Human Sexuality 101

[Reginald Hudlin]

from THE NOTORIOUS PHD:

Mar 6, 2011
Human Sexuality 101


News spread recently that Brigham Young University had suspended Brandon Davies from its basketball team for violating the school's so-called honor code.  Davies' infraction, having pre-marital sex with his girlfriend, is the type of thing that is generally regarded as a rite of passage on most college campuses.  But not at BYU.  Many upon hearing the news quickly jumped to defend the Mormon university for choosing to uphold its principals over potential wins on the basketball court.

Davies was considered the second best player on a team that is having a great season.  Jimmer Fredette, the team's star is enjoying an all star campaign and the Cougars are gunning for a potential number one seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament.  So dropping Davies was perceived as an act that upheld the school's standards, while seriously appearing to jeopardize the team's possibilities for a deep tournament run.  The team quickly lost its first game after the Davies' suspension.  In a culture where college sports teams constantly come under scrutiny for displaying a "win-at-all-costs mentality," many read BYU's decision as one where principal trumped the bottom line.

BYU, it appears, was embracing honor over potential wins, along with the prestige and money that tends to follows such wins in the marketplace of college athletics.  As the thinking goes, students who attend BYU know what they are getting into when they sign up.  These students know that they must follow the school's honor code or face repercussions, be they elite athletes or just regular co-eds.  Thus Davies got little sympathy from the masses when his suspension was revealed, even though many counted among these masses are not members of the Mormon church.

Yet for all the self-righteous co-signing of BYU's decision, few questioned the impact of such a decision, particularly as it pertains to Davies' overall development and well being.  Davies, a sophomore, engaged in sex with his girlfriend.  Considering that sexuality is an integral part of one's personal development, and that college is often the time when this development takes off in earnest, Davies is guilty of nothing more than being a human being.  The repression of one's sexuality at such an age cannot be a good thing, in spite of whatever religious beliefs one may ultimately identify with.  Further, the public humiliation that goes with being kicked off the team and possibly expelled from school serves no educational purpose and does nothing to help Davies in his development as a young adult.

We live in a country that loves to see certain people be punished  and taught a lesson as a way of proving a larger point.  This zero tolerance policy has helped to create a prison nation in America, where the nation's prison-industrial complex now warehouses countless young black and Latino males.  While Davies isn't being sent to jail for his actions, the sentiment that co-signs BYU's draconian act is the same sentiment that has made prisons such a profitable venture in this country since the 1980s.

But what point is ultimately being served here?  None, other than the narcissistic satisfaction that comes from upholding such a morally self-serving philosophy in the first place.  Davies' personal and intellectual development has a bigger chance of being stunted than elevated by such a harsh decision.

One wonders if Davies is the only BYU Cougar to violate the honor code?  Would the university have acted the same way if its star Fredette had been guilty of violating the code?  To what extent does Davies' suspension serve to make an example out of the rare black student athlete who dares to wear the Cougar's uniform?  Does the fact that Davies' girlfriend, Danica Mendivil, is white play a role in the suspension? 

While there is thus far no evidence that the university would have acted differently were it Fredette or another white player, or that race played a role in this at all, the questions are appropriate nonetheless.  No one would mistake BYU for being a diverse campus, nor would anyone confuse the Mormon's Church with being even remotely progressive, having only admitted blacks to the priesthood in 1978.  On a extremely conservative campus and in the racially charged climate of America post Obama's 2008 election, one can never really know what thinking transpired in the decision to suspend Davies.

Interestingly enough, the Davies' suspension came during the same week when another college-related sex story broke out at Northwestern University.   Psychology professor J. Micheal Bailey came under intense criticism for staging the demonstration of a live sex act involving an engaged couple and a "f*ck saw" in an optional section of his Human Sexuality course.   Though Bailey advised that the demonstration was graphic beforehand and the students in the course had the option not to attend the extra session, many still complained that this particular representation of sex went too far.

Yet Bailey's optional demonstration is precisely the type of event that colleges and universities should be providing for their students.  Such is par for the course at an educational university.  One of the reasons people should go to college is to learn that there is a bigger world out there, above and beyond the one that they grew up in.  It is the job of a university to educate its students, not indoctrinate them.  I, of course, realize that BYU is a private religious school and that Northwestern is a private school with no religious affiliation.  That notwithstanding, education, not ignorance, is what should define both school's mission.  On this note, BYU receives an especially failing grade.

Unlike others, I am not going to co-sign BYU's decision, because I don't believe in their honor code.  Such a ridiculous social contract does nothing to educate college students who need to be learning about their sexuality, both in class and out, during this pivotal time in their lives.  BYU's decision is about power and control, not intellectual and emotional development though.  And this is why so many people both consciously and unconsciously agree with the decision.  More than anything else it plays to a climate of punishment in regards to black athletes that many feel is necessary in order to keep the these perceived black bucks from potentially running amok. 

