Maybe there really is a place for everyone at UTM—even the virgins.
Inspired by a similar account created for UTK, UTM has its very own unofficial and anonymously published Virginity Club. In honor of my own abstinence, I decided to take a deep dive into the world of the anonymous creator. Obviously, as this cold world is not yet ready to know the identity of such a virtuous architect, I sent my questions, via direct message, to the utmvirgin Instagram account, which has gained quite the following. Thankfully, he or she shared my passion for abstinence awareness and was more than willing to answer. As of now, the person running the account is deciding to remain anonymous, but let’s take a look at the account.
The account began its social justice journey on Feb. 1., which is also, coincidentally, known as National Freedom Day. The first post of the account is a sort of PSA for like-minded individuals who agree that “people who use apps such as Snapchat, Tinder and Bumble may just want to take your precious virginity.” The goal of the account appears to be the removal of the stigma revolving around virginity. I, myself, applaud the account for starting off with such clear intent. Truly, why else would people be on Snapchat, save for misuse of one’s body? Other posts from the account include helpful tips on how to “avoid the tip” and places to avoid, such as Cadillacs, “where 17 year olds and 47 year olds unite,” and Aisle 13 at our local Rural King, where one may accidentally stumble across weed wackers and simply be unable to avoid temptation. I, for one, am grateful this account owner would be so selfless as to brave these locations to protect future generations from being the “83% of UTM’s population” that has missed out on such helpful knowledge.
As you may be on the edge of your seat at this point, I will now address some of the backlash that utmvirgin has faced. When asked about the criticism, the account owner acknowledged that he or she “expected some backlash, but the amount [he or she has] actually received [was] astonishingly high.” Most recently, the account’s mission has even been attacked by the very organization it purports to protect: UTM. “I thought a page like this might provide a safe place… to help others know what virginity at UTM is all about. I believe the comedic aspect of the page really helps de-stigmatize virginity,” the owner wrote to me on Thursday, February 18th. Unfortunately, the university has not returned the notions of affection. Prior to my virtual interview with the account’s defender, on February 15th, UTM contacted the account and demanded the removal of any sort of content relating to the UTM campus. This anonymous advocate, thought, knows his or her rights. As the user remains adamant that the account is a satirical one of parody in subject, the court case Campbell v. Acuff-Rose Music, Inc. (1994), applies to its existence, thus continuing to hold space for safe conversations on the subject of abstinence.
As a current UTM student, I speak for myself and at least 28 other students when I say this: we would love to see the university’s efforts placed elsewhere, and to our hidden hero: thank you for your service.
