“I’m Right. You’re Wrong.” is an advice column especially designed to help University at Buffalo students. So if you have no one else to turn to (and I mean absolutely no one) drop off your question in our personals mailbox or email us at askgeneration@gmail.com. If you’re lucky, your question just might show up in the next issue.
Q: Does the SA have any clubs or organizations where people with STDs can “get together” and “talk”?
AM: No, SA doesn’t offer any kind of clubs or organizations that you are looking for. Subboard Inc. (SBI), through Health Education and Human Services (HEHS), funds the AIDS coalition, which sponsors annual events and different workshops throughout the year. At HEHS’ Sex Ed Center, students can talk with peer counselors not only about living with an STD but also about rape, relationship issues, and sexual dysfunction. HEHS is located at South Campus, Hayes Annex C Suite 5 and you can contact them at 829-2585 or sbi-hehs@buffalo.edu. They’re open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
C: I believe what you’re referring to is called a “sorority,” and while SA does not run these organizations, the dirty basements of the University Heights are chock full of them.
Q: What’s the law on sex with minors? Is it really necessary?
AM: The age of consent (“the age at which a person is considered to be capable of legally giving informed consent to sexual acts with another person,” according to Wikipedia) for New Yorkers is 17, whether you’re a boy or girl. Some states have a lower age of consent for girls (as low as 12) and others don’t allow consensual sex between homosexuals at all. If you’re a legal adult (over 18) and you have consensual sex with a minor under the age of consent, you can be charged with statutory rape. Two children under the age of consent can also be convicted. Conviction and sentences are based on what actually happened between the two and also their age difference. Some charges include “unlawful sexual conduct with a minor” or “corruption of a minor.”
The laws are necessary because they protect children from being taken advantage of by adults. Young teenagers are filled with hormones and desires but they’re not always aware of the consequences (like teenage pregnancy). The law doesn’t hold these kids responsible because they don’t know any better.
C: Law schmaw. The way I see it, if Yahweh didn’t want me dipping into his fine crop of 15-year-olds, he wouldn’t have invented the mall—or Long Island.
Q: My girlfriend and I have been in a steady relationship for over two years. I’ve recently been interested in having an “open” relationship but the thought of her with another guy pisses me off. What should I do?
AM: Well, you obviously aren’t going to have an “open” relationship with your girlfriend if you keep thinking the way you do. How do you think your girlfriend would feel if you were with another woman? If you want to try having this kind of relationship with her, you should just talk to her about it—see how she feels. Maybe she’s not cool with the idea at all, maybe she’ll be all about it. But, just remember, there can’t be a double standard. If you get to hook up with girls at the bar, she’s got just as much right to do the same.
C: Well, since your jealousy issues make it glaringly obvious that you’re not really in to the whole “open relationship” thing for the correct reasons, I can only give you an answer based on assumptions. I assume that your girlfriend got fat. I also assume that the only reason you want some new ‘tang is because of this fact. So, my advice would be to either suck it up and start cheating on her like the rest of your frat brothers do with their significant others, or else go out and buy a large quantity of Vaseline, because, either way, once she finds out about your plans, all your frequent masturbation is going to lead to a lot of chaffing in these coming cold months.
Q: I was recently involved in a porn movie, and I wanted to show it in my documentary class. Is this appropriate to show? We have to hand in a tape that expresses ourselves, and I think it would be a good choice.
AM: If you’re taking a documentary class to learn about documentaries, then your project should reflect something that you’ve learned—isn’t that the point of classes? Bringing a movie of yourself that has nothing to do with the course and was produced before the assignment was given just isn’t a good idea. Suck it up like the rest of the students and do your homework.
C: That’s a tough call. I think I’d have to review the tape before I could give you an educated answer. Do us a favor and a shoot a copy over to: Generation Magazine, c/o Christopher Ahearn, 315 Student Union.
