The Infamous Powerpoint Presentation OR Did You Hear the One About the Girl at Duke?

OK, did you hear about this one? A recent Duke University graduate slept with as many athletes as possible (apparently, she preferred Lacrosse players), then created a powerpoint presentation ranking the sexual prowess of each young man. Oh, and she posted pictures of them as well. Then she sent it to a few “friends.” Of course now it’s an internet sensation. It’s enough to strike fear in the heart of any parent.

So, where do I begin? This is just wrong on so many levels. I mean, is she aware of the statistic that 1 in 4 people have a sexually transmitted disease (STD)?

I watched two or three TV reports about this creative exploit. Of course, they trotted out the experts to comment on the issue. What disturbed me (and, please, you can tell me if I’m hopelessly old) was not that the young woman was sleeping with anyone in pants, but the fact that she made it so public. I watched a parenting expert talk about how we need to teach our children that anything they post online is public. OK, I understand that. We definitely need to let our kids know that if they put something on Facebook, it better be something they’re ok with their parents, their entire school, their principal, their friends’ parents or pretty much anyone in the entire world knowing about. Great.

At no point in this four or five minute interview did the woman mention that maybe we need to teach our kids that it’s not OK to get drunk and have sex with 12 guys just for sport. I did hear one person say that “frat guys and jocks do this kind of thing to girls all the time” (or something to that effect). The implication was that because other people do it, that makes it OK. That’s the age-old excuse that kids use on their parents, right? “Well, Susie’s mom lets her do it” and your mom would answer (say it with me, now) “Well, if Susie’s mom let her jump off a cliff would you do it?”

This isn’t liberated behavior. It’s sad behavior. Did she ever wonder what the Lacrosse team was saying about her? And the assumption that all guys exploit women is an insult to most men, not to mention frat boys and jocks. Painting people in such broad generalizations is a logical fallacy, not to mention really, really unhelpful.

Really. Just because a few idiots do something doesn’t make it right. This girl must have been steeped in reality shows and “Gossip Girls” for her entire childhood to think this behavior was in any way acceptable/funny/liberated?? I don’t know. What was she thinking? She’s a grown woman. It honestly makes me wonder what kind of bizarre cultural stew is brewing on the Duke campus.

I have two daughters in college right now. If I were the parent of this young woman, I would get her into some serious counseling. Of course, with her current fame, she may be the next reality show star.