Policing sex education in college

This week is sexland at Humboldt State University.  A similar event in Tennessee garnered the condemnation of the state legislature. 

For real?  

The most important issue in a whole state is whether college students learn more about sex?   

The student-initiated educational event is a pretty good example of the leftist backlash that comes in the era of the internet.  I think it is a kind of resistance to the political policing when the club would lose their budget and then have private donors refund them in 48 hours. 

We were defunded last year — two-thirds of our budget was taken away from us about two and a half weeks before the event, and we had to raise about $11,000 back. And we did that in less than 48 hours, because support came in from across the nation …

Last year was much more difficult working with the university. This year they’re being more supportive.

via GOP’s war on “hookup culture”: Tennessee Republicans enraged by college Sex Week – Salon.com.

Organizer Brianna Rader is interviewed in Salon and gives a great example of flipping the expectations of thoughtful conservatives:

How did you end up co-sponsoring an event with one of the Christian groups on campus?

We had an event last year called “Religion and Sexuality” … One of the guys that sat on that panel was the director of Cru, which is a more conservative Christian organization. And he was nervous at first, but we tried to get him to understand where we were coming from. And he actually really loved the event, and he loved that we were able to talk about these complicated issues … in a frank and open manner. And so we talked to him again this year, and we said: Hey, would you like to do more with us? And he really loved the idea. And so he proposed bringing these speakers from Colorado in, who he was familiar with, and running an event with us [“Long-Term Intimacy: Commitment and Sex”] …

We’re not promoting, like, one sexual lifestyle. We’re just promoting sex-positivity. Which means that is inclusive of abstinence and all different beliefs.

via GOP’s war on “hookup culture”: Tennessee Republicans enraged by college Sex Week – Salon.com.

Thanks to the organizers who promote dialogue, healthy sexuality, consent and safe-sex.  Salute to Salon and Josh Eidelson for the cool interview.  And of course, I found the link at Feministing‘s Daily Feminist Cheat Sheet.