Condoms on Campus: Should the college give them out to students?
by: Matt Coughlin
It is the week of midterms, and you are in the library studying with John or Jane. The hours are ticking by and you find yourself staring at the white spaces between the lines of the text.
You look over at your study partner and suddenly the mole on their neck does not look like an ugly little spider anymore. Their ears do not stick out so much. Maybe it is the heat in the library or some sort of study-induced dementia, but your study partner is looking real good. A moment, a second passes, and suddenly your lips are locked and you find yourself making your own National Geographic special behind the periodical section. Things are getting sweaty, clothes are dropping to the floor.
Need protection? Some would have it that you could go to the Rooyman’s center; the Rooyman’s center distributing condoms?
I do not think this is a good idea for three reasons.
First, as a Catholic affiliated school, Cabrini would be going against Catholic doctrine. Not something that the sisters would like. Cabrini would be condoning unsafe sex. While some students are not Catholic, this is a Catholic school and must live up to Catholic standards. The Catholic faith holds that the only form of birth control permitted is natural planning, the timing of the woman’s fertile cycle. This is also known as the rhythm method. By marrying in the Catholic faith, even married couples are making an arrangement with the understanding that they will procreate.
Even if you are not Catholic and therefore not required to live up to these standards, or at least, plan not to, you cannot expect the school to change its values and standards for you. Buy your own condoms.
Secondly, I do not want to pay for other people to have safe sex. It is not that I do not want them to have safe sex, but I do not think this should fall under my activities fees.
Thirdly, passing out condoms at a public high school is much different than passing out condoms at a college. In high school, the students are younger and less experienced. They are less likely to spend money on condoms or they may be embarassed to purchase condoms. High school students are also less educated about sex.
However, college students are supposed to be more responsible. We should not be embarassed about buying condoms. If a college student wants to have sex then go buy yourself some condoms.
While giving high school students condoms cuts down on teenage mothers and abortion, giving college students condoms just takes away from their responsibility for the act.
So go get your own if you want them.
