SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
"You're carrying a gun to class? Yeah well I'm carrying a HUGE DILDO." (Photo: Dario Lo Presti viaShutterstock)
'I'll Show You Obscene': Campus to Protest Concealed Guns with Unconcealed Dildos
Campus community will protest fact that, starting in August 2016, they will be allowed to carry concealed weapons, but not sex toys, on school grounds
Oct 12, 2015
The campus community at the University of Texas at Austin has found a creative way to protest the fact that soon they will be allowed to carry concealed guns--but not sex toys--on school grounds.
On August 24, 2016, soon after the gun law goes into effect, students and alumni will stage a Campus Dildo Carry in which they strap "gigantic swinging dildos to our backpacks in protest of campus [gun] carry."
"ANYBODY can participate in solidarity: alum, non-UT students, people outside of Texas. Come one dildo, come all dildos," states the event announcement. "You're carrying a gun to class? Yeah well I'm carrying a HUGE DILDO."
The "campus carry" bill, signed into law by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in June, mandates that, starting in August 2016, public universities will not be allowed to ban guns on campus.
In contrast, "obscene materials" are banned on school grounds, according to UT rules, which cite the Texas penal code. According to event organizers, this means "You would receive a citation for taking a DILDO to class before you would get in trouble for taking a gun to class."
"The State of Texas has decided that it is not at all obnoxious to allow deadly concealed weapons in classrooms, however it DOES have strict rules about free sexual expression, to protect your innocence," the announcement continues.
This is in a state where, until seven years ago, the sale of sex toys was banned.
The protest appears to have struck a nerve. Since Friday, over 5,400 people have responded in the affirmative to the Facebook event announcement, and the protest has garnered international headlines. This attention can only grow, given that the direct action is nearly a year away.
UT alumna Jessica Jin told the Houston Chronicle on Sunday that she decided to organize the event because she "couldn't believe that people could still sit there and defend their own personal gun ownership while watching families mourn the loss of their children... When I discovered that it is indeed against UT policy to wave dildos around campus, I just couldn't help myself."
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your support. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
Sarah Lazare
Sarah Lazare was a staff writer for Common Dreams from 2013-2016. She is currently web editor and reporter for In These Times.
The campus community at the University of Texas at Austin has found a creative way to protest the fact that soon they will be allowed to carry concealed guns--but not sex toys--on school grounds.
On August 24, 2016, soon after the gun law goes into effect, students and alumni will stage a Campus Dildo Carry in which they strap "gigantic swinging dildos to our backpacks in protest of campus [gun] carry."
"ANYBODY can participate in solidarity: alum, non-UT students, people outside of Texas. Come one dildo, come all dildos," states the event announcement. "You're carrying a gun to class? Yeah well I'm carrying a HUGE DILDO."
The "campus carry" bill, signed into law by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in June, mandates that, starting in August 2016, public universities will not be allowed to ban guns on campus.
In contrast, "obscene materials" are banned on school grounds, according to UT rules, which cite the Texas penal code. According to event organizers, this means "You would receive a citation for taking a DILDO to class before you would get in trouble for taking a gun to class."
"The State of Texas has decided that it is not at all obnoxious to allow deadly concealed weapons in classrooms, however it DOES have strict rules about free sexual expression, to protect your innocence," the announcement continues.
This is in a state where, until seven years ago, the sale of sex toys was banned.
The protest appears to have struck a nerve. Since Friday, over 5,400 people have responded in the affirmative to the Facebook event announcement, and the protest has garnered international headlines. This attention can only grow, given that the direct action is nearly a year away.
UT alumna Jessica Jin told the Houston Chronicle on Sunday that she decided to organize the event because she "couldn't believe that people could still sit there and defend their own personal gun ownership while watching families mourn the loss of their children... When I discovered that it is indeed against UT policy to wave dildos around campus, I just couldn't help myself."
Sarah Lazare
Sarah Lazare was a staff writer for Common Dreams from 2013-2016. She is currently web editor and reporter for In These Times.
The campus community at the University of Texas at Austin has found a creative way to protest the fact that soon they will be allowed to carry concealed guns--but not sex toys--on school grounds.
On August 24, 2016, soon after the gun law goes into effect, students and alumni will stage a Campus Dildo Carry in which they strap "gigantic swinging dildos to our backpacks in protest of campus [gun] carry."
"ANYBODY can participate in solidarity: alum, non-UT students, people outside of Texas. Come one dildo, come all dildos," states the event announcement. "You're carrying a gun to class? Yeah well I'm carrying a HUGE DILDO."
The "campus carry" bill, signed into law by Texas Governor Greg Abbott in June, mandates that, starting in August 2016, public universities will not be allowed to ban guns on campus.
In contrast, "obscene materials" are banned on school grounds, according to UT rules, which cite the Texas penal code. According to event organizers, this means "You would receive a citation for taking a DILDO to class before you would get in trouble for taking a gun to class."
"The State of Texas has decided that it is not at all obnoxious to allow deadly concealed weapons in classrooms, however it DOES have strict rules about free sexual expression, to protect your innocence," the announcement continues.
This is in a state where, until seven years ago, the sale of sex toys was banned.
The protest appears to have struck a nerve. Since Friday, over 5,400 people have responded in the affirmative to the Facebook event announcement, and the protest has garnered international headlines. This attention can only grow, given that the direct action is nearly a year away.
UT alumna Jessica Jin told the Houston Chronicle on Sunday that she decided to organize the event because she "couldn't believe that people could still sit there and defend their own personal gun ownership while watching families mourn the loss of their children... When I discovered that it is indeed against UT policy to wave dildos around campus, I just couldn't help myself."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.