Yes, here it is: another dreaded "Letter to the Editor" in response to The Spectrum's new and wildly disputed sex column. It's terrible! It's fantastic! It's tasteless! It's superman!
While it is nice to see sex being openly discussed on campus, I suppose I have an issue with the manner in which the subject is being approached. Students have enough pressures focused around sex, the social pressures to have more sex, or the pressures to have it less often or less openly, lest they displease their family or be called derogatory names. Articles directed at every heterosexual female on campus urging them to "Have their V-Card swiped" do not seem appropriate for a university publication.
In the article mentioned above, the writer claims that everyone choosing to wait to have sex with the right person is corny, and everyone choosing to focus on their studies is a nerd. The writer did allow a concession for students abstaining for religious reasons; I'm sure that those students will be thrilled to know that their values are seen as valid in her eyes!
Regardless of whatever values you hold towards sex, you may as well surrender them now, as this article commands that it is "time to get a move on." The writer also urges these women to keep going, no matter how painful or uncomfortable the first ten or so times may be, or even whether they trust the person they are with, so long as they don't have to endure the shame of virginity any longer. While I do not seek to advise people on how to conduct their sex lives, I do think that every party should feel comfortable with the situation, and that pushing to have sex when someone is not emotionally ready is a bad idea for anyone.
Additionally, the writer seems to assume that her audience consists of a sea of heterosexual females and a spattering of freshman males, thereby excluding a good portion of the campus. Why have an entire column that consistently excludes the LGBT community? Has The Spectrum ever run a column meant for only white Christian males? For Hindu females? Though, I suppose that it is no real loss to the LGBT community to forgo advice like "So get that V-card swiped like you would your credit card at a Jeffrey Campbell shoe sale."
Sex is about the people having it, and no one else. Every party should feel comfortable with how often and with whom they are having sex. It is okay to have as many partners as you are comfortable with. It is equally okay to have sex with one person or abstain completely. Ultimately, it is far too personal of a decision to be broadcasted by a newspaper column. I'm not saying that we shouldn't have a sex column in The Spectrum newspaper. Sex is a reality of most adult lives, and when discussed in a manner that is constructive, can be helpful and entertaining. I would just like to see a little more class in the column next time.
