Boston Gets Boinked

Jeanine Poogi 

For students at Boston University , the guy or girl sitting next to them in English lit may be the University’s next pornographic model. While there are a plethora of activities for BU students to partake in, over 85 auditioned to be models in the newly launched, student-run pornographic magazine.

Boink Magazine, subtitled “The college guide to carnal knowledge,” explores sexual issues affecting college students. Created by Boston University senior from upstate New York , Alecia Oleyourryk, the magazine embraces human sexuality and covers a broad range of interests and lifestyles. It presents what many may consider controversial information, while celebrating the pleasure of sex and addressing its repercussions.

The words and images in Boink are explicit to accurately reflect the sexual openness of an evolving generation, according to their Web site. While some may find the content offensive, the editors believe that sex is a natural, healthy part of college life.

Less than a year ago Harvard University launched their controversial H Bomb Magazine, which features “artsy” nude photographs.  The editor-in-chief, Katharina Cieplak-von Baldegg, is adamant about not calling H Bomb pornographic and would not discuss its relation to Boink.

Oleyourryk, on the other hand, has no such qualms.

“The magazine is porn and has fully frontal nudity,” she said. “This will be something students can read that has real sex and real people in it.”

The cover of the first issue, which hit stands on Feb. 17, features Oleyourryk in nothing but a pair of frilly panties, touching another female university student. Inside there is a spread of a young tattooed woman with a giant snake coiled around her neck.

Oleyourryk felt it would be hypocritical for her to ask people to pose in the first issue and her not also do a photo shoot.

“You have to be able to practice what you preach,” she said. “I am comfortable with my body and not ashamed to pose nude.”

While Oleyourryk’s mother would prefer she only write for and edit the magazine, she said her parents, who she described as “old-fashioned,” are supportive of her choice to pose.

While the magazine is designed for entertainment, with sex columns, sex toy reviews and polls, it is also aims at educating college student.

“We will be talking about some serious topics like pregnancy, STDs, abuse and date rape,” Oleyourryk said. “We plan to cover any and all sex-related issues that are relevant to college students- male, female, straight, gay or bi.”

The magazine resembles a men’s Maxim, however, there are not just pictures naked college women. The magazine features both males and females of all orientations.

“People will say that it is degrading to women, but the models are coming to us to pose,” she said.

Boink, unlike H Bomb, receives no funding and operates independently from Boston University , which also means they can print any content they so chose and have total creative freedom, Christopher Anderson, photographer for the magazine said. Funds for the magazine come from advertising, sponsorship, promotion events and subscriptions.

Even though Boston University has no affiliation with the magazine, officials are not happy with the publication. In a statement on Boink’s Web site, the Boston University Dean of Students said the University does not endorse, nor welcome, the prospective publication.

Oleyourryk got the idea for creating the magazine after talking with friend, Anderson , 38, who also photographed for H Bomb after she returned from studying in Australia . The two met her sophomore year when she modeled for Anderson ’s portfolio. Anderson suggested they start a magazine together at Boston University that would go further than H Bomb.

“H Bomb is for Harvard alone. Boink is open to everyone. Harvard was very concerned with it not being porn rather artistic,” Anderson said. “Boink is what it is. We are not trying to pretend to be something we’re not.”

The two put a article advertising for staff and models in the school newspaper, The Daily Free Press, and received a huge response. They began working on the first issue in September and the second issue, a special on masturbation, was released on May 5.

The release of Boink has brought about as much praise as it has concern. “We receive love letters and hate mail,” Anderson said.

The goal for the magazine is to expand it beyond Boston University , both Oleyourryk and Anderson said. They have already received e-mails from 15 universities who want to be affiliated with Boink and have received applications for models from all over the world.

Anderson believes there is a market for magazines like Boink at other college campuses and would not be surprised to see them popping up in the near future.