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By Ellen Mathia
For the first time, three of the four major national and international organizations for researchers on sexuality and sexual behavior are now headed by IU scholars. When the three got together to talk about the unprecedented coincidence of their new roles, they insisted that it's not as much of a coincidence as it appears.
"This is a result of Indiana University's heritage and its continued commitment to support and protect research about sex," said Kinsey Institute Director John Bancroft, who for the second time in his career has been elected president of the International Academy of Sex Research. "It's a tribute to IU. The university should be proud of its reputation in this area of research, and of its reputation as a protector of academic freedom."
Stephanie Sanders, the Kinsey Institute's associate director, is president-elect of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality, and William Yarber, professor of applied health science and senior director of the Rural Center for the Study and Promotion of HIV/STD Prevention at IU, is new chair-elect of SIECUS, the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States.
Sanders believes the public doesn't disapprove of sex researchers' work as much as critics imply. "I've found that most people appreciate the information we and other researchers in this field provide," she said. "They consider it helpful and they understand its importance."
"IU understands the validity of this research and the right of the public to the knowledge we produce," Yarber added.
The university's support over the decades has established it as a "mecca of sex research," Yarber said, which in turn attracts the finest scholars and students as well as needed funding. "Our current status wouldn't have been possible without the leadership of successive IU administrations," Yarber said. "When I'm at conferences, I'm still surprised by how much the other universities respect IU."
"The reputation of the university in this area of research, the freedom with which we work, and the fact that the three of us are now leaders of most of the societies devoted to research on sexual behavior, signals the continuing visibility of Indiana University in this field," Sanders said. "And it translates into significant opportunities for students and faculty."
One of Bancroft's goals now is to work for greater involvement of other academic areas in the field of sexual research. "We're already cross-disciplinary to some degree, but there's a growing need for more of an exchange of ideas and discoveries. In fact, I think it's essential that we consult with scholars from other disciplines whose work has some bearing on sexual behavior research."
The three will be devoting their time to such interdisciplinary efforts not only at IU, but in their roles as new leaders of the national and international research societies.