World · North America · 18 hrs ago
Cornell sex education materials draw scrutiny amid assault allegations
Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, is facing criticism over sexual health materials circulated by its health service.
A 2019 checklist asked students to consider activities including group sex, open relationships and sex after drinking or using recreational drugs.
Other materials discussed BDSM, fetish equipment, sex toys and mutual touching.
Cornell said the materials were intended to encourage conversations about sexual preferences and boundaries.
They have resurfaced amid allegations that a student was sexually assaulted at the Chi Phi fraternity house in 2024 after consuming alcohol and ketamine.
The allegations involved seven fraternity members, but the Tompkins County district attorney declined to prosecute, and there is no evidence the materials played a role.
The Chi Phi chapter was shut down in 2024 and remains barred from campus.
Cornell University is facing scrutiny over sexual education materials that discuss group sex, BDSM and sex involving alcohol or drugs.
The materials include a 2019 checklist asking students to consider their interest in a range of sexual activities.
Cornell said the documents were intended to encourage conversations about sexual preferences and boundaries.
Critics say the content could blur boundaries around consent, but the article says there is no evidence the materials played any role in an alleged assault.
The scrutiny has resurfaced amid allegations of a sexual assault at the Chi Phi fraternity house in 2024.
- Who
- Cornell University and critics of its sexual education materials.
- What
- Materials discussing sexual activities including group sex, BDSM and sex involving alcohol or drugs have drawn scrutiny.
- When
- The checklist cited is from 2019; the scrutiny resurfaced amid allegations concerning an incident in October 2024.
- Where
- Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.
- Why
- Cornell said the materials were intended to encourage discussion of sexual preferences and boundaries; critics say they could blur boundaries around consent.
Critics of the materials
Cornell University
Purpose and impact
Critics of the materials
Critics say the explicit content could blur boundaries around consent.
Cornell University
Cornell said the materials were intended to encourage conversations about sexual preferences and boundaries.
Connection to alleged assault
Critics of the materials
Jared Lederman said the group-sex material could contribute to situations involving disputed consent.
Cornell University
The article says there is no evidence the materials played any role in the alleged assault.
Cornell isn’t directly responsible for the alleged gang rape, but the group sex act they are endorsing could very well lead to non-consensual activity, they inherently lead to a gray area
Cornell Health produced a worksheet titled “Yes, No, Maybe So: A Sexual Inventory Stocklist.
An alleged sexual assault took place at Cornell's Chi Phi fraternity house, according to the article.
Cornell shut down the Chi Phi chapter following the allegations, and it remains barred from campus.
The Daily Mail published an article about scrutiny of Cornell's sexual education materials.
- Worksheet
- Yes, No, Maybe So: A Sexual Inventory Stocklist
- Worksheet date
- 2019
- Alleged incident
- October 2024, at the Chi Phi fraternity house
- Chapter status
- Chi Phi was shut down in 2024 and remains barred from campus
- Prosecution
- Tompkins County district attorney declined to prosecute
Sources
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