Monday, May 9, 2011
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
C 4 i tchtgan DAMly

Pandora's box

44

Edited and managed by students at
the University of Michigan since 1890.
420 Maynard St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
tothedaily@umich.edu

BETHANY BIRON
EDITOR IN CHIEF

MARK BURNS
MANAGING EDITO

TEDDY PAPES
TORIAL PAGE EDIT,

Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board.
All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
Institutional Bigotry
Equal compensation shouldn't be punished
watershed moment is facing the University. On Thurs-
day, the Republican-led Michigan House passed an
amendment that, along with Republican Gov. Rick Sny-
der's proposed 15 percent cut to University funding, could slash
state funding to the University by a total of more than 20 per-
cent. The additional five percent cut isn't because of conflicting
economic theories or discordant solutions to fixing the current
budget crisis, but because the University provides benefits to
domestic partners and same sex couples. The University can-
not yield to this pressure and must maintain its policy of equal
compensation.

Sex is awesome. I'm talking
about the toe-curling, mind-numb-
ing, stop-your-breathing sex. Seri-
ously, you should try it.
What isn't so
awesome is the
lack of discus-
sion about sex
and all its ins
and outs. Why is
sex kept behind
bedroom doors
and in the back MOLLY
seats of cars? PAYTON
Why can't any-
one say the
word 'dildo' without dry heaving?
So I want to talk about sex,
baby. I want to live in a world
where I could walk into the Ugli
and announce, "I just had an
amazing orgasm" and be received
the same way as if I just yelled, "I
just got my acceptance letter to
Hogwarts!"
Everyone would appreciate the
news.
But I don't even need that much
- ifmy sexcapades were simply
overheard in the Ugli and appre-
ciated by a fellow sex enthusiast,
then we're finally getting some-
where.
There's a silent weight on the
topic of sex. Somehow over the
years, anything sexual became
anything shameful. And trust me,
I went to Catholic school all my
life. I know guilt. I don't under-
stand how anyone can be expected
to have a handle on themselves if
they aren't given a fair chance to
figure it out. And the best way I've
learned to solve problems is to just
keep complaining about it - just
kidding, to have a good old-fash-
ioned dialogue about it.
So when I want to talk about
sex, that's what I want to do: talk.
Not judge, but have a useful con-
versation about something that is
a major part of our lives. I don't
mean to be vulgar or invasive, all
I ask is for people to bring some
consideration to the subject.
Why is sex not part of daily con-
versations? It's one of the most
basic elements of our lives, but why
is everyone so damn uncomfortable
talking about it? Normally when-
ever I bring up sex, judgments are
made or walls immediately shoot
up. I understand other people are
shy and hesitant to talk about their
personal lives, but the problem lies
beyond that. If I'm comfortable
sharing my sex life, I should be able
to do so, butt. get spurned for it.

People should be elated to have
an open discussion about hook-ups
or sexting because we all could
learn from each other. Sexuality is
just like someone's personality or
someone's stretch marks: always
unique. It's so beautifully complex
and personal and one of the most
basic ways to relate with some-
one. You don't have to share every
detail of your most intimate night,
but the next time someone brings
up sex, just go with it. You'll learn
something, I promise.
So let's cut the bullshit, and talk
about what's on everyone's dirty,
dirty minds.
As much as it is awesome, sex
is hard. And by hard, I mean as
complicated as explaining what
a blumpkin is to your RA. It's a
delicate process, but sex is to be
enjoyed. I encourage all forms of
healthy and consensual sex.
There's a silent
weight on the
topic of sex.
Do you remember your first
celebrity crush? How about your
first erection? Remember wonder-
ing why your panties were sud-
denly wet? Or even the sinking
feeling in your stomach when you
caught a glimpse of a love scene?
That's your sexuality. Even
before sharing a sexual experi-
ence with someone else, discov-
ering your sexuality should be
a celebrated process. If you are
completely lost in it, celebrate it.
Don't let my forwardness scare
you. Take your time. You want to
honor your sexuality so that hope-
fully each sexual experience is
positive. Remember it's your sex
life - experience it how you want.
Put your hand down there, watch
some porn, or maybe just kiss a
piece of fruit. Just do it on your
own terms.
Once you explore your sexual
inclinations, share it with the
world. I want to hear all about it,
and soon, everyone else will too.
Until then, you have me. Look out
University of Michigan, I'm com-
ing for you.
Molly Payton can be reached
at mopayton@umich.edu.

a
6

Snyder and Michigan Republi-
cans have shown the state exactly
how much they care about educa-
tion. Snyder's campaign promises
came close to assuaging concerns of
students, parents and teachers, but
his budget plan and education cuts
have shown otherwise. Snyder's
concerns are not with educating
the future - they are focused on
his conservative bloc. On Thurs-
day, the education budget approved
by Michigan's Republican House
showed the depths of this base.
Funding cuts have two effects:
they either raise tuition costs and
force out the less affluent students,
or they lead the University to cut
programs and reduce the quality of
education. The amendment has all
oftheseimplications,but atitsheart
is something much more alarming.
The University is now being extort-
ed by the backward inclinations of
Michigan's conservatives for pro-
viding equal care and treatment for
its same sex employees.

State Rep. Dave Agema (R-
Grandville), who proposed the
amendment, stated that the Uni-
versity is breakingstate law, and he
is correct. Despite this, pushing for
civil rights and conducting business
in accordance with the morality
of equality is the path the Univer-
sity has chosen. Unfortunately, the
lawmakers of Michigan are more
concerned with reduction of civil
liberties than with the education
of the state's youth, and will even
harm students in an attempt to
coerce universities into emulating
the legislators' bigotry.
The importance of lower tuition
cannot be emphasized enough,
since its financial accessibility is
essential for the general progres-
sion of society. Equality and civil
liberty, however, are principles that
are more important and inherent
than the provision of education. To
ask the University to do anything
besides maintain its policy of equal
treatmentand compensation would

be nothingshortofaviolation of the
principles the University has come
to standfor.
The University must choose
between providing the best educa-
tion and treating its employees with
equality. In the event of this law
passing, the University may have to
make painful cuts to its programs
and the quality of education may
decline, but the alternative cannot
be an option. Michigan's Senate
and Snyder must prevent this bill
from becoming law and block this
destructive new cut to education.
But the assault will not end there,
since University policy currently'
violates Michigan's laws. In the
event that the new amendment is
passed, a redrafting ofthe state con-
stitution or a proposal that allows
same-sex benefits is the only thing
that can prevent cuts like this from
passing in the future. In the mean-
time, there is little the University
can do besides brace for cuts and
hold its head high.

I
I