Megan Andelloux
Encyclopedia
Megan Andelloux is a certified sexologist and sexuality educator
, accredited through The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists
(AASECT) and The American College of Sexologists (ACS). A former member of the Pentecostal church
, Assembly of God, she has been a sexuality educator since 1998 originally working with Planned Parenthood
, later as Director of the Sexuality Learning and Resource Center and now serves as the Director of the 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."
Andelloux has been an invited speaker at various colleges and universities, including Boston University Medical School, Brandeis University
, Clark University
, Brown University
, Harvard University
, the Rhode Island School of Design
, Tufts University
and Yale University
, as well as numerous other institutions such as the Center for Sex and Culture, and WholeDC. She is also an author in the book We Got Issues!, a feminist response to cultural attitudes on feminism
, as well as once writing for the sex worker
magazine, $pread. 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
.
received an e-mail one week prior to the scheduled opening. Although originally reported as being sent from an anonymous "concerned citizen," the email was later discovered to have been sent from University of Rhode Island
Professor Donna M. Hughes
.
Donna M. Hughes's email read "Hello, A center for 'sexual rights' and 'sexual pleasure' is opening in Pawtucket". Rumors circulated that The CSPH would actually function as a brothel
, an abortion
clinic, and a havenhouse for sex trafficking. 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."
Under threat of arrest
, Megan Andelloux relocated the CSPH's premier event, which featured speeches such as a keynote by Carol Queen
, from her leased space in The Grant Building to a nearby performance space. The Pawtucket City Council cited educational zoning
restrictions as cause for their opposition. 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, 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."
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. The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health opened on February 2, 2010.
Sex education
Sex education refers to formal programs of instruction on a wide range of issues relating to human sexuality, including human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and...
, accredited through The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists
American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists
The American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists is a professional organization for sexuality educators, sexuality counselors and sex therapists.-History and overview:AASECT was founded by Patricia Schiller in 1967...
(AASECT) and The American College of Sexologists (ACS). A former member of the Pentecostal church
Local church
A local church is a Christian congregation of members and clergy.Local church may also refer to:* Local churches , a Christian group based on the teachings of Watchman Nee and Witness Lee, and associated with the Living Stream Ministry publishing house.* Parish church, a local church united with...
, Assembly of God, she has been a sexuality educator since 1998 originally working with Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood Federation of America , commonly shortened to Planned Parenthood, is the U.S. affiliate of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and one of its larger members. PPFA is a non-profit organization providing reproductive health and maternal and child health services. The...
, later as Director of the Sexuality Learning and Resource Center and now serves as the Director of the Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health (CSPH) in Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket, Rhode Island
Pawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...
. Andelloux is known for advocating that sexual pleasure is an integral part of overall sexual health, which she calls the "female pleasure principle."
Andelloux has been an invited speaker at various colleges and universities, including Boston University Medical School, Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
, Clark University
Clark University
Clark University is a private research university and liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts.Founded in 1887, it is the oldest educational institution founded as an all-graduate university. Clark now also educates undergraduates...
, Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
, Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, the Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design is a fine arts and design college located in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1877. Located at the base of College Hill, the RISD campus is contiguous with the Brown University campus. The two institutions share social, academic, and community resources and...
, Tufts University
Tufts University
Tufts University is a private research university located in Medford/Somerville, near Boston, Massachusetts. It is organized into ten schools, including two undergraduate programs and eight graduate divisions, on four campuses in Massachusetts and on the eastern border of France...
and Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, as well as numerous other institutions such as the Center for Sex and Culture, and WholeDC. She is also an author in the book We Got Issues!, a feminist response to cultural attitudes on feminism
Feminism
Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights...
, as well as once writing for the sex worker
Sex worker
A sex worker is a person who works in the sex industry. The term is usually used in reference to those in the sex industry that actually provide such sexual services, as opposed to management and staff of such industries...
magazine, $pread. 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
Donna M. Hughes
Donna M. Hughes is a University of Rhode Island professor of women's studies and activist against prostitution and human trafficking, and pornography....
.
Controversy over The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health
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 CouncilCity council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
received an e-mail one week prior to the scheduled opening. Although originally reported as being sent from an anonymous "concerned citizen," the email was later discovered to have been sent from University of Rhode Island
University of Rhode Island
The University of Rhode Island is the principal public research university in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. Its main campus is located in Kingston. Additional campuses include the Feinstein Campus in Providence, the Narragansett Bay Campus in Narragansett, and the W. Alton Jones Campus in West...
Professor Donna M. Hughes
Donna M. Hughes
Donna M. Hughes is a University of Rhode Island professor of women's studies and activist against prostitution and human trafficking, and pornography....
.
Donna M. Hughes's email read "Hello, A center for 'sexual rights' and 'sexual pleasure' is opening in Pawtucket". Rumors circulated that The CSPH would actually function as a brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
, an abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
clinic, and a havenhouse for sex trafficking. 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."
Under threat of arrest
Arrest
An arrest is the act of depriving a person of his or her liberty usually in relation to the purported investigation and prevention of crime and presenting into the criminal justice system or harm to oneself or others...
, Megan Andelloux relocated the CSPH's premier event, which featured speeches such as a keynote by Carol Queen
Carol Queen
Carol Queen is an American author, editor, sociologist and sexologist active in the sex-positive feminism movement. Queen has written on human sexuality in books such as Real Live Nude Girl: Chronicles of Sex-Positive Culture...
, from her leased space in The Grant Building to a nearby performance space. The Pawtucket City Council cited educational zoning
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
restrictions as cause for their opposition. Despite the presence of other "educational" businesses that were already operating in the Grant Building, including a chess
Chess
Chess is a two-player board game played on a chessboard, a square-checkered board with 64 squares arranged in an eight-by-eight grid. It is one of the world's most popular games, played by millions of people worldwide at home, in clubs, online, by correspondence, and in tournaments.Each player...
academy, Director of Administration Harvey E. Goulet denied Anelloux's application for a special permit, which drew criticism from the American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
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."
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. The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health opened on February 2, 2010.