Oregon State University is coming under fire after
canceling an invitation to Tristan
Taormino, a self-described feminist pornographer, to be the keynote speaker for
the school’s upcoming Modern Sex
Conference.
The Campus Women’s Center, which is hosting the
conference, selected Taormino as the keynote speaker during the fall
semester. Taormino was invited to
give a talk on the broad theme of “sexual empowerment.” However, after announcing their
program, the Provost's office contacted the Women’s Center to inform them they would not be allowed
to use their budget to bring Taormino to campus. According to the Student Government, the Provost’s office
claimed that because of her background in pornography the department could not
use their funds to pay her travel or speaking fee.
Its hard to imagine how this could be a more cut and
dry violation of Academic Freedom.
The administration at OSU is attempting to bar one of its departments
from bringing a speaker explicitly because they disapprove of views she has
expressed.
The Center has been in contact with the Student
Government and Women’s Center while they decide how to proceed forward. We’ll be working to make sure this
decision is quickly reversed.