In addition to protests by Unpermeates the climate around Valendergraduates for a Better Yale Coltine’s Day. “Sex Week becomes the lege (UBYC) and alumni, the way the campus celebrates the holiday movement to abolish Sex Week at of romantic love,” said Aboutorabi. Yale gained significant momenTo counter Sex Week, UBYC plans tum recently when an advisory to offer students an alternative committee recommended that the means of celebrating through True university distance itself from the Love Week. Aboutorabi anticipates event. According to the Yale Daily having student panels, dances, and News, the college’s Advisory Comspeakers to discuss authentic love mittee on Campus Climate recomand the importance of family. UBYC mended that Sex Week be also expects to launch The Great prohibited from using the Yale Date Night to challenge students to name or Yale facilities. take one another out on traditional The committee was formed in dates. The focus of the dates would response to much-publicized accube developing conversation and a resations made last spring when the lationship, not on drinking and university was investigated by hooking up. Federal civil rights officials after “We are not only trying to gather as its failure to respond to sexual ha- Bijan Aboutorabi, Yale '14, is a co-founder of many petitions as we can, but also rassment charges filed against a Undergraduates for a Better Yale College. The we’re trying to rally the forces and organization is seeking to abolish Sex Week and fraternity. make people understand that those Although the name of the event also offer Yale students an alternative to the dissatisfied with the current [campus] has been officially changed to Sex hookup culture. climate are not alone. There are people Week 2012 (from Sex Week at willing to take a public stand,” he said. Yale), University President Richard Levin declined to ban it While UBYC aims to promote “Responsibility, Integrity, and outright and gave organizers a chance to draw up a proposal Respect for Others,” its efforts are stirring a reaction that is evithat might warrant continuation on campus. The new prodent of a double standard, considering the passion students have posal was submitted in December and reportedly contains for free speech and freedom of expression. significantly less emphasis on pornography and sponsors “We’re accused of trying to silence dialogue about sex,” said from the sex industry. At press time, the approval of the proAboutorabi. “Not surprising, we come out with a vocal position posal was pending, although Aboutorabi said he fully exto end Sex Week, and they assume we hate sex and want to pected it to be approved. sweep sex under the rug.” In the fall semester, UBYC circulated petitions to demonAccording to Aboutorabi, UBYC is misunderstood because of a strate that not everyone at Yale is OK with Sex Week and the distorted view of abstinence and the assumption held by many that sex is purely physical. The reticence toward authentic dialogue by the campus community is evident in the response by an organization called Students for the Best Yale, which posted an online petition that states:
We are not only trying to gather as many petitions as we can, but also we’re trying to rally the forces and make people understand that those dissatisfied with the current [campus] climate are not alone. —Bijan objectification of women and disregard for human relationships that is promoted. Pointing out that most students don’t attend Sex Week events, Aboutorabi said it still monopolizes student attention. “It’s a landmark event with a very prominent role on campus,” he said. Additionally, since it takes place in February, the event also
Recently, Sex Week at Yale has come under fire from the Undergradufor a Better Yale Aboutorabi, Yale ’14 ates College. UBYC seeks to stifle the open discussion of sex and sexuality on Yale’s campus. Sex Week at Yale provides a comfortable environment in which students can openly and freely discuss issues relating to sex, sexuality, and the human body, and should not be banned from campus. UBYC has generated support from concerned Ivy League alumni such as business executive/philanthropist Chuck Stetson, Winter 2012 | 17