Spring Break
Sexapalooza activities not for the abstinent
Op-ed
Issue date: 3/6/09 Section: Forum
Dear Dr. Philip Histand, director of Student Health Services at OSU:
I am writing to your office to express my frustration with this week's Sexapalooza activities.
In particular, I take issue with the statement found at the bottom of the most recent e-mail from Student Health Services announcing this event: "(Our) implementation of Sexual Responsibility Week includes events and activities that are directed at both sexually active and abstinent lifestyles."
As someone who was abstinent until marriage, I have looked through the list of activities and see nothing that is appealing. I challenge that there isn't any balance on this subject: Are there any abstinent individuals on the panel that created these activities? I doubt this, as the values that lead most individuals to abstinence are depreciated and degraded by Sexapalooza. The fact that sexual activity is cherished by them enough to wait until marriage is smeared. And unlike commentary found in the Forum section of The Daily Barometer, participating in oral and anal sex does not constitute abstinence.
To abstinent individuals already under great pressure and frustration while trying to accomplish their goal of ever-minimized importance, this event is demoralizing. If their goal was to not use drugs, this event would send the message, "Here's how to use drugs properly. Here's how to not get diseases when using drugs. Here's what people say drugs feel like. This is why people like drugs. By the way, we also tolerate not using drugs."
And while an individual received that message, they would pick up the fumes of drugs and feel some effects. Those trying to avoid sexual activity will be exposed to and feel the unavoidably arousing effects of sexually-explicit language, graphics and artwork - all of which is counter-productive to their goal of remaining sexually inactive. With divorce rates skyrocketing, why does no one appreciate the statistics that show two individuals who are abstinent before marriage have a much greater chance of a long-lasting marriage? Almost all marriage counselors point to a single primary source of divorce: selfishness. Most abstinent individuals I know are waiting until marriage to show respect to their future spouse. They are pre-emptively showing their spouse that they are willing to make sacrifices to ensure a happy life.
My fear is that we are educating a generation to sell themselves short by trading what they want most for what they want now.
As much as I hate paying for what I consider a socially degrading activity through my tuition and student fees, I am merely asking that the above quoted statement be retracted as it is not correct to say that this is an event for abstinent individuals.
Brad Nelson is a junior in electrical and computer engineering. The opinions expressed in his column do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily Barometer staff. Nelson can be reached at forum@dailybarometer.com.
I am writing to your office to express my frustration with this week's Sexapalooza activities.
In particular, I take issue with the statement found at the bottom of the most recent e-mail from Student Health Services announcing this event: "(Our) implementation of Sexual Responsibility Week includes events and activities that are directed at both sexually active and abstinent lifestyles."
As someone who was abstinent until marriage, I have looked through the list of activities and see nothing that is appealing. I challenge that there isn't any balance on this subject: Are there any abstinent individuals on the panel that created these activities? I doubt this, as the values that lead most individuals to abstinence are depreciated and degraded by Sexapalooza. The fact that sexual activity is cherished by them enough to wait until marriage is smeared. And unlike commentary found in the Forum section of The Daily Barometer, participating in oral and anal sex does not constitute abstinence.
To abstinent individuals already under great pressure and frustration while trying to accomplish their goal of ever-minimized importance, this event is demoralizing. If their goal was to not use drugs, this event would send the message, "Here's how to use drugs properly. Here's how to not get diseases when using drugs. Here's what people say drugs feel like. This is why people like drugs. By the way, we also tolerate not using drugs."
And while an individual received that message, they would pick up the fumes of drugs and feel some effects. Those trying to avoid sexual activity will be exposed to and feel the unavoidably arousing effects of sexually-explicit language, graphics and artwork - all of which is counter-productive to their goal of remaining sexually inactive. With divorce rates skyrocketing, why does no one appreciate the statistics that show two individuals who are abstinent before marriage have a much greater chance of a long-lasting marriage? Almost all marriage counselors point to a single primary source of divorce: selfishness. Most abstinent individuals I know are waiting until marriage to show respect to their future spouse. They are pre-emptively showing their spouse that they are willing to make sacrifices to ensure a happy life.
My fear is that we are educating a generation to sell themselves short by trading what they want most for what they want now.
As much as I hate paying for what I consider a socially degrading activity through my tuition and student fees, I am merely asking that the above quoted statement be retracted as it is not correct to say that this is an event for abstinent individuals.
Brad Nelson is a junior in electrical and computer engineering. The opinions expressed in his column do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily Barometer staff. Nelson can be reached at forum@dailybarometer.com.
Note: writers will not reply to comments.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Corey Wright
posted 3/06/09 @ 4:44 PM PST
I would like to thank you for writing your letter. There are many people on campus who agree with you, including myself, and it is a rather nice thing to see someone stating the often overlooked side. (Continued…)
Tyler
posted 3/06/09 @ 10:16 PM PST
I was reading this and something caught my eye and made me feel like I had to comment. For one, sex isn't like a drug at all, it is actually a very healthy act and I feel like the point of these activities is simply to try and people to conduct this act in a safe manner. (Continued…)
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