Just Say No To Sex

Yesterday I listened to a news report on WOSU radio.  Ohio universities are taking measures to stop campus rape.  All good, right?  "Consent is Sexy."  That's the slogan.  

I thought back to the stresses of my own college days.  The coursework was difficult--nothing like high school.  I had to navigate new methods of study.  I had to find my place in the campus social scene.  I had to discover where I belonged in that society and where my future was heading.  Tough stuff for an 18 year old.  And I--armed with close friends, good study habits, a knowledge that sex outside marriage was wrong, and a natural curiosity--did not always steer my course well.  

You'd think that my alma mater OSU (or is it THE OSU?) would try to make things easier, wouldn't you?  But this is how the coordinator of Ohio State's Sexual Violence Education program described the campaign.  

“Students really need to recognize and understand the different facets of consent, the different layers of consent, and how to properly look for consensual or nonconsensual situations they may see around them."

Sounds like a course description, doesn't it?   They have taken something so incredibly simple to express (Say no until you are married) and believing that if, and only if, students can  "recognize and understand the different facets of consent, the different layers of consent," then students will act with maturity and wisdom and stop cavorting like cats in heat.

Is OSU still an educational institution?  Traditionally such institutions, especially those with residence halls have stood in loco parentis, in the place of the parents. How difficult would it be for OSU and other universities to say, "We stand in the place of good parents and as good parents we are telling you, "No sex.""  

But, that won't happen.  Why?  Not practicing sex before marriage is healthier, mentally, emotionally, and physically.  The students won't contract sexually transmitted diseases, saving heath care costs and future agony.  They will suffer after break-ups, but not to the extent as if they had sex.  Sex binds people in a dangerous manner unless a long term commitment (marriage) is involved.  And breaking up after a sexual encounter makes other romantic relationships more difficult.  Do these universities try to prevent these problems No. They are telling our young adults, get involved in pre-marital sex, practice same sex interaction, but by all means, make sure that that you recognize the layers and facets of consent.  

WOSU had their soap box; This is mine.  Let me know what you think.


Photo by Michael Barera (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons