Everybody's heard of a Tupperware party, at which genteel Southern women tempted retro partygoers to make a purchase.
Today's woman, however, can host parties featuring a different sort of plastic.
Last Thursday, the Women's Center hosted a Sex Toy Workshop featuring Laura Poole, Trinity '95, of Temptations Parties and a number of her products, from vibrators to adjustable loop erection rings.
"They call me the lube lady for a good reason," Poole announced, passing around samples of some of her favorite products to the more than 50 women present.
The workshop is in its third year, but for many, attendance speaks to more than just curiosity of an idle mind.
"Traditionally, as soon as the male is satisfied, the sexual moment is done. What the great turnout says to me is that there must be some need [that the workshop] is fulfilling," said senior Shadee Malaklou, gender issues team leader for the Women's Center and party planner.
"It's a little taboo for women to be openly sexual," she added. "It's one thing for a woman to go over to MaXxX Adult Emporium, but for [the presentation] to come to your space makes it... more comfortable."
With alcohol often used as a social lubricant, some said sloppy hook ups and a rotten morning aftertaste are the disappointing result.
"We offer flavored lubes, condoms, oils, you name it," Poole told her audience. "You're supposed to enjoy what you're doing."
For some, however, a cherry-coating only partially addresses the issues-that those drunken hook ups leave women in particular out to dry.
The workshop was initially launched by two residence coordinators, Tegwin Millard and Stephanie Carter, with the goal that, in Millard's words, "women would stop sacrificing their pleasure and start controlling it."
Many said they agree that this alcohol-induced hook-up environment is what breeds a sexually unfulfilled student body.
"I am not sure that 'satisfaction' could be achieved in five minutes on a cold-nasty-beer-sticky-dorm floor at a frat party," Millard said. "But, who am I to judge?"
Malaklou teaches a house course that affords students an open forum to assess these typical weekend encounters, entitled, "Dating & Mating: The Hook-up Culture at Duke."
"A lot of the people who sign up for the course are what Rolling Stone would typically define as the 'Duke 500,'" Malaklou said.
In the article, some Duke students were portrayed as users of sex as a means of control. But Malaklou maintains that those same students are interested in changing that culture.
"Women's sexuality is too often attributed to an ulterior motive," said senior Elizabeth Brooks, who attended the workshop. "I don't think the sex toys workshop has anything to do with the hook-up culture. Men masturbate no matter who they're having sex with or how often, and women can do the same."
Still, some said it can be difficult to separate this desire for independence from simple pleasure.
"Sometimes the reasons we hook up are not sexual," Millard said. "Hook-ups stem from other things, like psychological baggage masquerading as sexuality and desire."
"We all need to be sexually healed-even if we don't know it," she added.
The Women's Center and the workshop sponsors hope that at least talking about issues of sexual satisfaction can help lead to healthier attitudes. As of now, the idea of women satisfying themselves is not often discussed.
"Women turning to sex toys and self-pleasure for fulfillment... is very much something that occurs on this campus," said sophomore Rachel Wolf, a member of the Duke Educational Leaders in Sexual Health.
"It is perfectly natural to search for other ways of fulfilling her sexual drive," she added, touching on a theme that Poole addressed in her presentation.
"You know it's natural because your arms are long enough," Poole said, drawing laughs from the crowd.
Some attendees, however found the presentation startling, quickly passing on the samples. "I think we're in over our heads," whispered one girl to her friend.
At the end of the 90-minute workshop, many women rushed Poole's table, taking samples and making purchases. Malaklou said she considered this response indicative of larger success.
Still, most admit there is no real cure-all for being unfulfilled.
Said Millard: "When we are looking to have someone stroke our fragile ego via sexual desire, a vibrator will not do the trick."
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