Sex Signals
The Sex Signals assembly was unique from most others in that it used somewhat alarming comedy as a method to convey messages to students and start necessary conversations about sexual assault. I personally enjoyed watching the show and the actors’ approach, but some parts of their act still need to be addressed and discussed.
"Someone you know is more likely to sexually assault you—that’s why you always have to keep an eye out for yourself. Rape does not occur in a dark alley, and rapists are not always scary people in black masks. Rape is sex without consent."
The whole assembly was based on keeping the audiences’ attention through humor. Of course, humor can be a very effective tool for communication; using it can be better than delivering a monotone and lifeless speech. However, regarding serious matters like sexual assault, using humor as a delivery tool may be offensive or may send the wrong signal that the topic can be something to laugh about. I’ve found through students’ responses, both to the assembly and to the evening show, that many thought of the performances as a joke. The actors cannot expect students to take things seriously when they themselves seemed not to take the subject seriously. However, it was clear that they brought up avoidable yet extremely important topics to the surface, and I know they informed and entertained many through their performances.
They also overemphasized the fixed gender roles and images that are portrayed by the media, or by ourselves. Even though they continued to ingrains in us that boys are not the typical image of stupid jocks, they still portrayed boys in the play as stupid, sex-craving animals. It was funny the first few times, but what they portrayed on stage didn’t match the message they were trying to deliver.
Besides that, the message that they made was very loud and clear: it is never the victim’s fault when someone assaults them. Sometimes we seem to forget that even though the victim could have done something different to change the outcome, it doesn’t matter. It is never the victim’s fault. We see in society that those with power shove minorities and those who are vulnerable into the corner, and public opinion certainly adds pressure to that, rather than saving and hearing out those in need. Of course, the woman could have screamed louder for help, she could have not invited a guy to her house, she could have not sent signals for the man to think that he could go into her house and have sex (and vice versa or any other case as well). Regardless, it is not the victim’s fault. They are called victims for a reason. It is enough that they suffered through the physical and mental damage their assaulter gave them, why does the public need to charge the victim for a crime that they are not responsible for and are suffering for?
They also mentioned how this is not distant from us. It never is. When we think of rape, we normally think of it as a tragic accident that we only see on TV. Because we never open the possibility that we might be the victims or be exposed to such incidents directly or indirectly, we don’t take it seriously. However, sexual assault is a serious issue that can easily occur at a boarding school. The recent incident at St. Paul’s, where seniors sexually assaulted a freshman, can’t be unusual in an environment filled with teenagers without their parents.
Someone you know is more likely to sexually assault you—that’s why you always have to keep an eye out for yourself. Rape does not occur in a dark alley, and rapists are not always scary people in black masks. Rape is sex without consent. It is important that both parties understand that, because one’s opinion can only be taken into consideration and effect as long as the other person chooses to respect it.
You can show affection to somebody, but that always doesn’t have to lead to sex. When a guy or a girl says, “Do you want to come by my house to study?” it can genuinely mean that they want to study. But if you have room for other thoughts, ask that person. The absence of no is never a yes. Yes means yes, and nothing else can replace that answer.