You may recall my post last week about sex at Yeshiva University, in which I wrote:
Sex.
Ostensibly there is nothing of the sort at Yeshiva University. As the exemplar of American Modern Orthodoxy, YU has something of a pristine reputation. […] YU is definitely more sheltered than most places; if someone’s looking for a good time (and by that I mean the kind of good time that involves drinking, drugs or sex, not a night out bowling) it’s easy enough to find.
In following up on this post, I discovered that many of my readers were interested in hearing more about why I considered it necessary to discuss this topic in a public forum. In answer to their questions, I published the same piece with an addendum in the YU Beacon, my paper at YU.
The addendum, in part:
I’ve been receiving the same question from numerous readers and friends: Why do we need to talk about it? Some say talking about the topic will only validate the breaking of a mitzvah, while others suggest that it’s lashon hara to talk about it in a public forum. Yet I remain firm in my belief that this, like most things, should not be covered up with polite words and pleasant conversation.
Why should we talk about it? Well, for one thing, if we are of the opinion that breaking shomer negiah is a bad thing, there’s only one way to fix it, and the first step is to speak about it. The system is flawed. Shomer negiah was instituted during a time when the concept of dating was nonexistent.
You can read the rest of the addition at the Beacon.
