No really, it’s a thing. National Masturbation Day is an annual initiative held every May since 1995.
Thank you BateWorld.com for letting us know about it!
Here’s their press release, you’re welcome!
BateWorld.com, the premier online masturbation community for gay, bisexual, and straight men, today announced it will host its first-ever 24-hour Bate-a-Thon on May 28, beginning at 12am on its website. The at-home event will celebrate National Masturbation Day, an annual initiative held every May since 1995. The event is free and open to all men over 18. While donations are not required, participants are encouraged to contribute to an organization supporting COVID 19 relief.
“People are masturbating more now than ever before,” says BateWorld founder Peter R. “Many because they have so much time on their hands. Others are doing it as a way to relieve stress from these uncertain times. We view BateWorld as a respite from all the craziness in the world. There are people in need of help and we wanted to do something for them.”
BateWorld launched in 2009 with a mission to promote and encourage men’s masturbation as a fun, healthy and vital part of life. Members interact with one another through instant messaging, chat rooms, video, and other features which focus on both individual and communal masturbation activities. The site currently has over 70,000 active members.
Its VidChat feature is normally reserved for premium membership, but on May 28, BateWorld will open access to all men over 18 at no charge. “There are no rules for the 24-hour Bate-a-Thon,” Peter R. continues. “Men can participate or not, anyway they wish. They can watch or be watched. We simply aim to dispel the shame and taboo that exists over masturbation and promote it as a healthy activity that helps release anxiety.”
The first National Masturbation Day was held on May 7, 1995, in honor of Surgeon General Joycelyn Elders, who had been fired in 1994 by President Bill Clinton for suggesting masturbation be part of the sex education curriculum for students. The annual celebration officially moved to May 28 in 2005.
BateWorld’s 24-hour Bate-a-Thon draws inspiration from the Masturbate-a-thon event launched by the San Francisco–based sex toy shop Good Vibrations. It raised money for HIV prevention, education and treatment organizations from 1998 to 2003.
Participants in BateWorld’s 24 hour Bate-a-Thon are encouraged to contribute to an organization supporting COVID 19 relief. Among the organizations that BateWorld has recently donated to are Humanity & Inclusion, Coronavirus Relief Fund’ on GlobalGiving, OutRight Action International, Emergency Fund Donation from Free Speech Coalition, The Trevor Project, and the Emergency COVID Relief for Sex Workers in New York.
BateWorld’s first-ever 24-hour Bate-a-Thon begins Thursday, May 28th at 12:00amEST and runs through midnight. It is free and open to all men over 18. Visit BateWorld.com. Follow on Twitter @BateWorld, #masturbateforgood and #bateanddonate
