Disappointing: professor kinkshames student just for masturbating on Zoom lecture

April 22, 2020

A UCLA student was reprimanded for pleasuring himself on a live Zoom lecture, The Ivy Collegiate reports. The student was identified and campus provost indicated action will be taken in accordance with the school’s sexual harassment policy. “Baring my naked chest and stimulating myself in front of a classroom of my peers is really the only way I can get off” says one Facebook post by the student, explaining the incident. “I am sexually frustrated now, more than ever.” Reactions from students and faculty have been loaded. “It’s a difficult balancing act”, says Ezmae Whitehouse, founder of a local student run sexual consciousness and health group. "On one hand, we do encourage students to explore their unique needs in a comfortable and safe way. But your kink should never harm someone else. We at Love Yourself feel publicly masturbating on a live stream in front of every one of your classmates is not acceptable behavior within the kink community.”

Internationally, school faculty face mounting pressure to more effectively moderate student activity over Zoom

“This is getting out of hand”, Dean of Luskin School of Public Affairs, Gary Segura says. “Last week a student flashed their professor at the end of class, but this is where I draw the line.” Segura announced actions to prevent such future incidents, including new student policies and ordering the creation of a Zoom etiquette training course, to be completed by every student via Canvas, UCLA’s online homework system. The new student Zoom etiquette guide forbids the following on Zoom streams:

• bondage

• sado/masochism

• cock & ball torture

• leather boys/leather daddy

• furries
  

Segura went on to describe considering banning furries outright. “Needless to say, we aren’t happy with how this reflects upon the kink community”, concludes Whitehouse. “We need to work to keep people safe, but broad kink-shaming like we’re seeing here only serves to hurt students in the long run.” Whitehouse offers suggestions to students struggling with their kinks: “Instead of masturbating on a live stream, consider pre-recording the lecture and masturbating in front of that.” She adds, “It’s important to not hurt anybody with your kink.” Students affected by this incident are encouraged to seek school counseling, available via the UCLA resource center. Staff also wanted to inform students that a remote dog therapy session and remote Zoom yoga will be offered to help students cope. Zoom video will not be allowed during these sessions.