A letter to Exeter University on “Britain’s horniest student”

Dear Exeter University,

I am writing to you about Elina Desaine, aka Britain’s horniest student. I write to highlight what I feel to be an obvious point: that having lots of sex is not a disciplinary offence.

Well, at least it shouldn’t be. It is a life-style choice that people make. If someone wants to have safe-sex three times a week with different partners, who are you to say they shouldn’t?

You claim her actions “may cause reputational damage to the University” but offer no evidence to why this is. Why would one student’s alleged promiscuous behaviour reflect badly on an institution?

You need to spell that one out because I just can’t see it!

If you stick by this accusation – that she has caused reputational damage – I would be fascinated to know where you plan to draw the line.

Is it talking about the sex that’s a problem or actually having sex? Or is it not the sex per se that’s the problem but that she claimed to have had sex with lots of partners? Do you plan to draw up some guidelines to the number of partners per term a student is allowed to have before it becomes a disciplinary offence? Or is it that she is celebrating having lots of sex with lots of partners?

If it is the latter, a cursory conversation with plenty of male students will find a fair number willing to boast about their sexual accomplishments – should we be starting an inquisition to hunt out all students who are proud of having sex with multiple partners?

You must be able to see your position on this issue is bonkers…can’t you?

I don’t know this but I am going to hazard a guess. I am guessing that Elina Desaine, aka Britain’s horniest student’s decision to enter that competition rubbed up the wrong way against someone’s personal morality – they didn’t like what they perceived to be a glorifying of immoral promiscuous behaviour.

Well, like it or not, this isn’t a good enough reason to discipline someone. Especially for an academic institution.

It is in light of this that I call on you to drop all proceedings against Elina Desaine.

I look forward to your response,

Steve Hynd