Campus religious organizations at Northwestern teamed up Wednesday to talk about sex. And according to co-moderator Rev. Wendy Mathewson, associate University chaplain, it was much-needed.
“Recent research on college students shows that at universities like NU – that is nonreligious, secular, private universities – the vast majority of students see no connection at all between faith and sex,” Mathewson said, “even if they have a faith identity.”
Leaders of three biggest religions on campus - Catholicism, Judaism and Protestantism – answered questions ranging from “At what point in a relationship is sex OK?” to why people consider themselves abstinent after engaging in oral sex, to questions about the Catholic Church’s stance on birth control.
The event, which about 50 students and community members attended in Annenberg Hall, was sponsored by Sexual Health & Assault Peer Educators, University Christian Ministry, recently founded social justice group In Technicolor and the Sheil Catholic Center.
SHAPE programming chair Cindy Huang said the idea from the event sprang from her group’s desire to reach a new demographic: campus religious organizations.
“There was always a feeling that what we talk about has no relevance to them and we’re on two ends of the spectrum,” the Medill junior and former Daily staffer said. “But we thought, ‘How awesome would it be to talk about how you make those really tough sexual decisions within the strong framework of values religious people have?'”
Huang also said she hoped the panel would be an effort toward clarifying misconceptions about SHAPE.
“I think that we just want people to know we are more open than people think we are,” she said. “It’s not that we believe as long as you put a condom on, you can do whatever you want. We understand the other side of the spectrum.”
The panel featured Protestant representative Campus Minister Julie Windsor Mitchell, Sheil Director and Chaplain John Kartje and Fiedler Hillel Rabbi Josh Feigelson.
A Muslim campus representative was invited but unable to attend.
Huang said she feels NU students specifically would benefit by attending the panel.
“With the hooking-up scene, going to The Keg, people living this very free-love lifestyle,” she said, “the question is, ‘When you’re taught these really strong values about how you should live your life, what is right, what is wrong … how do you reconcile those things?’ We want to educate you on how to make good decisions in this culture fueled by alcohol.”
Weinberg sophomore Audrey Haque said the panel made her think.
“I expected to hear the rules, but also in relation to us as students, they’re not assuming we all follow the rules,” she said. “They definitely covered topics that are awkward to talk about, but I enjoyed it.”
