                      * SOCIETY FOR HUMAN SEXUALITY FAQ *

                        Last Modified on August 9, 1996

      The latest version of this FAQ is available on the Society for Human
          Sexuality WWW page at http://weber.u.washington.edu/~sfpse/

    WHAT IS THE SOCIETY FOR HUMAN SEXUALITY?

    The Society for Human Sexuality is a Registered Student Organization at
    the University of Washington (Seattle), and has been in existence since
    March 2, 1995.  The official purpose of SHS is "to support the
    understanding and expression of human sexuality, and to promote
    education about and acceptance of all sexual orientations as well as all
    consensual and safe sexual practices."  Our faculty advisor is Dr. Lois
    McDermott, who teaches PSYCH 210 and PSYCH 101 at UW.

    Generally, we believe that erotic exploration can be beautiful,
    pleasurable, enriching, and even spiritual.  We believe that our diverse
    sexualities are worthy of honor, joy, learning, and sharing.

    WHAT DOES SHS DO?

    * We sponsor workshops and lectures, both formal and informal, on a
      variety of healthy and diverse forms of human sexual expression.
    * We host one electronic mailing list (with about 400 subscribers) for
      open discussion of human sexuality, and another electronic mailing list
      for announcements of sex-positive events in the Seattle area.  For
      instructions on subscribing, send an e-mail message to
      listproc@u.washington.edu with "info shs" as the sole body of the
      message (leaving out the quotes).
    * We host monthly Erotic Reading Circles.  These are gatherings
      (usually at one of our homes) to read portions of erotic stories to
      each other and socialize.
    * We maintain an office space in the UW HUB (Room SB-33), which allows
      us to hold office hours to visit with students and the general public,
      and to provide a space for our donated print library of books and
      magazines.
    * We hold periodic dance parties, sex parties, social outings to plays,
      social outings to various local sex-positive events, and movie nights.
    * We maintain a well-known WWW site on the internet committed to
      presenting quality information on human sexuality.

    WHAT TOPICS AND SPEAKERS HAS SHS PRESENTED SO FAR?

    Topics considered by Society for Human Sexuality in the form of hands-
    on workshops and lectures have included Tantric sex, SM, erotic art,
    sex work, sex toys, safer sex, practical exhibitionism, sacred
    whoredom, erotic body piercing, male multiple orgasms, erotic writing,
    erotic dancing, anal fisting, rope bondage, play piercing, CBT, and
    fire play.

    We have sponsored lectures by such luminaries as Carol Queen, Joani Blank,
    Jay Wiseman, Lady Green, Carol Leigh, Laura Antoniou, and Cecilia Tan.
    Please see our WWW page for a complete chronology of events we have put on
    so far, and for listings of upcoming events.

    HOW CAN I CONTACT THE SOCIETY FOR HUMAN SEXUALITY?

    You may use any of the following means.  E-mail sent directly or sent
    through the SHS WWW page goes only to the SHS president, and is
    considered confidential unless you state otherwise.

    E-Mail: sfpse@u.washington.edu

    WWW:    http://weber.u.washington.edu/~sfpse/

    Mail:   University of Washington
            Society for Human Sexuality
            SAO 141
            Box 352238
            Seattle, WA  98195

    WHO MAY PARTICIPATE IN THE SOCIETY FOR HUMAN SEXUALITY?

    Anyone over the age of 18.  Participation in our Society is open to
    University of Washington students and non-students equally, and you do
    not need to be an SHS member in order to attend our events.  Among the
    people active in our organization, about half are non-students and ages
    range from 18 to 55.  About half of our regular attendees self-identify
    as straight, about half as queer.  Participation and leadership in SHS
    is open to all.  We hope that you'll want to attend our events, and
    maybe get involved and instigate some of your own!

    DOES SHS HAVE A WWW PAGE?

    Yes.  In fact, the Society for Human Sexuality WWW page at
    http://weber.u.washington.edu/~sfpse/ has become the largest source of
    information on human sexuality available on-line.  It contains over 23
    megabytes of informational text files on all aspects of sexuality,
    event listings for SHS and the Seattle area and local/national resource
    guides, and more information about SHS.

    No passwords are necessary to use this WWW page, and complete access is
    completely free.  We strongly urge you to try it out, and we can even
    provide you with a brochure that will help you get on the internet (even
    if you don't have any money or a computer!) so you will be able to use it.
    Write to us if you need a copy of this brochure.

    WHAT ABOUT MONEY?

    We charge no annual dues.  Instead, there are generally admission fees for
    our formal public events.  We also encourage people to donate money to us
    as the mood strikes them.  If you wish to donate money to Society for
    Human Sexuality, you may send checks (written out to Society for Human
    Sexuality) to our regular mailing address.

    Please note that registered student organizations at UW are legally
    forbidden from being run for personal profit.  ALL of our participants are
    volunteers, and ALL of the money donated to us or taken at the door at
    events is used to rent space for more lectures, make photocopies, pay
    transcription fees for lectures, etc.

    WHAT'S THIS BUSINESS ABOUT DISK SETS AND PRINTED VOLUMES?

    People who donate $40 or more to us may receive sets of 3.5" computer
    disks containing the entire 23 megabyte sexuality library held on our
    WWW page.  The files are provided in an easy-to-install and easy-to-
    read format.  If you wish to receive these disks, then include a note
    with your $40 donation specifying whether you want DOS or MAC format,
    telling us where to send the disks, assuring us that you're over the
    age of 18, and assuring us that owning and reading sexually explicit
    material is not illegal in your area.

    If you do not own a computer, you may request (instead of the disk sets) a
    printed, 130 page spiral bound book containing a selection of the most
    important documents on our WWW page.

