FUELing Irresponsibility

By Zachary R. Gottlieb | Thursday, October 5, 2006

While orgiastic Dionysian festivities aren’t as popular as they used to be, the men and women at the Freshmen Dance Party at Collis’s Fuel would have awed even the most flamboyant ancient Greeks with their erotic grinding and intoxicated revelry two weeks ago.

Both genders partook in mutual genital mashing whilst dancing. Ingenious upper-class males who attended the Fuel social were treated to a buffet of freshmen girls, marinated in the assorted hard liquors they drank in their rooms before arriving.

The atmosphere was to be expected; popular culture’s current glorification of sex and harlotry could only produce the sebaceous-smelling splendor of freshmen corporeal synthesis. The blasting bass and erotic lyrics of Nellie Furtado’s “Promiscuous Girl” seemed not to have been just a social lubricant: after an hour of dancing, many couples (of which several participants seemed less than coherent) could be seen hooking up in various darkened corners of the room. With the amount of fondling that coincided with the tongue-wrestling, these people were really putting the “O” in “osculating.” One could see the great number of men who mouthed the words “I love you” to their dancing partners, whom they had just met (especially in a pelvic context) minutes earlier. Those boys were really trying hard not to slur their words, as most were under the influence of substances much stronger and easily purchased than female pheromones.

Afterwards, many of these couples could be seen leaving Fuel together, clearly destined for an extra-long twin bed somewhere in the vicinity. Many boys had very explicit stories to tell the next morning while their “Cherie Amour” scrambled to Dick’s House for their first encounter with the “Morning After” pill. Numerous freshmen chewed their breakfast sandwiches pensively while listening to the tales of peers’ sexual escapades.

It was hot. But was there consent?

Many prominent upperclassmen have told the ‘10s that the campus is abundant with misogynistic practices. While these nebulous activities remain relatively unspecified to a pea-green freshman, one can infer that one of these celebrated customs includes men taking advantage of drunken women. During Convocation, the Student Assembly president spoke of ending such harmful practices, while indirectly accusing all men of Dartmouth of either indifference or guilt.

Many girls who participated in the discussion at the Women in Leadership meeting stated that they knew several friends who went out to frats for the express purpose of getting drunk and meeting boys. Now, many males are readily willing to admit the fallibility of their gender; men are sexually driven creatures, but so are women. Yet when two drunken Dartmouth students “hook up” in a haze of Keystone-induced passion, men always seem to get the blame.

What is the intended plan of action for a girl who plans on inebriation? One would not dare to insist or insinuate that women desire to be sexually assaulted, but its prevention relies on their acceptance of responsibility.

After two weeks here, many ‘10s have felt the much-discussed “gender tension” on campus. There is an unhealthy sexual atmosphere here, originating with the ubiquitous “drunken hook-up.” When inebriated, male inhibitions in pursuit of a woman are considerably lowered. Unsurprisingly, even College-sponsored activities fail to stem the problem, as demonstrated by the shameless antics of males and females alike on the Fuel dance floor.

As of now, men must only face the post-facto punitive committees that deal with sexual assault. This is an unsatisfactory solution, however, as these crimes should never have been committed at all. Unfortunately, the potential sexual impropriety of those men who do get drunk demands that women take immediate responsibility regarding prevention.

Women can take obvious steps towards this type of prevention—bring a friend, don’t black out, exercise some modesty, &c. Indeed, they must take such steps, because although it is unpleasant to think that women must fear sexual aggression, an undeniable reality remains: certain men will get drunk, and they will assume women’s approbation of their sexual intentions.

Men, of course, will have to learn of consequence and morality, but for now, the most effective way to stunt sexual assault is preventative action. And that demands women’s cooperation as much as men’s.

FUELing Irresponsibility

Article Tools

Related Articles