prisons and ballets and boats (oh my)

Well, it's certainly been a minute. I maybe shouldn't have waited until last night to start writing my 2 papers that were due today, but hey, when in Denmark, right? (My Psychology of Human Sexuality paper is at the end. Just for the record, it's about masturbation.. so... ya).

Anyway, here goes the last two weeks.
Last Tuesday night (Feb. 19), my ballet class went to the historic and beautiful Royal Danish Theatre (aka Det Kongelige Teater) to see Dans2Go. It was basically 3 ballets in one; the first was called Chroma, the second, The Unsung, and the third, was the final act of the classic, La Bayadere. The first two were very modern ballets while the third was a classical one. Check out the youtube links! (Unfortunately there wasn't one for The Unsung, so I'll sum it up: half naked men. no music. curtain). Really an awesome experience. And that was only the first of four we get to see over the course of the semester.

snuck a pic during La Bayadere

The ballet ended at about 11 and Julia came back to stay the night because the next morning, we had to be in the city at 6:45 for our criminology field study. In other words, we got back home around midnight and had to wake up at 5, so that was fun. We took a bus to Jyderup (like, Yewderup), an open prison about 1.5 hours away from Copenhagen. Scandinavia is known for its open prisons, and even after discussing what an open prison entailed in class, I was not expecting what we saw at Jyderup. We were greeted at the front gate by Jeanette, one of the prison guards, and Ricky, an inmate halfway through his 5 year sentence. I should point out now, that there were 2 gates surrounding the prison, not to keep prisoners in, but to keep the outside world out. The first was about knee-high and put up to keep the community from walking their dogs through the prison and using it as a park. The second, higher security gate was put up as a means of protection for the prisoners.. as you can imagine, there were some pretty unhappy Hells Angels and drug dealers on the other side of the wall. You would think that given how free prisoners are move about the prison grounds escape rates would be through the roof. I guess the thought of leaving the "comfort" of the open prison for solitary confinement in a closed prison isn't so appealing. Imagine that. I use the term comfort lightly.. yes, these prisoners wear whatever they want, have the opportunity to decorate their rooms as they please, can request permission to leave to visit family or see a doctor, buy and cook their own food (using knives), etc. but at the end of the day, they're still in prison. They can't go out with their friends, see their wives, girlfriends, or kids as they please; they do not have the most important freedom and that in itself is the punishment. One of my readings for class argued that imprisonment in itself is the punishment and prison should not be used for punishment. I think we forget that in the states. Here is my response to our class discussion:

---Generally speaking, normalization in a prison setting refers to the concept of creating an environment as similar as possible to "everyday life", while still being retained under the prison system. I think that the Rentzmann article describes the Danish open prison system best when he states that prisons should be used as punishment, not for punishment. Prisons as "total institutions" have had detrimental side effects for prisoners upon release, which considering the harsh conditions and cruel treatment in such institutions, should be expected. In order to combat these side effects and promote a "crime-free life", prison conditions should, ideally, deviate as little as possible from ordinary society. In this way, imprisonment, in itself, will be the punishment and, at the same time, an environment more suitable to rehabilitation is created. This method is ultimately geared at shifting the focus from punishment for crimes committed, to rehabilitation and prevention of re-offense upon release. 

That being said, I think that there is really no question of whether it is possible to both normalize and carry out a sentence; as long as the long term goal remains rehabilitation and future crime prevention, the sentence will almost undoubtedly be carried out. Maybe short term, a closed prison with inhumane punishments and a total institution attitude would be effective, but only in terms of the punishment aspect. Punishment has to be looked at short term (a criminal must be reprimanded for crimes committed), but also in the long term (how do you effectively reprimand a criminal and prevent future offense as well as aid in the re-socialization process?). The answer, it seems, lies in the concept of normalization; if a prison and the consequential loss of total freedom is seen as punishment in itself, then there can be a major focus on rehabilitation, and in turn, on reducing recidivism/aiding in re-socialization.---

Mr professor, Anne, and the knives in the prison kitchen

The gym (Jeanette on the left) and the tanning bed (yes, tanning bed) behind us

One of the professors in Ricky's room (yes, that's a computer. he has special privileges for having come so far)

So on a lighter note, I met with Nikolai (#17/#21) that night in the city for drinks and then we took the train home together (he lives 7 minutes away from me.. dejlig, nej?). But he invited me to invite my friends to a boat party that his law school was holding on Friday night. SO sick. Basically, it was an old, historic boat docked in Christianshavn turned into a huge dance club. I invited the girls from SLU and my friends from my core course who we've been going out with a lot. Such a great group of girls! That night, Julia came over and she, Susanne, and I had dinner and wine and talked girl talk for hours (literally, 4 hours later we realized we were supposed to be in the city in half an hour and hadn't even started to get ready), but it was so much fun. We met the other girls at our friend's dorm and then made our way to the harbor:)

