In a recent essay for the New York Times titled “When We Consent, We Shouldn’t Feel Terrible After, Right?” recent University of Virginia graduate Emma Camp, an editor at Reason who previously made waves with a piece in the Times criticizing the suppression of free discourse on campus, critiques how our societal betters teach young people about sex. She recounts a freshman orientation she helped with at her school, which taught students how to handle the prospect of sexual situations on campus.
In response to an epidemic of sexual assault on campus, her university and many others put a major emphasis on teaching students how to ask for consent. While consent is vital to a healthy sexual encounter, members of Generation Z have been taught that it is the only thing necessary for a good experience with sex, Camp argues. There are many other aspects of a good sex life, she says, such as commitment, trust, and emotional security, and sexual education must reflect that.
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