Texas State University (TXST) recently held its second annual “Sex in the Dark” event, an anonymous question-and-answer panel that promised to “create a comfortable environment for students to learn and ask questions about sex, sexual health, and relationships.”
Hosted by Healthy Cats–Peer Educators and Students Against Violence, the August 27 event began with a resource fair that featured partners such as Eta Sigma Gamma, Texas Wears Condoms, the Hays-Caldwell Women’s Center, the Counseling Center, and the Student Health Center. The panel itself, which was held in total darkness, was staffed by university faculty, campus counselors, health center staff, and peer educators who were described as “SEXperts.” The promotion of the event was styled to draw attention with slogans, glow-in-the-dark giveaways, and tote bags for the first 50 attendees.
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The branding of the event raises immediate questions. Why call it “Sex in the Dark”? Why market it with glow-in-the-dark “swag” and faculty “SEXperts” rather than framing it directly as a sexual health education forum, if that was the stated purpose? The decision to employ provocative phrasing and anonymous Q&A in darkness could suggest that the entertainment factor was more important than the purported educational purpose. At a time when families are paying more in tuition and college and universities plead against funding cuts, it’s worth asking whether such programming reflects the proper priorities of higher education.
The term “SEXperts” also raises questions. What makes someone a sexpert, exactly? And more importantly, what does it say about TXST that its faculty and staff are lending their professional titles to a program marketed under a playful, tongue-in-cheek label? When professors and health staff are rebranded this way, it trivializes their roles and risks turning health education into a sideshow. The event’s own publicity reinforced this impression—social media ads featured bright colors, stars, and slogans like “Come curious, leave empowered” and “You deserve to learn about sex.” Such marketing raises legitimate concerns about whether this is an appropriate use of faculty time and whether public funds are indirectly underwriting programming that promotes shallow and unvirtuous sexual ethics.
Worse, this is not an isolated case but part of a larger trend of sexualized programming on campus.
Healthy Cats and Students Against Violence, the same organizations behind “Sex in the Dark,” have hosted a string of events in recent semesters that combine frivolous slogans, food, and novelty giveaways with sexual health messaging. They have hosted “Condoms, Cookies, and Consent” and “Condoms, Cocoa, and Consent” tabling events where students could pick up free snacks and condoms while discussing consent and safe sex practices. Another event called “Red Hot Trivia” invited students to “test your knowledge on alcohol, drugs, sexual health, and consent, & more.” Another program, “Kissing with Consent,” utilized a booth-to-table setup and featured games to promote the concept of consent. Last September, Students Against Violence hosted a meeting called “Cinnamon Rolls, Not Gender Roles,” a session that encouraged students to rethink gender expectations while offering free pastries. It was described on their Instagram as an opportunity to “learn and respect each other, even when expectations don’t match reality.” They also advertised “Sex Signals,” an interactive improv program that would have “an inclusive perspective to show how stereotypes about sexuality and gender identity affect how others are treated.” And the University of Wisconsin at Madison poured more than $1.1 million in student fees into a group that promoted “ethical porn,” drag shows, and even pole dancing classes.
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Each of these events is marketed with catchy titles, free food, or goodies that may attract students, but it is worth asking whether they trivialize sex in the process. Handing out condoms and cookies may be memorable, but does it really educate students to have virtuous and morally grounded sexual ethics? And is that the type of education university students should be receiving? Is hosting a trivia night about sex, drugs, and alcohol truly the role of a public university whose mission is supposed to be preparing students for professional success and responsible citizenship? The answer is no, no, and no. These events simply expose higher education’s misplaced priorities. It should be no surprise that enrollment continues to decline, and public trust in universities remains low.
Perhaps, however, these misplaced priorities on sexualized programming will soon face consequences. Just recently, the Trump administration ordered 40 states to eradicate “gender ideology” from federally funded sex education programs or risk losing millions in grants. California has already lost $12 million for refusing to comply. Federal officials said taxpayer dollars should not be used to “advance dangerous ideological agendas.” Some of these sexually charged programs and events may fall under the administration’s mandate—especially if they present gender ideology under the guise of sex education—and therefore may be brought to an end. So TXST, as well as other schools, should be on notice.
We ultimately should ask: Does teaching students how to ask sex questions in the dark with glow-in-the-dark toys and tote bags make them better prepared for their future careers? Does it cultivate virtuous, responsible citizens? Or does it simply convey that universities have deviated from their educational responsibilities?
Image: “Texas State University at San Marcos” by Billy Hathorn on Wikimedia Commons
Above all things, we must not make learning fun.
“Does teaching students how to ask sex questions in the dark with glow-in-the-dark toys and tote bags make them better prepared for their future careers? Does it cultivate virtuous, responsible citizens?”
The folk doing this are either very brave or very stupid (probably both) but young adults will say & do things in the anonymity of a group in the dark that they’d NEVER say or do as an individual. This is how after game celebrations spiral out of control, particularly at night.
I would not be surprised to have a boy ask if he can get a girl pregnant by kissing her, or a girl ask if she can get pregnant by sitting on a toilet seat. Date rape is real, and a lot of really nice girls, particularly from small towns where everyone knows each other, need to be told that not everyone is a nice person.
Girls need to be told not to wear “Juicy” sweatpants across campus, that they should always wear underwear, and that passing out drunk on the frathouse floor won’t end well.
Nor is it a good idea to go into a boy’s room clad only in a towel.
I’m looking at this as if you can prevent some of the bad things from happening, I can live with a little bit of foolishness.