    WHAT IS THE FUTURE OF SHS IN SEATTLE?

    Before the year 2000, there may be two Societies for Human Sexuality in
    Seattle: one at the University of Washington, serving UW students with
    basic information on safer sex, contraception, and more common forms of
    sexual expression, and another serving and comprised of the general
    Seattle sex-positive community.  The non-UW affiliated version of SHS
    will be much more free to sponsor ongoing hands-on events and
    possibly national symposia.

    ARE THERE OTHER CHAPTERS OF SHS AROUND THE COUNTRY?

    There is one other chapter of SHS, located at UC/Berkeley.  The contact
    for that chapter is Reka, and her e-mail address is
    reka@uclink.berkeley.edu.  You are free to set up local chapters of SHS
    wherever you may live.  SHS chapters are autonomous, and do not
    necessarily need to be attached to a University.  Check our WWW page or
    send us e-mail if you are interested in starting one.

                             * GENERAL QUESTIONS *

    WHERE CAN I GET AN ANSWER TO MY QUESTION ABOUT SEX?

    The Society for Human Sexuality WWW page at
    http://weber.u.washington.edu/~sfpse/ may have the answers you need.
    If it does not, then you could try San Francisco Sex Information at
    (415) 989-7374 or Seattle Sex Information at (206) 328-7711.  Both of
    these phone hotlines are anonymous, sex-positive, and free; they are
    also staffed by trained, knowledgeable people.  You might also try
    reading a book such as The Good Vibrations Guide to Sex by Cathy Winks
    and Anne Semans.  If you believe that you may have been exposed to an
    STD or are in need of contraception, you should call a health clinic
    such as Planned Parenthood (1-800-230-PLAN).

    HOW MAY I DISTRIBUTE THIS FAQ LIST FOR SHS?

    You may distribute this FAQ list in any way, shape, or form that you
    choose, provided that no money is charged for it and that it remains
    unaltered and intact.  Permission for posting to Usenet, posting to WWW
    pages, and e-mailing is explicitly granted.

                    * QUESTIONS ABOUT SHS ON-CAMPUS EVENTS *

    WHAT EVENTS ARE HELD ON-CAMPUS?

    Society for Human Sexuality holds some events on-campus at the
    University of Washington HUB, and some events off-campus at a variety
    of locations.  Off-campus events can be much more explicit, informal,
    or "hands-on" than on-campus events, but on-campus settings are
    generally more appropriate for visiting lecturers and for events
    directed at college audiences.  However, on-campus events typically
    have more rules associated with them due to existing UW regulations,
    which is why this portion of our FAQ list was put together.

    MAY THOSE WITHOUT UW ID ATTEND EVENTS IN THE UW HUB?

    In general, yes.  For events held in the UW HUB, general University
    rules and traditions (which apply to ALL student groups) are as
    follows:

    1. Those with UW ID may be let in right away.
    2. Those without UW ID may be let in right away if they are accompanied
       by someone with UW ID.
    3. Those who can't be admitted right away may be admitted just before
       the event begins, space permitting.

    We generally book large spaces for our on-campus events, and have so
    far never had to turn someone away due to lack of UW ID.  For off
    campus events, these rules do not apply, and we do not check for
    student ID's of any kind.

    WHERE DO I GET TICKETS FOR EVENTS?

    Unless otherwise noted, we do not sell tickets for our events in
    advance.  For events in the UW HUB, you may purchase your tickets as
    early as 15 minutes before the start of the event and as late as 15
    minutes after the start of the event at the HUB Ticket Office, which is
    located to the right of the main information desk on the first floor of
    the HUB.  During this time period, you must purchase your tickets at
    the HUB Ticket Office, as we are not allowed to sell them at the door
    of the event.

    If you arrive at our event after the HUB Ticket Office closes and seating
    for the event is still available, you may enter and pay your admission fee
    to any of the SHS officers who may be attending the event.  These rules
    only apply to events in the UW HUB.  For events held elsewhere, there is
    generally either no fee or someone to take your money at the door of the
    room where the event is being held.

    HOW DO I GET TO THE UW HUB?

    Let's assume that you're traveling on I5.  Take the NE 45th Street
    exit, which is found to the north of the Ship Canal Bridge that crosses
    Lake Washington.  Proceed east on NE 45th Street until you reach 17th
    Ave NE. Then turn to the right, onto campus.  If the parking toll booth
    is staffed, you should request parking in or near lot N22 as that is
    closest to the HUB (you should also request a campus map from the toll
    booth operator if you don't have one already).  Follow the road you are
    on south into campus until you reach Stevens Way.  They turn to the
    left and continue on Stevens Way until you reach the HUB, which will be
    on your right.  It is directly across the street from the Engineering
    Library.

    You can call (206) 543-2100 for general University information, and (206)
    553-3000 for info on Metro bus lines.  Both numbers are answered 24 hours
    a day.

    WHAT ABOUT ACCOMMODATIONS FOR THE DISABLED?

    To request disability accommodations for events in the UW HUB, contact
    the UW ADA Coordinator ten days in advance: 543-6450 (voice), 543-6452
    (TDD), 685-3885 (FAX), or access@u.washington.edu (E-mail).  Also, if
    you are disabled, you are guaranteed access to parking lot N22, which
    is nearest to the UW HUB.

    As many of the SHS events which are held off-campus are held in private
    homes and apartments, we cannot necessarily guarantee disability access
    for off-campus events in the same way we can for on-campus events; send us
    e-mail if you have any questions on this matter.

                                 HAPPY LOVING!

    * END OF SHS FAQ *