The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health Appeals Pawtucket Zoning Decision
Contact Person: Megan Andelloux @ 401-345-8685
Pawtucket, RI November 30th, 2009 – The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health (CSPH), the first non-profit sexuality resource and information center on the East Coast, is set to go before the Pawtucekt appeal board tonight, November 30th at 6:30 pm to challenge a zoning decision that prevented it from opening in September.
The CSPH was not permitted to open as planned in September when a Pawtucket zoning officer cited a lack of zoning clause for “education” in The Grant Building, the CSPH’s would-be home. Ostensibly, the educational focus of the CSPH, not the focus on sexuality, has caused it to be the target of the zoning board.
Harvey Goulet, the City’s director of administration, was quoted as objecting to “this type of business” as “not really something we feel is appropriate for our city.” The American Civil Liberties Union has weighed in on the battle regarding adult sex education stating in a press release “the city’s intent is to suppress the speech that would occur at the Center. Such content-based discrimination raises serious constitutional concerns.”
Liberal, conservative, moderate and libertarian news media have all supportive of the existence of the CSPH; they agree that the location and the presentation are appropriate for the environment it is currently housed in. Neighbors of The CSPH have housed petitions requesting the center to be able to open. Providence Journal writer Bob Kerr and popular conservative talk radio host Dan Yorke have both voiced support for The Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health.
Megan Andelloux, the director of the non-profit Center for Sexual Pleasure and Health is a board certified sexologist and sexuality educator who wants to provide the adult community with a safe place to access information about sexuality issues. She will go before The Appeal Board to plead the case that, “consenting adults should have the right to access medically accurate sex education resources”.
The Appeal Board meeting will take place in the Monday, November 30th, at the Pawtucket City Hall on the 3rd floor in the City Council Chambers at 6:30pm. The meeting is open to interested members of the public.
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happy endings? You Can't Clap with One Hand 
I hope people come out in support for this center. There is a desperate need for quality information about sex. And this anti-sex hysteria must stop. I thought we were supposed to be more progressive in New England?
Apparently they’re fine with sex, but the board wants to protect Pawtucket from ‘education’. That was the sticking point in the last excruciating hour of the hearing. They also acknowledged receiving ‘Professor’ Hughes email.
Steve Brown left before Megan testified. A few people stuck it out to speak for her.
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