Masturbate-a-thon logo

The Masturbate-a-thon is an event in which participants masturbate in order to raise money forcharity and increase the public awareness and dispel the shame and taboos that exist about this form of sexual activity.^[1] During the past six years, the Masturbate-a-thon has raised over $25,000 for women’s health initiatives and HIV prevention, education and treatment organizations, and has contributed to debates about safer sex and alternative safe methods of sexual expression.^[2] The event awards several honors for those who raise the most money as well as for multiple orgasmsand endurance.

[edit]History

Masturbate-a-thon Logo used by 2006 London event

In May, 1995, San Francisco–based sex-toy and -education shop Good Vibrations declared May to be "Masturbation Month". Since then, it has encouraged people to get sponsors as a fundraiser for charities with a sex-positive focus.^[3]

In 1999, the Masturbate-a-Thon was originated by the collective Open Enterprises, which operates Good Vibrations. The slogan "Come for a Cause" was coined by Rachel Venning, the founder of the sex toy shop Babeland, formerly Toy in Babeland, which has branches inSeattle, in Brooklyn, and (two) in Manhattan. The Masturbate-a-Thon was built up by Good Vibrations, which encouraged other modern sex-toy businesses— such as Babeland; A Woman's Touch, inMadison, Wisconsin; Toronto's Come as You Are; and Boston's Grand Opening—to hold events coinciding with "masturbation month" (May in the United States). In that year, the first live event was held at San Francisco'sCampus Theater, by the Center for Sex and Culture (CSC)'s Carol Queen and her partner, Robert Lawrence. CSC is an education-based non-profit providing professional-level sex education. The annual events are used as a public-health-education device to increase awareness of self-pleasure as a strategy for safer and healthier sex and to de-stigmatise self-love.

London hosted Europe's first "masturbate-a-thon" on August 5, 2006. Hundreds of persons raised money for the charity Terrence Higgins Trust and the sexual- and reproductive-health agency Marie Stopes International.^{[4][dead link]} The Masturbate-a-thon, also called "Wank-a-Thon", was recorded by ZigZagProductions of London as part of an international documentary of the event.^[5] However, plans to broadcast this on Channel 4as part of its Wank Week series were abandoned, including programing from Europe's fetish and leather week.^[6]

[edit]Current records

Time records indicate duration (length of time for which a participant masturbated)

[edit]2009 San Francisco

• The winner of "Longest Time Spent Masturbating/Male" (and also the World Record Holder in this category) is Mr. Masanobu Sato, who in 2008 masturbated for 9 hours and 33 minutes. In 2009 he extended his record to 9 hours and 58 minutes.
• The winner of "Longest Time Spent Masturbating/Female" was set in 2008 by Ms. Kitty Kat, who masturbated for 7 hours and 6 minutes.
• The winner of "Most Orgasms/Male" was set by Big Rob in 2010—at 83 climaxes, a world record.
• The winner of "Most Orgasms/Female" is Loooo-C, who orgasmed 83 times in 2010.
• The winner of "Longest Distance Come to Come" is Morihiro Taneichi from Tokyo.
• New United States—Men's distance record set in 2009 by (nom de plume) Mr. Flint Greasewood—1.62 m (5.31 ft).^[7]

[edit]2009 Denmark

• Masturbation time—men: 7 hours and 45 minutes
• Masturbation time—women: 5 hours and 4 minutes
• Number of orgasms—men: 8—Danish record.
• Number of orgasms—women: 222—World record
• Ejaculation distance—men: 2.5 metres
• Ejaculation distance—women: 3.15 metres - World record
• Target ejaculation—men: 6 centimetres from bull's eye
• Target ejaculation—women: All over bull's eye^[7]