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Megan Andelloux

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Megan Andelloux
At the Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health in Rhode Island.
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Sexologist and Sex Educator

Megan Andelloux is a certified sexologist and sexuality educator, accredited through The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT)[1] and The American College of Sexologists (ACS).[2]

Career

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A former member of the Pentecostal church, Assembly of God, she has been a sexuality educator since 1998, originally working with Planned Parenthood,[3] later as Director of the Sexuality Learning and Resource Center[4] and now serves as the Director of the non-profit Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health (CSPH) in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Andelloux is known for advocating that sexual pleasure is an integral part of overall sexual health, which she calls the "female pleasure principle".[5]

Appearances

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Andelloux has been an invited speaker at various colleges and universities, including Boston University Medical School, Brandeis University, Clark University, Bryant University, Wesleyan University,[6] Brown University, Vanderbilt University, Harvard University,[7] the Rhode Island School of Design, Tufts University,[8] the University of Tennessee,[9] and Yale University, as well as numerous other institutions[10] such as the Center for Sex and Culture,[11] and WholeDC.[12]

Author

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She is also an author of a chapter for the book We Got Issues!,[13] a feminist response to cultural attitudes on feminism, as well as once writing for the sex worker magazine, $pread.

Advocacy

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In late 2009 and early 2010, Andelloux's attempts to open The CSPH, her non-profit sexuality education center, became the center of a controversy pitting her against anti-prostitution and anti-trafficking activist Donna M. Hughes.[14]

The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health

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Although The CSPH was slated to open on September 26, 2009, Pawtucket Mayor James E. Doyle had "serious concerns about the Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health locating on Main Street" after he and the rest of the Pawtucket City Council received an e-mail one week prior to the scheduled opening.[15] Although originally reported as being sent from an anonymous "concerned citizen", Lynn Comella later claimed that the e-mail had been sent by Professor Donna M. Hughes from University of Rhode Island.[16]

The e-mail read, "Hello, A center for 'sexual rights' and 'sexual pleasure' is opening in Pawtucket".[17][18] Rumors circulated that The CSPH would actually function as a brothel, an abortion clinic, and a havenhouse for sex trafficking.[19] Andelloux said the CSPH would be a place where adults can talk openly about sex, and that opposition was founded on "a basic fear of talking openly about sexuality".[20][21]

Under threat of arrest,[15] Andelloux relocated the CSPH's premier event, which featured speeches such as the keynote by Carol Queen, from her leased space in The Grant Building to a nearby performance space.[22] The Pawtucket City Council cited educational zoning restrictions as cause for their opposition.[23][24][25] Despite the presence of other "educational" businesses that were already operating in the Grant Building, including a chess academy, Director of Administration Harvey E. Goulet denied Anelloux's application for a special permit,[26] which drew criticism from the American Civil Liberties Union because Goulet was quoted as objecting to "this type of business" as "not really something we feel is appropriate for our city". Rhode Island ACLU executive director Steven Brown said that Goulet's comments made clear "the city's intent is to suppress the speech that would otherwise occur at the Center. Such content-based discrimination raises serious constitutional concerns."[27]

In early 2010, the Zoning Board seemed to agree when, after many expressed regret to Ms. Andelloux for the prior tangle, the members cleared The CSPH to finally open.[28] The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health opened on February 2, 2010.[29][30][31]

In December 2013, the CSPH attained status as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization making the organization tax-exempt and eligible to apply for government and foundation grants. Furthermore, any donations made to The CSPH are now tax-deductible.[32]

