Letter from the editor
Meghan Peters
February 6, 2008
Sex is a sensitive subject.
Whether you’re doing it doggy-style in a hidden Odegaard crevice or waiting until marriage, it’s different for everyone. Fun, painful, taboo, disrespectful, addicting, exciting and happy — you name it and sex can be defined by it.
But it’s also a fact of life. As college students, we’re constantly bombarded by ads, entertainment and even friends who are talking about sex. It’s up to the individual to sort through the propaganda and decide what applies to him or her.
While brainstorming for the Sex Edition, I knew I wouldn’t please everybody. As a former Catholic school girl (yes, boys, I still have the uniform), my lack of sex education drove me to create an informative guide. But the college student in me longed for something fun to mess around with.
After all the dirty jokes and innuendos with friends and fellow editors, I came up with a list that I hope is useful to the average college student. At this time in our lives, we’re learning by doing (literally), and nipples, aphrodisiacs and sexually transmitted diseases are all a part of that.
Some may use this edition to fuel their bonfire and others may learn how to make their partner orgasm. No matter your religious beliefs or sexual orientation, there’s something in here for everybody; you may just have to look closer for it.
Comments
#1 Jess Silver
commented, onFebruary 6, 2008 at 5:12 p.m.:
Today I was reading the sex issue, and I thought it was great UNTIL I got to the last page (that’s right the enormous, ominous, omniscent, slimy, page-long Mars Hill Church ad reading “Does God Think I am Pervert?”). And then I thought the issue was a sickening double-edged sword, or at the very least a totally idiotic mistake/cop out.
To highlight the positive, I thought you did a fair job representing both in text and picture the sexual and physical diversity represented by your student body. It was all quite vanilla, and you should have included a discussion of transgendered folks, but, nevertheless I was pleasantly surprised to see pictures and discussion of homosexual sex, homosexual couples, dildos, harnesses, play parties, along with the normal heterosexual litany.
I was also SURPRISED to then round off the experience with a brooding page long ad by the Mars Hill Church, the creepy evangelical church that has infiltrated Seattle. Last time I checked, and that would be five-minutes ago on the Mars Hill website, Mars Hill Church, and the nasty self-hating world of evangelicals are not advocates of the following:
(1) sex
(2) a safe space for exploring sex and assorted related issues of gender, vibrating cock rings, life-like dildos, and vegan harnesses for strap-ons ….
(3) homosexuals, bisexuals, transsexuals ….
Not to promote Mars Hill or anything, but under the “Mission and Vision” series, they are running a series that might be a great ‘self-hate, disgust and repression’ alternative to sex called: Overcoming Sexual Sin, which features Put your sexual sin to death, Make no provision for the flesh, and Walk in the light with your church, and professionals if needed sic:[to cleanse sins of the flesh].
Glad you hooked me up with that Daily. I need that refreshing bout of self-flagellation after indulging in today’s edition.
Advertising is not secular. It is designed to infiltrate and influence your desires. I think you threw a nasty curveball to today’s readers. Whether there is an evangelical on staff, or they paid you the big bucks for the ad space – it is reprehensible. If it is the opinion of the Daily that that school of thought should be represented, then have the balls to put it in an article – get someone from Mars Hill to write a countering opinion, don’t sneak it in as advertising at the end. Have a little integrity, or intelligence, if that was the problem.
If you want to create a safe, sex-positive space for people in the future, then let me give you a tip … don’t end it with a full-screen ad from an evangelical organization that promotes the “death of sexual sin.” It kind of negates it, do you know what I mean?
Jess Silver
UW Graduate Student
#2 Anonymous
commented, onFebruary 6, 2008 at 6:09 p.m.:
Keep in mind that Mars Hill directly contributed to the sex-positive articles you read today. If they hadn't bought that ad, the Sex Edition would have been much smaller.
Hopefully, the church will appreciate the irony.
#3 C. Treadwell
commented, onFebruary 7, 2008 at 12:23 p.m.:
I thought it was great, but the ad on the last page was really in poor form. Someone else, someone sex-positive and non-hateful, perhaps, could have been chosen for this issue.
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