When Sex-Positivity Stops at Pregnancy

(Photo credit: Anqa)

For many students, college opens the world of sex and birth control to them. During Claremont McKenna’s freshman orientation, they learn about the plethora of campus resources available for any of their sexual desires: flavored condoms, dental dams, and miscellaneous other contraceptives. Orientation leaders are excited to tell freshmen about Sex Week in mid-Spring, hosted by the CMC Advocates for Survivors of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence.

During Sex Week, which just concluded, students attended sessions on how to make sex more pleasurable, courses on “rizz,” and a poetry workshop to explore feelings of intimacy. The week culminated in the Advocates Sex Fair in Valach Courtyard on Friday afternoon.

There’s an irony to the “sex-positive” culture championed by CMC Advocates and analogous groups across the Claremont Colleges. On the one hand, they are zealous in their support for sexual intimacy and promiscuity. On the other, their enthusiasm wavers when dealing with the natural consequence of sex — pregnancy. This flippant attitude is indicative of broader campus culture, and extends to the resources offered by  Student Health Services.

Organizations on campus offer free contraception, but those are never 100% effective. If contraceptives fail and a student ends up pregnant, Student Health Services does not offer any prenatal support for students, instead referring them to “local services.” However, if a student opts for an abortion, the SHS website provides direct links to abortion finder websites. They remind abortion seekers that on the student health insurance plan, individuals “who live in abortion-restricted states” can “seek reimbursement for travel and lodging when traveling out of state to receive covered, legally permissible abortion services.” These students can receive up to $3000 per year.

In the background of main events on everything from masturbation techniques to STI bingo, Sex Week includes intermittent sessions on healthy relationships or the abuse inherent to the sex trade. At an “Ethics of Porn Consumption” event last year, an anti-sex trafficking activist recounted visiting pornography conventions where men publicly tortured naked women. Minutes later, a CMC Advocate raised his hand and asked the speaker if she was “anti-pleasure?”

The Advocates would be truer to their principles if they made a greater effort to care for students affected by pregnancy. Recently, pregnancy-friendly student group Cradling Love tabled and held a fundraiser to support local pregnant students. While nearby churches and organizations donated to the cause, the club has failed to pick up much traction among Claremont students. When Cradling Love tables on campus, students tell club members that they don’t support women and want to take away their autonomy. While Claremont students champion sex-positivity, they fail to support sexual wellness initiatives that actually help students dealing with pregnancy.

Sex Week reflects the internal contradictions of the Claremont Colleges’ supposed sex-positive culture. Events like these trivialize sex as a consequence-free means for pleasure rather than aiding students who are actually affected by its physical and mental consequences. If student groups want to remain true to their mission of supporting students and survivors, they should care about students at every point on their sexual journey – including pregnancy.

Editor's note: This article was updated to clarify that Cradling Love is not a pro-life club.