Wednesday, September 11, 2019

George Mason University Hosts "Consent Carnival"


                The Student Support and Advocacy Center at George Mason University hosted a “Consent Carnival” recently in which students could choose from a range of educational activities, including lubricant taste tests, a vagina bean bag toss and a penis ring-toss game. Lubricant flavors included such classics as watermelon, cupcake and green apple. The bean bag toss consisted of giant inflatable lips that mimicked vaginas, into which students attempted to throw large pink bean bags. The site touted the fact that the vagina is self-cleaning. (“Is there a bun in your self-cleaning oven?”). Flyers at the site also informed students that “not all people with vaginas are women.” Much as not all large gray mammals with tusks and a long, prehensile trunk are elephants. Just as the fact that an animal has a backbone doesn’t mean it is a vertebrate. (People willing to be coerced into calling a woman a man, for example, are, in fact, spineless). The display also noted, “Genitalia is not an indicator of gender and it can be harmful to assume so.” This is like saying “hue is not an indicator of color” or “wetness is not an indicator of liquid.” Genitalia and gender both stem from the Latin word genus, meaning “kind, type or sort.”

                Perhaps insanity is not an indicator of mental illness.

                The penis ring-toss featured three-foot-high inflatable phalluses, surrounded by signs educating the young scholars in how to correctly don and use a condom. (And speaking of inflatables, a number of students were observed walking around holding giant, flesh-colored penis-shaped balloons). This must’ve been a depressing station for actual male members of the campus. So to speak. How do you measure up, lads? (But, remember, a penis is not an indicator of maleness)!
                Other stations at the educational extravaganza included an “affirmative consent kissing booth,” a “don’t touch my hair” booth, a condom balloon pop, a “you mustache for consent” table,” face painter, sno-cone machine, and “gender unicorn” booth. The gender unicorn booth sought to instruct students how to properly react to friends coming out as LGBTQ, while the “you mustache for consent” (get it?) table strove to teach students how to get consent before and during any sexual activity. (“May I place my hand on your shoulder? Thank you. Can I kiss your lips? I can? Then kindly just sign—and date-- this consent form, where indicated, in indelible blue or black ink. The top form is mine, the canary is for my lawyer, and the pink one is yours to keep for your records”).
                The College Fix reported that the face paint and sno-cone booths seemed to be the event’s most attended venues. I don’t know if that is a ray of hope or the saddest part of it all. Today’s students have been rendered mostly—unavoidably-- numb to everything pertaining to what should be the most private, intimate, and reverential act in which humans can participate.
                Sex carnivals are all the rage on college campuses these days. It is not publicly known who funded this one.
                George Mason was born very near where the university that bears his name stands today. He was a founder and patriot who helped draft the Bill of Rights.
                Perhaps he is even now looking down on the bastion of higher education that appropriated his name. 
                I’m sure he is very proud.
                 

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