The front cover of Monday's Herald featured a collage of photographs taken at Sex Power God, including an image of a group of mostly male students who were standing outside the dance ("Fewer students require medical attention at Sex Power God," Nov. 6). These students were holding up sexually suggestive signs and numbers that they were using to "rate" partygoers. Though The Herald chose to print this image, there was no mention of what the students were doing in the caption or anywhere in the article. Brown's sexual harassment brochure, which can be found on the Web site of the Office of Equal Employment, Opportunity and Affirmative Action, provides several examples of sexual harassment, including: "suggestive jokes of a sexual nature or slurs; sexual pictures or displays (and) written notes of a sexual nature." There is no question that the behavior of the students who chose to display signs that said things like "Lap Dance," "Babies?" "Take It Off" and "Put It On" to students outside the dance fits this definition.
The University acknowledges that it has an obligation to protect its students from sexual harassment. Under the heading, "Responsibilities of People in Supervisory Relationships," the OEE brochure states: "Be vigilant. Take the initiative if you suspect or know someone is being sexually harassed. Do not ignore the issue."
In Monday's article, Margaret Klawunn, associate vice president for campus life and dean of student life, mentions that "professional staff managed the door instead of student organizers, a change that 'made a big difference.'" If this was the case, why did the "professional staff" allow this behavior to continue for over an hour? Several partygoers took it upon themselves to yell at the students holding the signs, because University officials were doing nothing. Some students even witnessed Department of Public Safety officers joking alongside the male sign-holders. I personally asked officers outside the dance what they were doing about this act of sexual harassment. I was ignored.
Though we are often unwilling to admit that sexism exists at Brown, if a group of mostly male students decides to "rate" a woman or another man, even if they give all of these people "positive" ratings, they are suggesting that they have a right to pass judgment on that person based on their physical appearance. Are we so desensitized to this kind of objectification that we can observe such an action without perceiving it as overtly sexist?
The fact that there were female students holding up signs did not make the display any less sexist. The actions of the women who chose to participate in this behavior were degrading toward both men and other women. Choosing to target men with signs such as "Sex Me Up" or "Penis," while participating in a chauvinistic activity that targets primarily women is neither empowering nor feminist. Rather, it perpetuates sexist and chauvinistic behavior and condones sexual harassment of both genders.
Dance organizer Michael Wert '08 stated that the event was a success because it provided "a safe environment for sexual self-expression." This is certainly an admirable goal, and perhaps the environment inside the dance was conducive to its achievement. However, sexual harassment has the power to ruin this safe environment. Can a person truly feel comfortable going to a dance if they know they will be "rated" according to their physical appearance? And can we, as students, feel comfortable at a school that condones this behavior through its silence?
Amy Littlefield '09 doesn't think so.
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