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The jokes about Harvard University's well-publicized anal sex workshop pretty much write themselves— the tight-ass Ivy League, etc.—but the event itself wasn't just for laughs.

The workshop, titled "What What in the Butt: Anal 101," was part of Sex Week at Harvard, a yearly event organized by Sexual Health Education and Advocacy Throughout Harvard, or SHEATH, since 2011.
Sex Week's goal is to "connect diverse individuals and communities" and "promote a holistic understanding of sex and sexuality."
While anal sex teachings might be on the menu, it's not all about titillating college co-eds. Still, connecting Harvard (a venerable American institution still mostly populated by dudes who look like JFK) with anal sex (anal sex) is a pretty funny juxtaposition.

The event's presenter, Natasha, runs a sex shop in nearby Cambridge called Good Vibrations. According to a report in the college paper College Fix, Natasha's presentation framed anal play as a fun, natural part of sex-positive behavior, and wanted to “encourage people to go after their desires and not feel shame.” Students reportedly were shown butt plugs and given instructions on anal relaxation strategies, among other teachings.

Natasha seems to know what she's talking about—anal sex is easier than you think. Sure, there are a lot of things to learn before jumping in, but as butt-play has entered the mainstream in the past few years, there's no reason the topic should be a taboo any more.

The event's organizers say that Sex Week is set up to fill a void in Harvard's officially-sponsored sexual health curriculum. Like nearly every modern campus, Harvard has resources for sexual health, but the university itself isn't exactly putting on events like "What What in the Butt."

"Oftentimes campus dialogue doesn’t include important aspects of sex, sexuality and sexual health, gender and gender identity, and relationships and intimacy,” Lita D. Peña, the co-president of SHEATH told the Crimson, Harvard's student paper. “These are really complicated conversations and we should be having these conversations more often.”

Science has shown repeatedly that comprehensive sexual education is far more effective at lowering teen pregnancy rates and improving sexual health than abstinence-based programs. College kids, and regular adults, are going to have sex—and while "What What in the Butt" may take a lighthearted approach to the issue, the research shows that close-mindedness toward sexual behavior is counterproductive.