Local swingers defend lifestyle

By: Tammie Fields

New Port Richey – For John and Cathy Sexton love is in the air as they take a stroll on Halloween at Sims Park holding hands and kissing each other.

Cathy says she can still remember how they met. She was taking a human sexuality college course at Pasco Hernando Community college. Her assignment she says was to do something she'd never done before. She decided to research a swingers club in Largo. Cathy says "And I met my husband there. It was just love at first sight which might sound weird."

The Sextons are swingers who have been married for 15 months. They're concerned about the controversy surrounding Club Elite located at 9721 US 19 in Port Richey.

The Pasco County Sheriff's office says it has received 20 to 25 complaints about the establishment. Some residents are calling it's a sex club that will bring crime to the area.

But the Sextons have been to Club Elite and say people just don't understand their lifestyle. John Sexton says “There may be an idea that everyone that's in the lifestyle, everyone who is a swinger is also a child molester or we're only interested in sex and as soon as you get a group of us together that all the clothes come off and it becomes a roman style orgy and that's not the case at all."

Cathy says sex is involved only if you're comfortable with it. “It could be sex, maybe not even sexual intercourse but it could be any kind of sexual intercourse yes. It's safe. Condoms are provided at the clubs free of charge." “The bedrooms are very nice and clean. It's tidy. It's just very safe and clean. “There's a group area, there's a sex area, and a dancing area.”

John says "It's just a pleasant comfortable place to go"

The Pasco County sheriff's office says swingers clubs are not necessarily illegal but it is looking into whether Club Elite should be located in the industrial zone instead of the commercial district.

The attorney for Club Elite, Julian Hayes, the new establishment is a big improvement over the prior club that was located there. "With altercations in the parking lot, allegations of drug dealing, alcohol, fights in the parking lot, and all that has ceased."

John Sexton agrees. He says people weren't upset over the problems at the last establishment but seem to be all over Club Elite which just opened last month. “Now that they think we're a bunch of sex fiends they're trying to legislate their morals on us. You can exist but you have to go into an industrial area zone. Go sit next to a concrete plant or something and I don't think that's entirely fair"

The Sexton's say the majority of swingers visiting Club Elite are couples in a committed relationship, people who are educated, affluent and professional. They say no prostitution is allowed and there are no trouble makers, drugs, or fights.