The joint Student Union campaign of presidential candidate Brooke Feldman and vice-presidential candidate Mark DiCristofaro may have violated Boston University sexual harassment policy and even state law by distributing condoms to students across campus, some of whom claim they were unwelcome.
According to the BU Lifebook, “displaying sexually suggestive objects” that are unwelcome by the viewer can constitute sexual harassment. The Lifebook’s rules are derived from state law and the law’s implications, which are outlined by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.
College of Arts and Sciences freshman Joel Kosh made his concern public on Union Vice President Jonah Goldberg’s WTBU radio show, Chicken in a Cup, Friday afternoon when he instant messaged during the show to ask Feldman about a condom placed on his door by a campaign staffer.
“My concern was that it is a violation of decent election procedure and a violation of the BU Lifebook,” Kosh said in an interview with The Daily Free Press, “in particular, regarding the sexual harassment policy.”
Although the condoms were approved by the Elections Committee as campaign material, the committee does not govern the manner in which they are distributed.
Feldman, a School of Education sophomore, said the plan to distribute the condoms was on her and DiCristofaro’s itemized list prior to the start of the campaign.
Kosh said the condom distribution violated several aspects of the sexual harassment policy.
“Without me being there to give my consent,” he continued, “they placed a sexual object on my door. A condom clearly comments on an individual’s body and sexual activity.”
Kosh said the phrasing on the condom also alluded to his “sexual experiences.”
“As well as inquiries into my ‘sexual experiences,'” he said, “as the wording on the condom says ‘make the safe choice,’ as if implying that I, if I do have sex, which according to the condom must be the case, I don’t have ‘safe’ sex.”
Kosh said he found the condom on his door when he came back from being away from his dorm for the night.
“I come back from playing some basketball with some friends last Tuesday night and I discover a condom on my door that says, ‘Vote Brooke and Mark’ and ‘Make the safe choice,'” he said.
According to Kosh, the condom was on everyone’s door on his side of his floor in Warren Towers Fairfield Tower.
“The condom was not just on my door, but everybody’s doors,” he said. “The campaign staffers clearly never asked for my consent when placing a condom on my door.
“I felt this, first of all, was a violation of my space and property,” he continued. “Granted, people all the time place stuff on or under my door, however, it never dealt with sexual matters.”
Kosh contacted Student Union Elections Commission chairman David Sideman to express his concern. According to Kosh, Sideman provided him with a complaint form.
Sideman said any student can fill out a complaint form and give it to the Elections Commission if they are concerned with the actions of one of the campaigns.
“If people want to lodge a complaint about any campaign practice, they can do so with SUEC, and we are happy to look into it,” the College of Arts and Sciences senior said. “I have a form that I send to anyone who wishes to do so.”
Sideman said the condoms do not violate any regulations set by the commission regarding campaigning.
“The condoms do not violate SUEC regulations,” he said. “I saw them in their budget, and I don’t think they violate anything in our SUEC rules. People can hand out pretty much whatever they want, as long as they don’t put them up as an advertisement – that would require SAO approval – or put them anywhere they are not supposed to.”
DiCristofaro said he and Feldman decided to use condoms in campaigning not only because it relates to their shared idea of free contraception, but also because it would help with advertising for the election. DiCristofaro said he has been getting positive feedback from campaigning with condom distribution.
“This is causing a buzz on campus,” he said. “We put a lot of money into advertising to not only get the word out about us, but to also get the word out about the campaigns.”
Union Vice President Jonah Goldberg said while the condoms may not be against the rules, they still may offend a number of students.
“Personally, I think it’s disgusting,” the College of Communication junior said, “and while it may not be against the rules, based on the comments I have heard from students, maybe it should be. It doesn’t sound like too many people are happy about this.”
Kosh said he agrees with Sideman’s “reading of the rules” regarding campaign practice. However, Kosh said he found a discrepancy when he referenced the Lifebook.
Kosh said his concern was beyond a personal matter, but he was also concerned with the response of other people with certain belief systems.
“I felt more concern for people I know who are strictly religious or who choose to abstain from sex until marriage,” he said. “This creates the opportunity for many people to make suggestive comments or even to make unwelcome advances, depending on who this person attracts.”
