CASE response to MRU Confessions' condom slogan

The Facebook Group “MRU Confessions” has created 1000 condoms with the slogan “Anonymously Get Inside” and is creating a disturbance around the Mount Royal University campus. After receiving criticism from faculty members and students, Admins from the group have been very defensive and argue that everyone is “taking a joke too seriously”. While it appears that the creators of the slogan did not have bad intentions when they chose their wording - the message can be seen to support attitudes and practices which normalize, excuse, tolerate, and even condone sexual assault. 

While the slogan may have seemed appropriate to the group of Admins, they should have considered the ways it could be perceived by a wider audience. And while some argue that consent-focused slogans are less catchy, we would challenge them to look at the work we are doing at CASE, because we feel it is entirely possible to be catchy AND promote asking for consent.

At its best, “Anonymously Get Inside” could be good for a very specific niche - consenting individuals who want to have anonymous sex - however, it would have to involve the positive, voluntary consent of all involved.

At its worst, “Anonymously Get Inside” promotes forcing sex on someone without their permission. Anonymity is something which could be preferred by someone committing sexual assault - and the entire slogan seems to suggest that sex is something you do TO someone, instead of WITH someone. Additionally, the “get inside” aspect of the slogan seems to be speaking only to men, which ignores the experiences of women, as with as other individuals along the sexual orientation and gender spectrums.

If the slogans on these condoms offend you, please make your opinion known by submitting to the MRU Confessions page and/or complaining to officials at Mount Royal University. To MRU Confessions: now is a really great time to admit you made a mistake and stop distributing the condoms. Making mistakes is completely fine so long as you apologize and learn from them. Please be a Good Guy Greg, because if you continue as you are, you will be a Scumbag Steve.