These student malcontents aren't the only ones who question GCC's unofficial safaris through fringe subcultures that were once the fodder of exploitative 1960s "mondo" movies.
"I have to wonder about the educational value of all this," says Joseph Feldman, a Phoenix College psychology professor who's been teaching human sexuality for eight years. "I think the area of human sexuality is an area for academic study if, and only if, we're trying to learn something about the human condition. If all we're trying to do is shock and desensitize people, it's not clear to me that a community college is the right place for that. I know the people who teach human sexuality on other campuses, and they don't do the types of things that [are happening at GCC]."
The human-sexuality instructor at Scottsdale Community College expresses similar qualms about the GCC curriculum, which in past years, former students say, included an anal sex how-to video, a bondage demonstration and a presentation from a student model who displayed nude photos of himself to the class.
"At the beginning of the year, several students were real excited because they thought we'd be doing all these things they'd heard were going on at GCC," says counselor Edry Goot. "I told them, 'No way.'
"Certainly, we cover some of this [alternative sexuality] in class, but I can't imagine taking students out to any of these places." Instead of touring drag clubs, for instance, Goot would suggest that students watch Priscilla, Queen of the Desert--"a really wonderful exploration of the relationships between transsexuals and cross-dressers."
Ellen Williams, a human-sexuality teacher at Mesa Community College, says students should feel fortunate that the class is even being taught in the influential Mormon community. Even were she in a looser environment, she says she wouldn't follow GCC's lead. Says Williams, "I would be very uncomfortable--and I'm sure the chairman of my department would be very uncomfortable--doing anything that left of center."
Even some of the people who hosted student visits are left wondering exactly how they figure into a human-sexuality curriculum.
Horst Kraus, owner of Shangri La nudist resort, says he was happy to have the sex class visit the facility, but didn't quite understand why the students were there. "We always make it a point that nudity really has nothing to do with sex," says Kraus. "We do everything that other people do, except we do it without the handicap of artificial fur. After I made my initial presentation, there wasn't much more for them to ask." Most of the questions, he says, revolved around nudist camp dilemmas like menstruation and erections.
Drag queen Celia Putty (a.k.a. Richard Black) was similarly underwhelmed by the Q&A session following his performance at Wink's.
"The questions weren't as penetrating as they could have been," says Black, classified ads manager for Echo, a local gay publication. "The kids seemed more interested in the aesthetics rather than what might have been more helpful to the class. Instead of asking about the psychology, they wanted to know all about the costumes. I think they've seen too many episodes of Jenny Jones."
According to supporters of Oscar Hardin and his colleagues, that's precisely why GCC's instructors should be lauded for their hands-on approach to broadening students' human-sexuality awareness.
"I swear by anything that actually gets the students out of their narrow suburban little worlds and opens their eyes," says Los Angeles-based sociologist Janet Lever, a veteran human-sexuality instructor whose research has appeared in the national press. "Students so rarely get out the classrooms that I am personally a longtime believer in 'classrooms without walls.'"
And if these bizarre shrines of learning happen to encompass swing clubs, transvestite bars and porno shops? Well, that's life.
"Fetishes, people exposing themselves, adult bookstores, prostitution--all of these things are legitimately covered in any human-sexuality class," contends Lever. "To expose people who are typically sheltered and would never see that in person, has, I believe, definite educational value. The world of public sex is, by definition a little 'fringe'. . . . You can't take students into a private bedroom and show them a couple engaging in oral sex."
The popularity of the no-credit trips also speaks volumes about the deskside manner of GCC's human-sexuality instructors, suggests Lever. "In my experience you can't get a student to cross the street if you don't give the [credit]," says Lever, who, at her students' behest, once arranged a screening of a female masturbation video--only to play to an empty house when all of the kids opted to leave class 10 minutes early instead.
Oscar Hardin, meanwhile, slaves away over next semester's slate of optional outings, a schedule of off-campus carnality that might--but probably won't--include a shlep through a gay bathhouse.
"I'd never arrange a visit to a place that didn't know that a group of class members was coming in," explains Hardin, who says he has difficulty imagining a bathhouse owner who'd welcome a mixed-sex crowd of collegiate lookie-loos.
Still, that doesn't rule out a tour of an S&M torture dungeon--if he can find one.
"I don't know of any S&M places here in town but if you'd turn me on to one, I'd probably check it out," says Hardin. "I'm here so the kids are educated. For good or bad, we learn that not every place is cool."
Contact Dewey Webb at his online address: dwebb@newtimes.com
