Seniors Clash Over Condoms At Dance

“Go to the Last Chance Dance...and get laid,” read the website for the Last Chance Dance.

Sparked by the provocative invitation, some members of the senior class advocated that the class marshals distribute condoms at the event. But although no one is claiming responsibility for the decision, condoms were not officially handed out.

Rachel L. Brown ’01, second class marshal, and T. Chris King ’01, third class marshal, said it was the decision of the Harvard Alumni Association (HAA) not to provide condoms at the dance. But members of HAA said they did not have anything to do with the decision.

Brown, the second marshal, said she agreed with the decision and that the dance is not about having sex—and therefore condoms were not appropriate. King declined to comment beyond saying that the choice was HAA’s.

“The Last Chance Dance is about random hookups. It’s not about having sex, and if people are choosing to make that decision, they’re not going to do it at the Roxy,” Brown said. “They’re going to do it at the dorms, where there are plenty of condoms.”

Yet the three students who suggested having condoms at the door, Angela L. Peluse ’01, Michael K.T. Tan Æ01 and Jeanne M. Cawse ’01, said they disagree.

“We felt that it was the responsibility of the class to provide condoms because of the nature of the dance,” said Peluse, the former co-director of the Peer Counseling Center.

Brown, however, said she has faith that seniors are responsible enough to know the importance of safe sex.

“They don’t need things thrown in their faces,” Brown said.

Peluse said she was surprised that the request met with any resistance.

“I was shocked,” Peluse said of the class marshals’ refusal.

Tan said King did not e-mail them back until the day of the dance, saying the marshals felt having condoms at the door would “unnecessarily sexualize” the dance.

The marshals also argued that providing condoms at the door would make some people feel uncomfortable, according to Peluse.

“If you go to the Last Chance Dance you’re probably not offended by condoms,” Peluse said. “We thought that was strange.”

Despite the marshals’ decision, the three seniors brought condoms from University Health Services [UHS] and put them in the bathrooms of the Roxy.

“In 10 minutes they were gone,” Tan said.

While Brown did not know about the condoms in the bathrooms, she said she does not have a problem with it.

“That’s fine if people did that,” Brown said. “It’s just not the class committee’s job to do that.”

Tan said he plans to speak to alumni and Dean Avery about condoms being provided in the future at the Last Chance Dance.

“It seems like I’m back in ninth grade with them arguing that contraceptives cause people to have sex,” Peluse said.

Xunhua “Sunny” Wong `01, who is also a class marshal, declined to comment. Matthew O’Hare `01, also a class marshal, did not return repeated calls for comment. Amma Y. Ghartey-Tagoe `01, the first class marshal, was not available for comment.

—Staff writer Anne K. Kofol can be reached at kofol@fas.harvard.edu.