LOS ANGELES — Wicked Pictures contract star Jessica Drake, an emerging sexual wellness authority and sex educator, will lecture at Pasadena City College on March 20 as part of Dr. Hugo Schwyzer's "Navigating Pornography" class.
This follows the recent appearance by crossover star James Deen at the same class, which attracted nationwide attention.
"I'm so excited to welcome Jessica Drake to Pasadena City College," Schwyzer said. "Jessica isn't just an industry superstar, she's a veteran activist and an articulate and important advocate for pleasure, for common sense, and an end to sexual shame.
"On screen and off, she's an incandescent personality and, I have to believe, a tremendous role model for my students. I'm so glad that they'll have an opportunity to hear from her."
Deen's appearance caused an uproar on and off campus, as Pasadena City College restricted admittance to the class to enrolled students and invited press only and the debate as to the suitability of a college seminar inviting a porn star — even to a class titled "Navigating Pornography" — filled newspapers and airwaves nationwide.
Recently, Drake was a guest lecturer at Chapman University at the Psychology 340: Human Sexuality class taught by Assistant Professor David Frederick for the Crean School of Health and Life Sciences. Drake addressed the class’ 36 undergraduate students.
"Jessica Drake was an exceptional speaker," Frederick said. "She not only shared her views on the pornography industry, but more broadly spoke to students about sexual health. She communicated to students ways of learning to become comfortable with one's own body and learning how to communicate their desires to their partners. She emphasized the importance of understanding and respecting one's own limits when it comes to sex, and accepting that different people have very different preferences.
"Jessica was a true pleasure to have in class, and the students learned a great deal from her presentation. I would highly recommend her as a speaker for any class related to media issues, gender, or sexuality."
To read Drake’s recap of her visit to Chapman University, click here.
To help advance her sex education agenda, Drake writes, produces, and directs the XBIZ Award-winning video series “Jessica Drake's Guide to Wicked Sex." The production "Jessica Drake’s Guide Wicked Sex: Anal" received the 2012 XBIZ award for Specialty Release of the Year.
"'Guide to Wicked Sex' resulted from my appearances at adult stores," Drake said. "As more women came to meet me, they became more comfortable with asking questions about sex and sexuality. I realized there was a real interest in straightforward information about sex. Speaking at universities gives me a great opportunity to have an intelligent conversation with students, share my experiences, and let them draw their own conclusions."
The "Navigating Pornography" course is part of Dr. Schwyzer's academic interest in history and gender studies. He has taught at Pasadena City College since 1993, in courses that have dealt with women’s history, men and masculinity, and gay and lesbian history. In the late 1990s, he developed the college’s first interdisciplinary course focusing on “Beauty and the Body," which is still offered at the college and focuses on the historical roots of contemporary eating disorders and distorted body image.
Scheduled for March 20 at 1:30 p.m., Drake’s lecture is open to enrolled students and invited media only.
Drake will also appear at sexuality conference CatalystCon East this Friday-Sunday in Arlington, Va., where she will host sessions on Measure B and slut shaming, as well as speak at the Opening Keynote Plenary Address. For more information, visit CatalystCon.com.