The University of Wisconsin-Madison removed a University Health Services sex education module after an inquiry from a newly created conservative student newspaper indicated the module had a link to an adult film website without restrictions.
In its first article published Wednesday afternoon, The Madison Federalist said the university removed the sex education program, SexWIse, after they launched an inquiry. Federalist Editor-in-Chief Benjamin Rothove told The Daily Cardinal they were tipped off to the story after a Federalist writer mentioned a 17-year old friend had access to the module, which he said included a link to an adult film website.
SexWIse, part of the four GetWIse modules, is required by first-years to enroll in classes. Sex Out Loud Chair Rory Madden told the Cardinal the program teaches about “a lot of necessary information that students need to know” including “healthy sexuality, sexual assault prevention, media literacy and healthy relationships.”
In an email shared with the Cardinal, UW-Madison spokesperson John Lucas told the Federalist the university removed the link to the adult film website and the module temporarily “to ensure that the presentation of the topic is clear and supported by research.”
The Cardinal reached out to Lucas for comment.
Madden said she was not aware of a timeline to get the module back up.
“Violence prevention resources are not available to students without that program,” Madden said. “It's super important to promote healthy sexuality and to have some sex education, or at least resources to sex education.”
Madden said it was especially harmful for the university to remove the module during the Red Zone, a period of time from September to Thanksgiving during which the majority of sexual assaults on college campuses occur.
Madden also disagreed with the Federalist’s characterization of Sex Out Loud as a “controversial” group.
“I don't think sexual health is controversial,” Madden said.
This is a developing story
Photo editor Finneagan Ricco contributed reporting to this article.
Gavin Escott is the campus news editor for the Daily Cardinal. He has covered protests, breaking news and written in-depth on Wisconsin politics and higher education. He is the former producer of the Cardinal Call podcast. Follow him on X at @gav_escott.
Noe Goldhaber is the college news editor and former copy chief for The Daily Cardinal. She is a Statistics and Journalism major and has specialized on a wide range of campus topics including protests, campus labor, student housing, free speech and campus administration. She has done data analysis and visualization for the Cardinal on a number of stories. Follow her on Twitter at @noegoldhaber.