References

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  1. ^ Staff writer (March 2012). "Megan Andelloux B.S." aasect.org. American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT). Archived from the original on 11 March 2012.
  2. ^ Staff writer (February 2012). "Woonsocket: Megan Andelloux B.S." americancollegeofsexologists.org. The American College of Sexologists. Archived from the original on 24 February 2012.
  3. ^ Staff writer (2011). "Speaker network: Megan Andelloux". ffeusa.org. Feminists for Free Expression. Archived from the original on 11 September 2013.
  4. ^ Staff writer (2011). "Meet the experts: Megan Andelloux, B.S." sexualhealth.com. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011.
  5. ^ Littlefield, Amy (3 December 2009). "Female sexologist awaits Pawtucket zoning board". Women's eNews. Women's eNews, Inc.
  6. ^ WesWell (November 2012). "Oh Megan talks dirty (blog)". wesleying.org. Wesleying. Retrieved 17 November 2012. Blog for students at Wesleyan University.
  7. ^ Underwood, Alice E.M. (26 April 2010). "Orgasm talk excites crowd". The Harvard Crimson. The Trustees of The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved 10 July 2010.
  8. ^ "Tea Time With Sexologist Megan Andelloux". tuftslife.com. Tufts University. 2010-11-15.
  9. ^ Staff writer (April 2015). "Events: sex week". utk.edu. University of Tennessee.
  10. ^ Staff writer (November 2012). "Megan Andelloux". phinli.com. PhinLi Bookings, LLC. Archived from the original on November 27, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  11. ^ "Two classes w/ Megan Andelloux, certified sexologist and educator at Center for Sex & Culture, San Francisco, California". culturemob.com. CultureMob.
  12. ^ Michael (11 December 2009). "WholeDC presents Megan Andelloux: The New Gay interview (blog)". thenewgay.net. The New Gay.
  13. ^ Andelloux, Megan (2006), "The Menarche Party", in Goddess, Rha; Calderón, JLove (eds.), We got issues! a young woman's guide to a bold, courageous, and empowered life, Novato, California: New World Library, ISBN 9781577318156. Preview.
  14. ^ Hughes, Donna; Brooks, Margaret (14 August 2009). "International sex radicals campaign to keep prostitution decriminalized in Rhode Island: Part 1". Citizens Against Trafficking. Retrieved 25 August 2009. Pdf.
  15. ^ a b Chalker, Rebecca (22 September 2009). "Rhode Island city censors opening fete for sexual health center". Sex & Relationship, AlterNet. Independent Media Institute.
  16. ^ Comella, Lynn (14 October 2009). "Sex panic in Pawtucket (blog)". goodvibes.com. Good Vibrations Magazine & Sex Blog. Archived from the original on 24 November 2011.
  17. ^ Hauk, Alexis (30 September 2009). "Hot controversy over sexuality center in Pawtucket". Pleasure Dept., The Providence Phoenix. Phoenix Media/Communications Group. Archived from the original on 9 October 2009.
  18. ^ Matthew (15 September 2009). "Donna Hughes and her ironic quotation marks strike again (blog)". mixtapesforhookers.com. Mixtapes for Hookers via WordPress. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012.
  19. ^ Guest post, (Friend of Megan Andelloux) (29 November 2009). "Megan Andelloux: The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health before Pawtucket Zoning Board of Review (blog)". gcpvd.org. Greater City Providence via WordPress.
  20. ^ Staff writer (1 December 2009). "Sex education center delayed". NBC 10 WJAR. Sinclair Broadcast Group. Archived from the original on 11 April 2010.
  21. ^ Andelloux, Megan (9 October 2009). "(Sex) education denied". CarnalNation Online Sexuality News Magazine. Center for Sex Positive Culture. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012.
  22. ^ Megan Andelloux (30 October 2009). Rhode Island City censors opening fete for Sexual Health Center (part 1) (YouTube). NobidadeTV. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
  23. ^ Kerr, Bob (2 October 2009). "Feeling good's a tough sell in Pawtucket". The Providence Journal. Local Media Group. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011.
  24. ^ Hurley, Tara (1 December 2009). "Pawtucket doesn't want "Education"". happyendingsdoc.wordpress.com. Happy endings? You can't clap with one hand: a director's blog via WordPress.
  25. ^ Kirwan, Donna Kenny (22 September 2009). "City blocks sex center". The Pawtucket Times. Archived from the original on 25 September 2009.
  26. ^ McKinney, Michael P. (5 November 2009). "ACLU criticizes sexual health center ruling". The Providence Journal. Local Media Group. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011.
  27. ^ Staff writer (4 November 2009). "ACLU calls on Pawtucket to allow sexuality education center to open". aclu.org. American Civil Liberties Union.
  28. ^ Minkin, Tracey (April 2010). "The SexEd warrior-queen". Rhode Island Monthly. Rhode Island Monthly Communications. Archived from the original on 2010-06-14.
  29. ^ Bramson, Kate (2 February 2010). "Pawtucket clears sexual education center to open". The Providence Journal. Local Media Group. Archived from the original on 7 October 2011.
  30. ^ Admin (February 2010). "Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health finally opens doors in Rhode Island". CarnalNation Online Sexuality News Magazine. Center for Sex Positive Culture. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012.
  31. ^ Staff writer (March 2010). "Andelloux wins approval for sexuality education center". Contemporary Sexuality. 44 (3): 12. doi:10.1177/027507409702700205. S2CID 145327924.
  32. ^ Staff writer (11 February 2014). "The Center for Sexual Pleasure & Health awarded non-profit status". Adult Video News. AVN Media Network. Retrieved 26 February 2014.
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