Students suffer when campuses are too PC about sex

by miriam grossman

"I wish I had seen it sooner because I could have been spared a lot of pain." So read an e-mail from Sarah, a university student on the East Coast who wrote me from her campus. She was referring to my recent book, "Unprotected: A Campus Psychiatrist Reveals How Political Correctness in Her Profession Endangers Every Student." It describes students I've treated and argues that they are casualties of ideology-driven health care.

For example, I write about "safer sex" guidelines and the false sense of security they confer. I have seen many students, mostly women, who follow those guidelines religiously and still face a diagnosis of herpes, warts or pregnancy. A high price is paid physically and emotionally, but the dogma of "safer sex" goes unchallenged. The ideology of permissiveness depends on it.

Many e-mails I've received from readers are extraordinarily candid. Sarah, for example, wrote: "I met a guy who asked me out. I didn't really like him at first, but he was nice, so I agreed. Since a bunch of friends had sex with multiple guys and bragged about it, I figured it would be no big deal to sleep with this guy. I did, and suddenly I felt like I couldn't live without him."

When Sarah stopped hearing from the fellow a few weeks later, she felt devastated and started drinking heavily. "I've hooked up with two other guys I just met, but I can't forget the first guy," she wrote. "In your book you explain there's a biological reason for this, which helps me feel less crazy."

Sarah was referring to oxytocin, a hormone released during sexual behavior. Research indicates it promotes feelings of attachment and trust. This may partly explain Sarah's reaction to what she assumed were inconsequential encounters. "I feel lied to by everyone, including my school and magazines, that makes it seem like sex is just another thing to do on the weekend," Sarah wrote.

There are lots of Sarahs on campus. In fact, at least 40% of sexually active undergrads nationwide have had experiences like Sarah's. Having grown up watching "Friends" and "Sex and the City," they arrive on campus believing the PC ideology about sexuality: I can party like Phoebe and Samantha and never pay a price.

Of course, in real life, Phoebe and Samantha would have warts, herpes, abnormal Pap tests, episodes of depression and a few abortions in their history.

Instead of declaring war on hooking up — as we have done on tobacco, alcohol and fast food — most campuses support the PC ideology. Casual sexual behavior is a given; some universities even say OK to group sex and other fringe activities — use latex, get tested and keep "Plan B" on hand, just in case.

This approach places sexual freedom ahead of sexual health. Students ought to be warned of the pain and hazards of fleeting, empty relationships — even with latex. Their physical and emotional vulnerability are critical, but neglected, issues. PC or not, it's time we acknowledge this crisis and deal with it.

Grossman is a psychiatrist at Student Psychological Services.