Former sex columnist discusses importance of sexual health

Fifteen year-old Logan Levkoff's parents pulled out bananas and condoms one evening in 1991- during the onset of the AIDS crisis.

Her parents declared, "You are going to learn how to do this," and from that night on Levkoff has been educating peers, parents and pupils about sex.

Last Friday, alumna Logan Levkoff returned to Penn to discuss her book Third Base Ain't What It Used to Be. A sexual educator, media personality and mother to son Maverick, Levkoff was welcomed by the Penn Bookstore and the Christian Association.

With long blonde hair and a stylish black ensemble, Levkoff does not fit the image of a sex educator propitiated by movies about high school. This is appropriate as Levkoff hopes to "change the way people speak about sexuality." She wants to dispose stereotypes, question presumptions and combat "palatable, slangy, juvenile terms" for body parts and sexual acts.

She also believes that education about sexuality begins early and at home. Levkoff describes her son as a "sexual education guinea pig." At three years old Maverick, already knows the proper anatomical terms - vulva, breast and penis. Levkoff believes "it is important to remember that sexuality is a big part of who we are" and "explicit acts of sex are only a small part of it."

Levkoff also recognizes the role college plays in moving toward sexual maturity. Who did what, with whom is scrutinized on campuses daily. Masturbation, on the other hand, remains taboo.

When Levkoff wrote a "very honest, personal and candid" article about masturbation for Generation XX, a Penn campus publication that dealt with women's issues, people took notice. Her father commented on her "great exaggeration" but Levkoff was not exaggerating.

Also at Penn, Levkoff wrote an anonymous sex advice column called "Ask Mistress Lola" for 34th Street.

Prior to college, Levkoff didn't believe she would grow up to be a sex educator. Still, she said, "I wake up every day loving what I do."

Others love what she does as well.

William Jones, a student at Boys' Latin of Philadelphia, interjected when Levkoff was explaining that it is okay for boys to defy the stereotype that all males want just sex from women.

"That takes a lot off my shoulders," he said, agreeing with Levkoff's point that sexual typecasting hurts men as much as it hurts women.

Rev. Beverly Dale of the CA said Levkoff's next book deals with how "college women are in a double bind. Women who want to be sexual and enjoy their bodies are labeled sluts."

Dale added that Levkoff can be influential in changing that dialogue.

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