article in The Amherst Student, entitled, “Amherst Afterglow: Home of the Moan,” discusses masturbation and celebrates it as a vehicle to understanding one’s own sexuality. The article delineates the benefits of self-pleasure. For example, the author contends, knowing one’s own body lends itself to “reaching one’s sexual potential with a partner,” as well as serving as a “normal and healthy release of energy.” The article advocates incorporating sex objects into masturbation and argues the importance of foreplay in reaching orgasm, whether alone or with a partner.
Despite the seemingly controversial nature of the “Home of the Moan” article, not many public comments were left online in response to it. The few comments that were left were quite brief and almost dismissive of the article’s arguments. It would seem that perhaps masturbation remains a hush-hush topic on college campuses, despite that ” 88 percent of males and 71 percent of females between the ages of 18 to 24 have masturbated at some point in their life.” It is possible that embracing masturbation as a way to understand the workings of one’s own and one’s partner’s sexuality, might actually open the door to more satisfying sexual experiences for all.
