If you
haven’t heard of Laci Green, you may have heard of her presentation, “The Best Sex Ever.” She spoke March 13 in the Bell Memorial Union Auditorium as the third and last installment of UMatter Day. The talk covered topics such as sex, alcohol and consent.

Laci Green is a YouTube star famous for her “Sex +” channel featuring a wide array of informative and often comical videos that teach viewers about human sexuality. Her style is down-to-earth and approachable.

The purpose of “The Best Sex Ever” is to display this information to an audience in a way that is just shocking enough, funny enough and makes enough common sense that it resonates in everyone’s minds.

Attending the presentation was quite an experience for me.

Graphic photos of genitalia, disconcerting realities about sexually transmitted infections and the odd poke at a sexual anxiety of mine made feeling comfortable in my seat a task in and of itself.

Laci mentioned that someone had fainted once before at her seminar before beginning the slideshow. Five minutes in, with numerous gigantic pictures of vulvas, penises and testicles, I could see why.

Through writing this column and exposing my sexuality to all of my Facebook friends, the school, any potential reader and even myself, how much this representation of human sexuality is still largely taboo in our society didn’t hit me until I had a conversation after the seminar. Despite being uncomfortable with certain parts of the discussion, it was still easy for me to accept it all.

She provided knowledge regarding acceptance of certain sexual acts, what sexual orientation really means, how sex involving alcohol is considered rape under the eyes of the law and how poor body image because of one’s genitalia is detrimental to the potential enjoyment of our sex lives. These issues get largely ignored in common discussion of sex and in the sexual education classes I had during my previous schooling.

The effects of this general miscommunication were very apparent in the audience during Laci’s presentation.

People left the building because they felt so uncomfortable with the topics she was talking about. Gasps from the people surrounding me and numerous “Oh my god!” exclamations exemplified both the discomfort and necessity of the information being presented.

I believe it can be presented less graphically and with less shock factor, but these aspects of her seminar can make lasting impacts on our minds and lives. The presentation is memorable and the message is unmistakable.

We, as human beings, have a lasting discomfort with both our own sexualities and the acceptance of other people’s. Laws against gay marriage, “slut-shaming,” sexual objectification and rampant sexual anxiety issues all lead to the importance of the movement Laci Green is helping to spread.

Check out her YouTube channel and give her voice a chance. Your life will be positively affected by doing so.

I know that Laci Green will help me immensely in the continuation of my sexual self-actualization and in the influence I want to make upon the world.

Paradoxically, there is not one answer for the best sex ever. But through knowledge, self-awareness and action, it can be practiced within yourself.

Michael Karp can be reached at [email protected] or @_MichaelKarp on Twitter.