BYU should not be applauded, instead they should be given the serious side eye treatment.  While it is their right to create and enforce their own code of conduct, it should be noted that there is nothing honorable about the decision to kick a kid off the team and potentially expel him from school for having sex.  Were we living in the Middle Ages such a position might make sense, but in 2011 this decision reflects some very misguided principals on the part of BYU and those who co-sign their counterproductive act of sexual repression.

Posted by Dr. Todd Boyd at 4:09 PM   

[Magic Wand]

from THE NOTORIOUS PHD:

One wonders if Davies is the only BYU Cougar to violate the honor code? 

Hell NO!!

Would the university have acted the same way if its star Fredette had been guilty of violating the code?  To what extent does Davies' suspension serve to make an example out of the rare black student athlete who dares to wear the Cougar's uniform? 

   

Does the fact that Davies' girlfriend, Danica Mendivil, is white play a role in the suspension? 
 

Hmmmmmmm......was Danica kicked out of school?

While there is thus far no evidence that the university would have acted differently were it Fredette or another white player, or that race played a role in this at all, the questions are appropriate nonetheless.  No one would mistake BYU for being a diverse campus, nor would anyone confuse the Mormon's Church with being even remotely progressive, having only admitted blacks to the priesthood in 1978.  On a extremely conservative campus and in the racially charged climate of America post Obama's 2008 election, one can never really know what thinking transpired in the decision to suspend Davies.
 

I think we know.

Interestingly enough, the Davies' suspension came during the same week when another college-related sex story broke out at Northwestern University.   Psychology professor J. Micheal Bailey came under intense criticism for staging the demonstration of a live sex act involving an engaged couple and a "f*ck saw" in an optional section of his Human Sexuality course.   Though Bailey advised that the demonstration was graphic beforehand and the students in the course had the option not to attend the extra session, many still complained that this particular representation of sex went too far.

What is a "f*ck saw"?

[michaelintp]

It is a serious question that Magic Wand asks, as to whether the sexual partner of Brandon Davies was also suspended. I would assume so, or else the author would have mentioned the racially disparate treatment of the white girlfriend. Also, the author, despite his speculation regarding racial bias, does not provide any evidence that the "honor code" is not enforced as to other students. If it is enforced as to white students, that's that. If not, then disparate enforcement would reflect a major problem of racial bias. The past Mormon ban on black priests, reversed 30-plus years ago, may give one greater cause for suspicion, but not much more than that, absent more information (that the author does not provide). I wonder why the author made no effort to look into the facts surrounding the university's enforcement policy? Might the author himself be motivated in part by anti-Mormon prejudice?

Anyway, I didn't even catch the racial reference in the article the first time I quickly scanned it and posted on the general topic (I am totally not into sports and sports personalities, and had no idea who Brandon Davies is). I was more distracted by Magic Wand's last question, above, which really caught my attention, hahaha.

Here is what I posted before picking up on the racial aspect (much of which is still pertinent):
___________________

The article seems like kind of a shrug to me. Though I can understand those who are lauding the school for enforcing its rules, even at some potential cost in sports victories.

Davies presumably knew the honor code of his private religious university and was aware of the moral principles mandated by BYU. Nobody compelled him to attend that school. This is not a matter of government compulsion, or anything of that sort. If he didn't like attending such a "uptight" private school, there are a zillion other schools he could have chosen.

The guy made his own bed ... errrr ... or soiled his own sheets. 

As to the distracting highlight: Outrageous was the live sex show performed for students, purportedly for educational purposes, at Northwestern. Heavens to betsy! Dean of Students Burgwell Howard says the instruction "falls within the broad range of academic freedoms — whether one approves or disapproves."  Some academics praised the demonstration as being on the "cutting edge" ... with a f*ck saw.

Given the choice between the two, I think I would rather my kids go to BYU than to Northwestern, hahaha!

P.S. Magic Wand, I found this definition for you from Google (not my words): "The f*ck Saw is a very special hand held f*cking machine that can f*ck really hard using the motion and six different speeds of a reciprocating saw."  My son told me he heard that the professor in the Northwestern course first showed a porno movie featuring a vibrator, but decided the woman's moans did not sound authentic, so he arranged for an exhibitionist couple to perform with this f*ck saw device in front of the class. Now that is what I call a scholarly dedication to the pursuit of Truth! 

[michaelintp]

In case anyone is curious, it turns out that the girlfriend of Brandon Davies is not a student at Brigham Young University, and so could not have been expelled.  Davies' girlfriend is Danica Mendivil, a freshman on the volleyball team at Arizona State University.

Here is a little more background regarding the standards demanded of students at Brigham Young University.  Not revealed in the article that Reginald posted is the fact that Davies is himself a Mormon.

Based on the following article from ABC News, I’m increasingly getting the impression that the author of Reginald’s post may have an axe to grind that has nothing to do with the facts of the case. 

