The first speaker of the day was
Rev. Debra Haffner, and I must say I was pleasantly surprised. I wouldn’t
consider myself to be a very religious person so I was a little skeptical about
the first talk which was titled “Sex and Religion: What’s the Connection?” However,
Rev. Haffner did an extraordinary job in illustrating the common links between
sexuality and religion without “preaching” to the audience. She challenged the
common notions that sexuality and religion don’t coexist by citing specific
religious passages and arguing that sexuality is actually a gift, not a sin. She
specifically spoke of Genesis 1 and 2 as well as the Ten Commandments to convey
this message. Furthermore, she went on
to emphasize the need to listen to and recognize the over arching messages
rather than rigidly living according to a select few verses. Towards the end of
this fantastic presentation, Rev. Debra Haffner discussed the link between
sexual injustice and economic injustice and how all of this is in fact related
to religion. She spoke of how certain denominations were starting to move
forward and be more accepting of those who identify as homosexuals and that
certain groups were allowing these individuals to be clergy members. Rev.
Haffner presented some excellent points and offered inspiring messages which
were accessible, I believe, to all religions and faiths. I truly enjoyed
listening to her speak.
And then there was Dan Savage. I
had gone to “Savage Love Live” the night before, which was absolutely
hilarious, and knew that his talk at the symposium was going to be just as
great. Some audience members did not quite feel the same way, but that’s how
the cookie crumbles. He was interviewed in a Q&A format which focused
primarily on political issues. I don’t typically follow politics very closely,
but I thoroughly enjoyed Dan’s opinions on different matters and found myself
agreeing with most of his responses. And of course his humorous interjections
bashing politicians and Rick Perry made it just that much more enjoyable. Yet,
I think one of the highlight of his talk on Monday was when he digressed into
talking about the “It Gets Better” project. The sentimental stories that he
shared, not only from his past but from others benefiting from the project’s
message, moved the audience and really emphasized the need for increased
awareness and acceptance for the LGTB community and youth. The story of the
young girl who had sent him the letter was heartbreaking but also
inspirational. His unique combination of humor, sincerity, and blunt commentary
offered a certain type of energy to the symposium. Having him visit our campus
was definitely a privilege.
After my wonderful lunch with Debby
Herbenick, I listened to Pam Wilson speak. Her presentation was quite a
contrast from that of Dan Savage but equally enjoyable. She offered a
perspective on sexuality from birth to death which I imagine most people had
not considered before. Most individuals don’t want to acknowledge children or
the elderly as sexual beings, but Pam brought this reality to everyone’s
attention. She discussed how sexuality can be viewed in five circles:
sensuality, intimacy, sexual identity, sexual health and reproduction, and
sexualization. Most sexual education courses or views only incorporated two of
these five elements. Pam Wilson went on to emphasize how sexuality is more
dynamic than most programs and courses convey. She also presented statistics in
relation to Texas sex education, which are kind of alarming, as well as
highlighting new national standards. As studies have already shown, abstinence
only education is not effective and Pam hit this message home while
demonstrating how the state of Texas is lagging behind. She presented very
practical and insightful information about sexuality education while also
incorporating her own personal stories and elements of humor. Overall, Pam’s talk
was excellent and extremely relevant to current issues and educational
structure.
The last speaker was the wonderful
Debby Herbenick. Within the first few minutes of her presentation she had the
audience screaming the words vulva, penis, and clitoris without hesitation. She
went on to present 10 key findings from recent research studies about the
sexual behavior of Americans. She presented findings about sexual pain, pubic
hair, vibrators, and condom use among others. I found her research to be
fascinating and almost wished her talk lasted a little longer. She incorporated elements of humor and the
information she provided was relevant and interesting. Debby captivated the
audience and provided another outlet which encouraged sexual discussion and
inquiry. Her presentation was definitely one of my favorites by far.
Following Debby’s talk, there was a
panel discussion including all of the day’s speakers (minus Dan Savage L) led by Dr. Nenga. The
questions posed by Dr. Nenga were great which at times actually had the
speakers speechless for a few moments. The speakers alternated in providing
their responses which were very insightful. They discussed relationships and
how to go about talking about sexuality following this event as well as some of
the more surprising and strange moments in their careers. They also addressed
questions of audience members and provided thoughtful answers. It was nice to
have a kind of open forum which allowed for audience interaction and
discussion. This was an excellent way to conclude the symposium and
presentations in my opinion.
The Brown Symposium was absolutely
wonderful this year. Shame on anyone who missed it! (But if you are one of the
unfortunate souls who missed this spectacular event, no need to worry. Just
hunt down someone who ordered the DVD and you can still watch all of the
speakers’ presentations!)
