Tuesday, May 2, Lawrence’s chapter of V-Day, an organization dedicated to preventing violence against women, sponsored a sexual awareness seminar for women in Riverview. The event was hosted by Jeanette Van, a consultant from a sexual product company called Pure Romance, which specializes in “sex 101, but making it fun!”
Upon entrance to the seminar, attendees picked up order forms and catalogues, were able to enter a free drawing for a door prize, and were given the opportunity to purchase a length of tickets that measured their “bust or booty.” These tickets were entered in a raffle to win a number of products that were on display at the event, including lotion, body spray and a vibrator.
Most of the event consisted of product demonstrations, including everything from lotion to give the impression of silk sheets without the slipperiness and pheromone-based body spray to flavored lubricants and brightly colored vibrators. There was plenty of licking, tasting and sniffing by partygoers trying out the different products. Volunteers from the audience were even able to help demonstrate some of the products.
At the end of the event, attendees were able to purchase any of the products from the catalogues they received at the beginning of the night. Fifty percent of the total profits made from the sales will be donated to V-Day, which will then donate the funds to an organization such as Harbor House.
Attendees had mixed reactions about the event. Advertised as a “sexual awareness workshop,” the event didn’t quite turn out to be what many women thought it would be.
“I was under the impression it was going to be more talk, less sell. You know, more information and question and answer stuff and less lingerie and sex toys,” Gina Loverde remarked. “In my opinion, an organization like V-day would have been better off sponsoring a more information-based event. An organization dedicated to stopping violence against women and a business selling sex toys and creams to please your man just don’t really go together.”
Mariel Koons had a similar reaction. “It wasn’t really what I expected because it ended up being more of a product demonstration than a workshop, but I still learned a lot.”
Although the Pure Romance party may not have been exactly what everyone expected, the focus on talking candidly about sex and making people aware of important sexual issues was supported by many women.
Sex sells at V-Day event
