Skip to main content

The Brief: UT Students Wage Sex Toy Protest on First Day of Class

Students and activists at the University of Texas at Austin voiced their displeasure with the new campus carry law by strapping sex toys to their backpacks.

Cocks Not Glocks members pass out 4,000 dildos before their rally against newly-enacted campus carry laws at UT -Austin on August 23, 2016.

The Big Conversation

Students and activists at the University of Texas at Austin voiced their displeasure with the campus carry law that went into effect earlier this month across the state by strapping sex toys to their backpacks and grabbing suggestively themed T-shirts.

As the San Antonio Express-News’ Kelsey Bradshaw put it, “It was an interesting first day of class, to say the least.”

A protest organizer told the Austin American-Statesman that if the demonstration seemed over the top, that was the intent. Ana López said the demonstration was created to flout obscenity laws while protesting legalizing handguns on campus.

The protests, though, seemed to be getting little serious pushback. University administrators were quick to describe the protest as protected political speech. And a student concealed carry group also supported the protesters’ free speech rights, touting a “gun/dildo alliance.”

Disclosure: The University of Texas at Austin has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune. A complete list of Tribune donors and sponsors can be viewed here

Trib Must Reads 

Donald Trump Praises Rick Perry as Potential Ted Cruz Challenger, by Patrick Svitek and Abby Livingston — GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump strongly praised Rick Perry when asked at an Austin fundraiser on Tuesday about the possibility of the former governor challenging U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz in a Republican primary.

Texas Promised 34 Years Ago to Track Oilfield Waste in Aquifers. It Didn't, by Jim Malewitz — Texas regulators have allowed energy companies in recent years to inject toxic materials into at least a “handful” of underground sources of drinking water sources, records show.

Trump Trolls Texas for Votes, UT Students Troll Handgun Law with Sex Toys, by Alana Rocha and Justin Dehn — In the Roundup: Donald Trump softened his position on immigration at an event in Texas, a federal judge sided with the state and temporarily blocked President Obama's transgender bathroom directive and UT-Austin students took a hard stance against the new campus carry law.

San Antonio Firm Has Growing Role in Trump Campaign, by Patrick Svitek — A San Antonio web design firm has grown into the single biggest vendor to the campaign of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. 

Elsewhere

(Links below lead to outside websites; content might be behind paywall)

Out of the public's eye, Susan Hawk eases back into seesaw role as Dallas County's district attorneyThe Dallas Morning News

Most Texas doctors punished for sexual misconduct keep their licensesAustin American-Statesman

Border agents saw more families and children alone crossing illegally in JulySan Antonio Express-News

Trade group warns insurer may not have enough funds to cover major stormHouston Chronicle

Dallas shooter showed signs of PTSD when he returned from Afghanistan, VA records showThe Dallas Morning News

Team Cruz on Trump’s immigration shift: Told you soPolitico 

Bush remembers Nelda Laney, wife of former House Speaker, as dear friendLubbock Avalanche-Journal

Mom questions how infant daughter died in foster care, WFAA-TV

Quote to Note

"Let's put a dildo in the hands of every pissed-off college student who hasn't been heard in this safety conversation. Strap it on, feel the discomfort, feel the weird looks. Wear it loud, wear it proud, and don't take them off until people take their guns home."

— UT alumna and Cocks Not Glocks founder Jessica Jin, talking to the San Antonio Express-News on the protest that took place at the University of Texas at Austin where students strapped multicolored dildos to to their backpacks to express their frustration over campus carry.  

News From Home

•    The Texas Tribune wants to see what your college campus looks like now that campus carry is legal in Texas. Are there any visible changes? Or is it business as usual?

•    The full program for the 2016 Texas Tribune Festival, featuring conversations about the future of health care, the sharing economy, Zika, abortion, standardized testing, higher ed funding, border security and, of course, Donald Trump, is now available. To view the Festival schedule & purchase tickets, visit texastribune.org/festival.

Trib Events for the Calendar

•   A Conversation with state Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa and state Reps. Terry Canales and Bobby Guerra on Aug. 26 at UT-Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg

•    San Antonio & the Legislature: The Election and Beyond on Sept. 14 at University of Texas at San Antonio – Downtown Campus

•   The Texas Tribune Festival on Sept. 23-25 at the University of Texas at Austin

•   TribFeast: A Dinner To Support Nonprofit Journalism on Sept. 24 at the University of Texas at Austin's Etter-Harbin Alumni Center

•   A Conversation with state Reps. Four Price and John Smithee on Oct. 4 at Amarillo College in Amarillo

•   A Conversation with state Reps. Andrew Murr and Jason Isaac on Nov. 14 at Schreiner University in Kerrville

Texans need truth. Help us report it.

Support independent Texas news

Become a member. Join today.

Donate now

Explore related story topics