UPDATE: Results of Philly’s First-Ever Masturbate-a-Thon

Last month, we reported that sex-positive groups ScrewSmart and GALAEI’s Pleasure Rush! were planning a month-long, local fund drive for National Masturbation Month, to be propelled by — of course — all of those warm-and-fuzzy feelings you experience every night (and early morning) in bed. Since the fundraiser officially ended earlier this week, we thought we’d check in to see how it all worked out.

As of today, the final tally for funds raised between May 1-27 comes in at — drum roll, please — $1,604. GALAEI Executive Director Elicia Gonzalez says that about 50 people participated in Philly’s inaugural Masturbate-a-Thon. The project was inspired by a similar San Francisco fund drive that has been executed every year since 1995. Participants were to explain their cause to potential sponsors, and collect donations for every hour they spent, you know, “doing the deed.”

“Philadelphia’s definitely not San Francisco, so we intentionally set out for this to build more slowly,” says Gonzalez. “It’s kind of comparable to an orgasm: There’s a buildup to it, and then it happens because you want it to. This is the first time the Masturbate-a-Thon has happened in Philadelphia, so we know we’re going to have to work to get it where we want it to be in future years.”

Considering Gonzalez says she expected the project to raise $500, we’d say this is, from a relative standpoint,  a success. For 2014’s Masturbate-a-Thon, Gonzalez hopes to partner with even more forward-thinking sex organizations, as well as encourage testimonials — meaning you’ll need to make room for a pen and paper next to that tissue box.

“I want to know why they masturbate, what they got out of [the fund drive], and what they encountered when they asked people for money,” says Gonzalez. “I want it to be more interactive.”

Next up for Pleasure Rush! and ScrewSmart? Friday’s super-zany (but super fun-sounding)  Creamium event, which is like Cranium meets Sex Ed … only without the middle-school awkwardness. (We hope.)

Still don’t understand the Masturbate-a-Thon? Check out GALAEI’s all-too-cute explanation in the YouTube video below.

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