Former BYU Player Booted For Premarital Sex Speaks Out
Ex-NFL Player Reno Mahe, Like Davies, Axed From BYU team for Breaking Honor Code
By ABBIE BOUDREAU and JESSICA HOPPER
March 4, 2011 —
http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=13055950

In the wake of Brigham Young University's star basketball player, Brandon Davies, dismissal from the team for having premarital sex, a former athlete at the school who faced the same fate is speaking out.

Reno Mahe, a star football player at BYU 13 years ago, said he didn't take the Mormon school's strict honor code seriously.

"A girl I was dating at the time, my girlfriend at the time, was pregnant," Mahe said.

He was kicked off the football team for having pre-marital sex.

The BYU honor code stipulates that students must "be honest, live a chaste and virtuous life…use clean language" and abstain from alcohol, tobacco, tea, coffee and drugs. It also bars gambling, use of pornography and homosexual behavior, though "feelings or attraction" are allowed.

After his dismissal from the school, Mahe went to play football for a junior college for a year and reapplied to BYU, this time with full reverence for the rules. He was readmitted and drafted to the NFL before he could finish his degree. He played five seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Mahe married another BYU student and he is now a father of five with a sixth child on the way. Last year, he signed the BYU honor code for a third time to finish his degree.

"I am grateful for a school that hasn't lowered its standards," Mahe said.

Similar to Mahe, basketball player Davies has apologized to his teammates for his transgressions.

The university and his teammates are rallying around the sophomore despite his suspension from the red-hot Cougars.

In the team's first game since his departure, the third-ranked Cougars lost to unranked New Mexico, a crushing blow for a team many thought was headed for a national title.

"It's just a really bad break for our team and for our individual student athlete who we all love," BYU Athletic Director Tom Holmoe said.

The team hopes that Davies returns next season.

"The first thing we did was put our arms around him. Our number one thing is to look out for his best interests. To be able to help him along the process to getting him back to be with the team. I'm going to do everything I can to help bring him back on track to where he was rolling," Holmoe told ABC Affiliate KTVX.

BYU Suspends Brandon Davies for Having Pre-Marital Sex

The tough action by the school is in stark contrast to the anything-goes attitude among much of top-ranked college athletics as well as the social attitudes on most college campuses.

"People won't understand," Holmoe told KTVX. "For us, we live this. This is who we are. We understand that people across the country might think this is foreign to them. They're shocked and surprised."

Davies' teammates said that they don't resent Davies for getting axed from the team just before March Madness.

"I don't know why people would think we would have any resentment towards him," forward Charles Abouo told KTVX. "We love him and everyone makes mistakes. He didn't let anyone down."

Davies, a sophomore who is a Mormon and a Utah native, started 26 of 29 games this season and averaged 11.1 points.

"At a time when college football has shown an incredibly leniency toward players and towards misbehavior, here comes BYU with this story that...speaks very much to honor and dignity and playing by the rules, even if the rules are entirely different from the rules from other schools," ABC News consultant Christine Brennan said.

A year ago, the star running back for BYU's football team, Harvey Unga, had to withdraw from the school along with his girlfriend, a basketball player for the college's women's team, because they were having sex. The couple had been dating for three years and they later married.

ABC News' Ellen Tumposky contributed to this report.

[bluezulu]

from THE NOTORIOUS PHD:

One wonders if Davies is the only BYU Cougar to violate the honor code? 

Hell NO!!

Would the university have acted the same way if its star Fredette had been guilty of violating the code?  To what extent does Davies' suspension serve to make an example out of the rare black student athlete who dares to wear the Cougar's uniform? 

   

Does the fact that Davies' girlfriend, Danica Mendivil, is white play a role in the suspension? 
 

Hmmmmmmm......was Danica kicked out of school?

While there is thus far no evidence that the university would have acted differently were it Fredette or another white player, or that race played a role in this at all, the questions are appropriate nonetheless.  No one would mistake BYU for being a diverse campus, nor would anyone confuse the Mormon's Church with being even remotely progressive, having only admitted blacks to the priesthood in 1978.  On a extremely conservative campus and in the racially charged climate of America post Obama's 2008 election, one can never really know what thinking transpired in the decision to suspend Davies.
 

I think we know.

Interestingly enough, the Davies' suspension came during the same week when another college-related sex story broke out at Northwestern University.   Psychology professor J. Micheal Bailey came under intense criticism for staging the demonstration of a live sex act involving an engaged couple and a "f*ck saw" in an optional section of his Human Sexuality course.   Though Bailey advised that the demonstration was graphic beforehand and the students in the course had the option not to attend the extra session, many still complained that this particular representation of sex went too far.

What is a "f*ck saw"?

You did not look it up did you? It is exactly what you think. Deadspin.com

[michaelintp]

Blue, I already provided the definition, above, as well as some more info regarding what was allowed at Northwestern.  In case you didn't notice.

I had to look it up. A "saw" sounds like something out of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but it is not quite like that, apparently.

[Magic Wand]

Thanks for the definition, Mike.
I was hoping it wouldn't be what I was thinking.
It was.
The picture I just saw makes me wanna gouge my eyes out!
UGH!