Be heard on the issues that matter most to you!
Another reason why I love the AFT!
The AFT is my national union and I love it because it has organized faculty across the country and we're stronger for it. I love it because it takes academic freedom so seriously. And now I love it because, in showing its support for academic freedom, it actually, on its Free Exchange On Campus blog wrote clearly in support of the effort by students at the College of William and Mary to bring the Sex Worker Art Show to their campus .
Here are some of the most important bits the blog post written by Chris Goff, one of the amazing AFT Higher Ed staffers I met recently at a leadership conference:
First the good news - a forum organized by the College of William & Mary's Women's Studies department on the upcoming Sex Worker's Art Show demonstrated the college community's willingness to engage in a discussion - an at time impassioned discussion - about controversial issues. ...
Also, kudos to the Student Assembly for following the letter and spirit of the law and their own governing processes in approving funding for the show. Rather than making a decision based on the content of the show (a decision that would have been unconstitutional), student government members made their funding choices based on a well-defined set of criteria that can be applied regardless of what a particular activity is going to offer. ...
Finally, kudos to the student organizers who are bringing the SWAS to campus. The show does promise to be an engaging look at important issues through the lens of sexuality and the sex work industry, mixing performance and monologues to comment on issues of racism, exploitation, and greed. Sure, it might not be everyone's cup of tea, but neither are abstract expressionism or Proust. ...
Unfortunately, though not entirely unpredictably, he also tells us:
What has become abundantly clear is that the students who have organized the SWAS have - against their will - been drawn in to a political game in which they've been reduced to pawns to advance the agendas of others. The decision to allow the show on campus is being used to build a case against renewing the appointment of W&M President Gene Nichol, the build-up to which put the organizers in the uncomfortable position of having to decide to bring the show to campus or protect the College's administrative leader.
Additionally, the organizers are being subjected to harassment by political leaders who have the means to further intimidate.
There is more. I encourage you to click here to read the whole post.
Then, I ask that you write a note to the students organizing the show to offer your encouragement. The student groups sponsoring the show include Voices for Planned Parenthood - voxpp (at) wm (dot) edu - and Lamda Alliance (the LGBT and allies group on campus) - gaystu (at) wm (dot) edu. Tell them you applaud them for their courage in standing up for an important program despite a tremendous amount of opposition.
Then drop a note to the college telling them you support their putting on the show. (One easy way to do that is to use this email form and select "W&M News" from the drop down menu of subject options.) Whatever you think about sex work, it is extremely important to support the freedom to explore controversial ideas on college campuses.
Last, consider writing a letter to the editor of the The Daily Press , the local paper that's been covering the controversy. You can also use the "reader feedback" link if you want to send them a less formal comment. Tell them you are proud of W&M for taking on controversial issues and exploring them in innovative ways.
If we stop students from exploring controversial ideas on college campuses we are headed down a very dangerous path. Perversely, the ones who would lead us down that path are the very ones who put forward legislation with names like 'Academic bill of rights' and 'Intellectual Diversity In Higher Education Act'.
All the more evidence for the urgent need to teach students critical thinking skills!
The Sex Worker Art Show is scheduled to be at College of William and Mary on February 4.
...because public space really matters!
Elizabeth
Update: This piece in the Chronicle of Higher Education briefly describes the controversy. Jo Weldon, a former SWAS participant and super smart and talented burlesque performer, articulately tries in the comments to explain the show to people who imagine that some how the SWAS is itself pornography. If you are able, surf over there and help her out. She's making a valient effort but fighting an uphill battle.
There seems to be some claim that people viewing the art show might themselves be harmed by the experience. I have yet to figure that one out. Here's the claim, posted by someone named R. Janson:
People can be hurt even without realizing it, after all. Undue sexual repression is also harmful for someone, I imagine you might argue, even if the repressed person doesn’t realize it themselves. Sex work is repression in the same way. It represses the appropriate purpose of sexuality in human life and replaces it with an exploited form of sexuality.
But anything I might say about sexuality is my own opinion. The important consideration for a public university (although morals should be considered on some level) is that there is verifiable harm done in these sorts of displays to the viewing public, even if the sex workers themselves say they feel “fine”. That is certainly a good reason to scale back the explicit nature of this art show.
Sex wrok is repression? Verifiable harm done in these sorts of displays to the viewing public? Could someone point me to that study?
...because public space really matters!
Elizabeth
I just wanted to mention that beyond AFT, there's over 20 other groups in the Free Exchange on Campus coalition who've been working together to deal with these issues nationally, but also specifically at W&M.
Thanks again, and we should chat some time again the near future!
C
Chris, thanks for the reminder. Here's the list of coalition members:
Free Exchange Coalition Members
...because public space really matters!
Elizabeth
This was originally posted by Mimi on this same post on my WordPress blog. She asked me to move her comment over here:
i went to the SWAS at wm monday evening. to tell the truth, i had expected more excitement all round: i thought i’d be shocked by the show; i thought there would be a huge protest; i thought i’d be on the front lines of social change.
well, maybe i was…..but the front lines were pretty quiet.
the show was uneven: it was a cabaret-style performance, and some performers were better than others. the gay sex-worker who opened was very good, as was the asian dominatrix and the ’st. bridget’ stripper. the former manhattan dance-club worker read a well-written paper, but it felt like part of an academic conference. from the political point of view, the show was excellent; from the theatrical, it was a bit rough. of course if they could get a government grant, they could get professional help with make-up, costumes, & music.
the protest was very small: only 10 students with placards that had quotations from the bible, the
students singing quietly in a little penned-off area near the building.two stern-looking policemen standing guard had nothing to do.
the media was everywhere, interviewing very articulate, savvy students as they left the performance.
********
well, yes, it wasn’t Bambi; maybe i’m just jaded…i was happy to support the SWAS — i liked all the performers — but wish it could have had a bit more polish.
...because public space really matters!
Elizabeth
Mimi says:
in haste now but thought you should know that the president of the College of William and Mary [himself a constitutional lawyer] has been fired by the Board of Visitors for -- among other reasons -- allowing the SWAS to be performed on campus. lots of other reasons too. no time this moment but to place links on yr blog and write about it google his name --"Gene Nichol" + "College of William and Mary"
...because public space really matters!
Elizabeth
Some of your favorite sexy bloggers and sex educators got their burlesque on and made a calendar to raise money for Sex Work Awareness. Every dollar goes to SWA because generous sponsors paid the entire cost of producing the calendar. Think of this as a donation with a very sexy free gift!Donate now to get yours! For a signed copy just write "Signed by Elizabeth" in the "additional information" box on the order form. The only cost is a few extra days on the shipping so that I can get the calendar and sign it for you.
NYC Sex Bloggers Calendar - $20 (US Shipping)
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Want to know more? Click here for our write up and here for my reactions to the shoot itself. Follow the calendar on Twitter or on its blog.
