Sex in Centre County

Soap Box

Sex in Centre County

by Janet Simmons

Where did it all begin, this thing called a Sex Faire? I guess the answer is simple. It started with the womyn, but doesn’t it always. A feminist group at Penn State’s main campus in State College who call themselves Womyn’s Concerns had the notion in 1999 that perhaps it was important to have an event, on campus, where students could go and talk about and discuss their feelings concerning sexual relations and all of its complexity. I know this whole notion reeks of anarchy, but ‘bare’ with me. The 1999 version of the Faire was little more than a modest success, gathering only the support of about 200 students. But this meager showing was enough to ask for a repeat performance.

But before that could happen those damned women had to go and burn another bra on campus. For those of you who weren’t sure that was an analogy. The Cuntfest, an art festival sponsored by the group, was another slap in the face to someone, not sure who, but someone nonetheless. Lest such actions go unnoticed one of our friendly neighborhood congressman decided that it was, indeed time to inform the governor of what evil exists on our friendly neighborhood state-funded universities. And so it all began.

The rights of the few are going to be stepped on by the wishes of the right. But before I get too far up on my liberal soapbox, let’s see what’s at stake and why. Is the roughly 340 million dollars allocated to Penn State in jeopardy? Hell, no! Do you think for even a nanosecond that a school that contributes as much money to Pennsylvania’s economy as Penn State, or should I say Beaver Stadium, does or will ever need to concern itself with funding? I say again, Hell, no.

So then why all the stink? Simple. It’s hip to be square. Closed minds prevail. In the current atmosphere where fear of what we don’t understand prevails, I guess it’s just easier to fumble around in the dark than it is to turn the light on and see what it is that you’re dealing with.

It is such nonsense that leaves the NEA under constant fire. That’s not art, that’s not right. An open mind is a dangerous thing. Why should we ever be allowed to express ourselves in any way other than a prescribed 2+2=4 manner. It’s insane.
Even our trusty governor understands that. Not that he was willing to ostracize himself from any political party, but he at least made sure to make mention of the First Amendment at least once when discussing Lawless and his video.

Perhaps the greatest irony in this whole freaking mess is that those women, oops womyn, at Womyn’s Concerns are chuckling the whole way to the sperm bank, realizing that men always play for a crowd. What Lawless has done is guarantee a Sex Faire 2002, and with twice the turn out. On top of that, he has given this fringe group all the attention that they could have ever hoped for.

Maybe next year, when the new Hall of Balls replaces this year’s prematurely closed Tent of Consent, we can look for a picture of Lawless hanging from the wall with a pair of donkey ears donning his head!