Instapundit Extra!

November 07, 2002

RACHAEL KLEIN WEIGHS IN on the Cornell vibrator-sale issue. (You can read the original story here, and a criticism of Cornell's plans, to which Rachael is responding, here). Here's what Rachael had to say, via email:

First of all, the angry guy who lets society and her hundred year old rules have total command over his dick, his mind, and his heart and makes sweeping generalizations like "a widespread rejection of all hidden laws," is hard to comment on because every sentence merits an eye-rolling rebuttal. That will take too long.

Anyway:

Is this an issue of Cornell, men, women, or Ithaca?

God forbid a little humor, and maybe even creativity get thrown in the mix of this topic, but I guess news is news and this is no exception. Although you have to question one who doesn't even convey the quietest of coy little smiles when writing about sex, let alone when writing about an Ivy League school selling sex toys at its student health center.

And wasn't Cornell voted suicide capital of the nation some years ago? Well, they can throw that stigma out the window -- should they, of course, actually sack up and stock up. Cornell hasn't lived it down among the California kids with that little statistic, as old as it may be.

Christopher Dial said it all. Maybe people will finally feel a little more comfortable doing something they've been doing already for quite awhile. And maybe the really big wimps who don't do it for lack of courage will start. And maybe the ones who never even have given it any thought will finally learn something.

Like when boyfriends use vibrators on their girlfriends--blowjobs tend to skyrocket in quality (and frequency in some cases): a phenomenon that remains hidden under the near ton of fear-inducing myths about sex.

One student fretted about the possibility that they might sell Hustler (which we all highly doubt, including probably her …) -- even if they did, I would simply equate it to the fact that several schools have multiple sickening, artery hardening edible garbage producers, e.g. taco bell, pizza hut, etc.

Simply Hustler's equivalent but in the cuisine sense.

But this doesn't even matter because they won't sell Hustler. Hustler is to vibrators what a two dollar hamburger is to cooking in a kitchen. "Huh?," you say. My point exactly.

And how can one condemn tools for abstinence?

Should they REALLY want to make this a health issue, all they need to do is apply it to the idea of safe sex. One player is as safe as it gets, and toys just make it easier. Sex education and safe sex are issues now whether the chastity obsessed, like it or not, admit or not.

So, we should all (Cornell included), acknowledge this new element of outspoken sex stuff and work with it. We can sit back and *sigh* about nuclear weapons, but we can't grow up and accept the evolution of society's views about sex.

The weather is totally dire there anyway, so not like they have much else to do.

Thanks for writing me and letting me know about this thing at Cornell. Sorrry I'm so long-winded but sometimes I can't totally believe this stuff is so loudly controversial. I mean, geez, it's mostly latex and plastic, and most kids will buy this stuff somewhere else anyway but it can't hurt to make it available, not to mention accompany it with pamphlets and stuff. Great idea.

I've been trying to encourage her to start writing for BlogCritics. If you have any words of encouragement, email 'em to me and I'll pass them on.

posted at 04:05 AM by Glenn Reynolds