U of T sex ‘orgy’ attracts hundreds

Jana Matthews, owner Oasis Aqua Lounge poses with Dylan Tower, University of Toronto Sexual Education Centre, at Monday's clothing optional event. 

“No-judgment” hot chocolate was the (literally) warm welcome students received upon arriving at downtown Toronto’s Oasis Aqua Lounge on Monday. The University of Toronto’s sex awareness event started at noon, bringing in thirty to forty students early in the day and eventually capping it off at approximately 180 people.

By 3:30 p.m. locker spaces were already full. A couple sat in the hot tub massaging each other in the heated sauna area of the club. Some students sat at the first-floor bar and a larger group of 15 to 20 sat in one of the rooms upstairs, laughing and getting to know one another.

“It’s an awesome sight to see all these people who might have been swayed by the misconceptions in the media, to come and just really enjoy themselves. For me it’s a huge relief,” Dylan Tower said.

Tamar Atik asks Dylan Tower, with the University of Toronto Sexual Education Centre, why they chose Oasis Aqua lounge to hold Monday’s event.

Tower, who is a coordinator of the university’s Sexual Education Centre (SEC), said that it doesn’t matter whether students decided to turn their casual conversations with each other into something more sexual because the point of the event was for them to have their questions answered by volunteers from SEC and meet new people in the process.

“It’s just a non-judgmental, no requirements, no push lifestyle. You can come in and you can do whatever you want, as long as it’s consensual with everyone around you,” he said.

Lounge owner, Jana Matthews stressed the fact that safe sex is the only kind of sex practiced within the venue, explaining why the lounge partnered with the student group to provide students with a place to have sex in if they chose to, after being educated about it.

Oasis Aqua Lounge owner Jana Matthews on hosting the University of Toronto’s sexual education event Monday.

“People in dorms have sex. Everybody has sex everywhere; in a car or in a parking lot. So we’re trying to provide a fun and safe place to do that… My guess would be it’s not going to turn into anything crazy,” she said in an interview Monday.

Students had to brace themselves against the cold before getting in, as the line formed around the block.

“It really is cold outside. #justsayin,” tweeted @shalom08.

In fact, the line was so long, some students couldn’t get in before the lounge’s maximum capacity was reached.

“Couldn’t get into the U of T sex party, so @DivaBrunch and @AlexOlaaa and I are watching #Zoolander,” tweeted @skathleenhughes.

Matthews mentioned that many students might just want to observe this time around.

“If there’s going to be 180 people here, it’s probably going to be too much for people who have never been and never experienced anything like this,” she said, recommending that they come back a few more times before making their decision on whether this “lifestyle” might fit into their own.

Matthews said students have told her they feel comfortable at the lounge. Club rules include respecting people’s space and not being allowed to watch anyone performing a sexual act without asking. Rowdy behaviour and drunkenness are also strictly prohibited and result in being asked to leave the premises. The club’s age limit for student nights is 19- 35.

For the purpose of the university event, students were prohibited from using their cell phones after 6 p.m. to respect everyone’s privacy. The cellphone restriction was based on an honour system leading up to the clothing-optional part of the night as it got closer to 7 p.m.

Matthews got busier every minute as she helped check in arriving students and Tower could barely hide his excitement as more students started crowding in.

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By: Tamar Atik
Posted: Jan 24 2013 3:03 pm
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1 Comment on "U of T sex ‘orgy’ attracts hundreds"

  1. At this era of time, we have to be open about teaching our students about sex. Incidents happening regarding sex, from early pregnancy to STD, are getting worse.

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