on the train

SLU girlzzz

i'm on a boat

Not much else to say about this week.. basically just procrastinated writing my papers.. didn't sleep much.. spent some time with Nikolai.. but today (Friday) was such a perfectly beautiful day. I can't believe it's March 1st already. It's been almost 2 months since I've been here.. everyday the sun comes up a little earlier and sets a little later. Daffodils are starting to come up here and there (paaskeliljes) and it smells like spring:) I LOVE IT. This afternoon, Susanne and I went to the gym at her work and then went to Lagekaghuset for coffee and pastries (it all evens out, right?), which we ate and drank in the sun in King's Garden (Kongens Have). Seriously couldn't get more perfect. As the sun started to set, we made our way home to make (a seriously healthy) dinner and watch a Danish movie with Michael, Niklas, and Sebastian. Sebastian and Susanne are both sick:( so tomorrow (Saturday) I will go to Helsingor with Michael and his boys to go for a walk and get coffee at a cafe in the woods. I should also start to pack at some point, considering I leave for Stockholm, Sweden and Tallinn, Estonia tomorrow morning with my core course. Probably won't blog much during the week, but Friday or Saturday I will update with lots of pictures (of course) and experiences from my travels!


Some randoms:

facetime with puppy

King's Garden

our healthy dinner last night

Magnus and I on our walk in Helsingor

the little brother I always wanted:)

the Hammermill cafe

the sunrise over the sea on my run the other day

dirty danish fridge magnets;)

Psych Paper:

Introduction

            When we think about sexual health, it is typically along the lines of safe sex practices, STD prevention, contraceptive use, pregnancy, etc. because from childhood and onward, we are told what not to do and what to be careful of. Valuable time and resources are put into sex education, but the taboo boundary is seldom crossed. As a result, we go into adolescence really only know the “dangers” of sex and their effect on our sexual health, rarely having been told what we can do to improve our sexual health.             The taboo associated with sexuality and private sex practices often inhibits education, specifically in terms of the positive aspects of sexual exploration and self-pleasure. Granted, we have come a long way since the 18^th century when masturbation was considered a medical disease with the potential to lead to insanity and other serious, physical health problems (Kaestle & Allen, 2011). Yet still today, even with sexologists and health professionals constantly reshaping the public opinion on masturbation, both the topic and the act are still stigmatized. The question then becomes, is masturbation in fact a good thing? Given the increasingly prevalent body of research on the topic, it can be argued that masturbation, though still fairly stigmatized in today’s world, is a healthy, positive, and normal means of improving sexual health and development in a wide range of contexts. Of course, there are still critics of and contradictions to this belief, but in our increasingly sexualized society, it is becoming more and more difficult to disrepute.

The Stigma           

In 1994 at the Worlds AIDS Day Conference, Surgeon General, Joycelyn Elders said, “masturbation is a part of human sexuality, and it’s a part of something that perhaps should be taught.” One week later, she was forced to resign by president Bill Clinton for her “contradictory remarks” (Jehl, 1994). Incidences like this are classic examples of just how taboo a concept masturbation is, and furthermore, how difficult it is to look past such a socially pervasive stigma. For this reason, I think that it is important to first understand why masturbation is stigmatized, and in turn, what factors shape our perception of and feelings toward masturbation.

            For starters, masturbation has no reproductive goal, rendering it unnatural to many. Because it is non procreative in nature, it is perceived in a similar manner to topics like homosexuality or contraceptive use; masturbation is, in a sense, a threat to common enterprise, further supporting the lack of discussion about the topic (Coleman, 2003).  This lack of discussion in itself has a potentially profound effect on sexual health and development in young adults in particular; with the silence and the stigma, come feelings of anxiety, guilt, and shame (Kaestle & Allen, 2011). One major contributor to the ever-present stigma is the parental or family unit. In a study by Kaestle and Allen (2011), it was found that even participants who had very open relationships with their parents never once spoke of the subject. It is this silence and the silence of society as a whole that speaks for itself, portraying a sense of condemnation and disapproval.

            The reaction of one’s family to the idea of masturbation may be the most blatant or direct form of stigmatization, but perhaps the most influential factors in creating and upholding the stigma are religion and culture. The act is thought to violate basic social norms because its sole purpose is self-pleasure, contributing in no way to the betterment of one’s society. In the same way, most religions in the world condemn masturbation for its diversion from the natural purpose of sex, resulting in a sense of alienation (Coleman, 2003; Kaestle & Allen, 2011).

Why Masturbate? The Positives

            In general, masturbation is a widespread human experience. A recent study by The National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior indicated that among 20-24 year olds, 92% of men and 77% of women reported having masturbated (Herbenick et al., 2010). Exact numbers are not easy to establish, but stigma aside, most research on masturbation is very much in support of it, as I would think should be expected given it is merely a variant of sexual expression. As it happens, this in itself is one of the arguments in favor of masturbation. Sexual expression comes in many forms, but in order to optimize sexual health, one must have a healthy body image, be comfortable with their sexuality, and understand their individual sexual response (Coleman, 2003). Masturbation has the capability to transcend all of these barriers and more.

