Nearly 80 Temple students and their friends poured into the Student Center Friday night for the Feminist Majority Leadership Alliance’s sex toy party, in which half the proceeds benefitted Planned Parenthood Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Raffle tickets were purchased on behalf of Planned Parenthood’s Pledge-a-Picket campaign, where supporters pledge to donate money for every protester PPSP receives within a two-month period. The other half of the money went to FMLA to help fund numerous events they have planned this semester.
The party was hosted by Chiquita Handy, a sex toy party all-star and Passion Parties consultant. Passion Parties hostesses are not easily defined, as they have expanding backgrounds – mothers, housewives and grandmothers.
“I’m a legal secretary during the day,” Handy said. “This is just for fun.”
Handy, a Philadelphia native, hosts parties all over the Philadelphia region and in parts of New Jersey.
“This is my first one of this magnitude,” Handy said. “I usually have 40 to 50 people in someone’s house.”
Handy said the demonstration, which lasted two hours, was the ideal chance to taste, feel and touch the products before buying them.
Toys named Gigi, Pulsing Orbiter, Pharaoh’s Secret and Love Wand circulated the room for all to inspect.
Gels that create various sensations for different types of stimulation were passed around to taste and feel, including warming and tingling gels, and even Pure Satisfaction, which is said to induce multiple orgasms.
An array of different flavored lubricants and vibrators of different speeds made their way around for curious spectators to examine. Handy made talking about sex fun and easy by including the audience in her demonstration and inviting guests to share their own stories with toys. Everyone in attendance checked their timidity at the door.
“No one wants to admit it,” said Miguel Vargas, 28, of West Philadelphia. “But it’s always fun when toys are involved.”
To make talking about sex easier, students were warmed up with a round of games to quickly omit any reservations.
Two students showed off their safe sex skills when they were blindfolded and handcuffed to one another, and confronted with the task of dressing a cucumber with a condom using only their mouths.
A few lucky people were chosen to conduct experiments in bathroom stalls with one of the products, and report back to the group with their reactions.
“It feels like someone stuck a menthol in my vagina,” Cindy Yeh, 27, a Drexel University graduate said. “I’m going to buy it.”
The show was not for the faint of heart. However, the crowd was very open-minded. Judging by all the laughter, everyone seemed to have a good time.
Many students admitted it was their first time attending an event of such eroticism, and one confessed it was the most interesting party she has ever been to.
Deborah Hinchey, president of FMLA said the party was certainly a success for her organization.
“These kinds of events not only promote the bonding of a group,” Hinchey said. “We’re embracing sexuality and getting women in touch with their own sexuality.”
Crystal Hawkins can be reached at crystal.hawkins@temple.edu
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