Recent pornographic events protested

The Tufts Republicans criticized several student organizations and University administrators for their "obsession" with promoting "a degraded view of sexuality" in a Thursday press release as a response to recent sex-related events on campus.

The group objected to students, faculty and administrators "taste-testing lubricants, taking part in the 'Condom Olympics,' and marking on life-sized, fully-nude drawings where they most like to be rubbed, touched, kissed, or licked," during Sex on the Hill, a Feb. 11 sex and sexuality fair organized by Tufts Voices for Choice (VOX).

The press release was issued by the Tufts Republicans to protest recent events on the Medford campus. The group's media campaign received coverage in the Boston Metro newspaper, New England Cable News, Fox25 (WFXT), Google News, World Net Daily and Newsmax.com.

Dean of Students Bruce Reitman said that while it is "very uncommon" for student groups to make complaints to outside press, "that is certainly a choice they can make."

"[The fair] was pretty outrageous, and in very poor taste... there was nothing meaningful about relationships, loving, and caring," pesident of the Tufts Republicans Philipp Tsipman said. The display of "pornographic"posters of reproductive organs and the distribution of genitalia-shaped cookies at the fair played into a campus culture in which "all [students] are doing is thinking about sex."

The Tufts Republicans' release asked fellow Tufts students to "reconsider the 'hook-up' culture on the Tufts campus" by "promoting the truly healthy conceptions of love and relationships."

Tufts VOX president and Sex on the Hill organizer Judith Neufeld responded by saying, "in many ways, I think we're combating the 'hook-up' culture. Many relationship problems stem from the lack of communication between partners, and the use of alcohol. We encourage safe sex and responsibility among partners."

Neufeld called the release "shocking," and "out of left field." According to Neufeld, the event drew 400 to 500 attendees to the event in the Mayer Campus Center, and garnered an "extremely positive [response] from the general campus community."

"Nothing at the fair would be considered legally pornographic...it was less about raunchy sex and sexual acts and more about promoting healthy sex," Neufeld said. Organizers deliberately avoided placing "anatomically correct, medically accurate," drawings in the main lobby of the Campus Center, and opted instead for the more discrete conference room downstairs.

Tsipman said that the release meant to "challenge" both students and administrators. He gave examples of other University-sanctioned, sex-related events on campus. These included last weekend's production of "The Vagina Monologues" and the "Vulvapalooza" sex fair, sponsored by the Women's Center, Torn Ticket II's production of "Seven Blowjobs" during this past fall semester and "Sex and Candy," a talk given last week by a representative from a Boston sex shop.

Though Tsipman said he has received several e-mails in support of the Tufts Republicans' protest, Reitman said "I have not heard complaints from anyone [other than the Tufts Republicans]. I have heard from many parents -- they thought the programs were very valuable and well done.

"These are educational programs about health, safer sexual activity, AIDS prevention and HIV protection. No one in any of the Student Life departments is suggesting that one should be sexually active. Abstinence is probably the most effective protection. But everyone knows that many choose to be active. Any educator [is] certainly doing the right thing in providing the information to those who choose to seek it," Reitman said.

Director of the Women's Center Peggy Barrett said, "I think [the Tufts Republicans'] description of things as pornographic or unhealthy is surprising. It wasn't anything advocating sex that was not consensual and it was about people taking control of their sexuality."

Junior Jon Kluge said of the Sex on the Hill fair, "sometimes the idea of creating awareness is that you have to get in people's faces. Sometimes it can be over the top, but at least we can be open about these issues."

Other students did not quite agree. "The part where they were showing off sex toys and such is totally inappropriate for being University sponsored," sophomore Adam Hoffman said. "I mean, I have no problem with the ['Vagina] Monologues' promoting female empowerment -- in fact it should be promoted more -- but when that is bundled with 'pin the clit on the vulva' [slogans] and a table selling dildos next to V-Day T-shirts, that's not right."

Jess Harris contributed to this article.