            At a simplistic level, it can be characterized as a means of compensation for sex, whether due to absence of intercourse or as a means of preventing risky sexual behavior. For example, masturbation can be used as a substitute for sexual intercourse (or any partnered sexual activity) as a way to decrease the risk of spreading sexually transmitted infections and reduce the rates of unwanted pregnancies (Hogarth & Ingham, 2009). However, studies have shown that the role of masturbation in sexual health is far more complex than simple compensation for sexual activity, risky or otherwise (Kaestle & Allen, 2011). In fact, one study found that men and women who regularly engaged in sex as a form of physical pleasure, reported masturbating, just as those who did not engage in sex regularly. In other words, masturbation can be both compensatory for an unsatisfying sex life and complimentary to an active, satisfactory one (Das, 2007). Furthermore, masturbation gives an individual the opportunity to learn and understand his or her own body and personal sexual response.

            With regards to sexual response, masturbation is the safest and most direct method of both reaching orgasm and actually learning how to do so (Hogarth & Ingham, 2009; Kaestle & Allen, 2011). This is true across genders, but perhaps even more relevant to women in terms of exploring and learning about the female genitalia, as they often lack substantial knowledge about their bodies (Wade, Kremer, & Brown, 2005). However, regardless of gender, masturbation is a completely normal process in sexual development and should be regarded as such (Hogarth & Ingham, 2009).

            Learning and becoming familiar with one’s own body is clearly important on an educative level, but education is only the beginning. Once one learns his or her own personal sexual response through masturbation, they become more comfortable with being sexual and, as a result, sexual satisfaction with a partner tends to increase (Coleman, 2003). It is at that point that one can begin to prioritize pleasure over performance and appreciate sex on a more satisfying and intimate level (Tiefer, 1998). Participants in a study by Kaestle and Allen (2011) also noted the sense of liberation felt in knowing that they had the ability to fulfill their own sexual desire, whenever and however they wanted to. It was with this knowledge and ability that they felt they could talk more freely and openly with their partners about sex and establish a healthy and satisfying sexual relationship.

            On a more psychological level, self-pleasure and exploration create a sense of complete ownership and autonomy over one’s body. Such control can contribute significantly to one’s sexual health on the basis of self-identity and bodily integrity (Coleman, 2003). In this way, masturbation as a means of improving self-esteem can considerably expand one’s capacity for positive, intimate relationships (Kaestle & Allen, 2011).

            Beyond the psychological component, masturbation is often used in therapy to treat sexual dysfunctions like anorgasmia in women and premature ejaculation in males with high success rates (Tiefer, 1998; Coleman, 2003). It is also possible that it may be helpful in treating HSDD (Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder) or, lack of sexual desire. This theory is based on the close relationship between masturbation and sexual thoughts and fantasies, therefore increasing sexual desire (Zamboni & Crawford, 2003). More specific to women, masturbation is widely recommended as a means of combating negative cultural messages regarding sexuality and, as previously mentioned, exploring and learning about female genitalia (Tiefer, 1998). This recommendation is on the basis that masturbation has the ability to promote more positive and healthy sexual experiences.           

            Based on the aforementioned variables, there are multiple benefits regarding masturbatory practices that work consistently to dispel the societal taboo and eliminate the stigma.

Why Not? The Negatives

            Despite all of the positive arguments in favor of masturbation, there are, of course, some drawbacks. However, the drawbacks are not associated with masturbation per say, rather with the feelings of shame, guilt, and anxiety associated with the act of engaging in self-pleasure (Coleman, 2003). Similarly, Hogarth & Ingham (2009) found that young women who did not enjoy and/or regularly masturbate, reported not doing so on the basis of negative emotions, including feeling guilty, dirty, or ashamed. There is also the potential for masturbation to become a compulsive habit, however, any sexual behavior (or any behavior in general) can be taken to an obsessive or compulsive extreme and create personal and/or relational problems for the individual (Coleman, 2003). Therefore, it can be concluded that there is no true link between masturbation and sexual disease, nor are there any risk factors associated with engaging in masturbation. The only true negative factors or drawbacks to self-pleasure are on a more emotional level and are solely a result of the stigma.

Conclusion

            Though the concept of masturbation is still stigmatized today, there has been a general shift away from the negatives and toward a positive, healthy outlook on the subject. There is overwhelming evidence in support of utilizing masturbation as a means of optimizing sexual health, ranging from positive body image to sexual dysfunction therapy. With all of these arguments in favor of masturbation, it is a wonder that the topic is still considered taboo, and furthermore, that the prevalence of masturbation among the general population isn’t significantly higher. I would argue that Joycelyn Elders was spot on in her remark about masturbation; it is something that should be taught. It needs to be incorporated into sexual education, talked about openly, and enjoyed freely. Society as a whole needs to break down the stigma in order to focus on and fully appreciate the overwhelmingly positive effects masturbation can have on sexual health and development.