Abstinence-only education is a controversial topic anywhere in the United States and is especially so on AU's campus. AU hands out condoms like lollipops, and they are often used for the same reason. While there are surely abstinent members in the AU community, the campus culture is not one conducive to that choice.
The Wellness Center, in an effort to promote an underrepresented viewpoint, hosted Dr. Lindsay Marsh, a proponent of abstinence-centric sex education. Marsh quickly proved controversial as she alienated the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community by suggesting that if they open their hearts to God they can be saved.
Even though the Wellness Center has made it clear they do not support Marsh's more controversial viewpoints, the center still deserves blame for bringing her to campus. The AU community is made of people of varying different backgrounds and sexual orientations. A speaker whose viewpoints so consistently denigrate members of this community should not be hosted on campus.
A speaker like Marsh is not only offensive but also counterproductive to her own cause. Abstinence-only education is flawed, but abstinence as a lifestyle is not. If the Wellness Center had been more careful and brought a less controversial, fact-based educator, an important aspect of sex education would have received its due debate. Marsh accomplished nothing more than confirming what many at AU already believed - that abstinence is untenable in today's culture.
Despite this extremely unsuccessful attempt at representing varying viewpoints, it is important that the Wellness Center continue to try. The comments leveled at Marsh after her program focused on her religious overtones and exclusionary rhetoric - not necessarily on her support for abstinence. The Wellness Center would be well suited to find a non-religious and more open-minded speaker next time around.
