Committee Approves Porn Magazine: H Bomb will feature nude pictures of undergraduates
Much depends on the values of the editors. Quite possibly the magazine will sell, as so much else sells, by commodifying women’s bodies and including an occasional half-nude man as an alibi.
- Brian C.W. Palmer
I understand the importance of higher education being open to differing viewpoints and all, but this makes me scratch my head- and I'm generally an open-minded sort. What possible purpose does an officially-sanctioned porn magazine- oh, excuse me, erotica magazine- serve in furthering Harvard's educational mission? None that I can see.
After flipping through the pages of Squirm, a Vassar College erotica magazine, the Committee on College Life (CCL) voted to approve a student-run magazine that will feature nude pictures of Harvard undergraduates and articles about sexual issues at its meeting yesterday.
Fourteen members of the CCL approved H Bomb—a magazine that will be similar to the Vassar publication—as an official Harvard publication. Two members abstained....
Associate Dean of the College Judith H. Kidd said officially approved organizations do not necessarily represent the views of the College. She expected varied reaction to the new publication.
“There will be people who will value the free speech [...] and people whose sensibilities are offended,” said Kidd, who was also at yesterday’s meeting. “[CCL] also very strongly felt we ought to be able to approve these organizations.”
I understand the need for a diverse community like Harvard to be open and accepting to many different points of view, philosphies, and lifestyles. After all, an open mind is a good thing, right? These are adults, after all, and as such are free to access pornography or erotica or whatever name you choose to slap on it. I'm just not so certain that such an activity needs to be officially sanctioned. It's not about being "sex positive" or "sex negative"; it's about understanding that a university should have certain standards that it expects it's student body to adhere to. What's next, a strip club in the Student Union??
