"Local Bison Bear All"? Bear?

Were they carrying everything in sight?

Put up with a lot?

Yeah, I was all set to learn more about the crash blossom (never having seen a bison bear but wondering what it might look like; you never know about college mascots these days...).

John, thanks for posting this. As an alumna of Johns Hopkins, I'm disgusted at the immaturity of the author of that piece. I can see where he was having a lot of fun playing with words, finding clever new ways to describe his subject. He obviously thought that the Opinion page protected him. Well, wrap him up in the Constitution - that doesn't save him from being a jerk.
I met enough of them in my Hopkins days that I can ignore them in person or give them the eye, reminding them with one stare that I could sit on him and squash him into jelly (my fave reference from Tolkien).
God help him, he has a lot to learn before he gets out into the real world.

Just an brief addendum to indicate my profound distaste for "fraternity lingerie parties" as a phrase, a concept, and an event.

You are going to hear from the "Tone-Deaf Community." You may depend upon it.

Here's something to "bare" in mind. The JHU newsletter DOES NOT PUBLISH SATIRE; satire is reserved for the Black and Blue Jay. It wasn't satire--it was what he *actually thinks*. The claim that it was satire is an after-the-fact invention/lie.

I've re-written their apology here.

It has been decades since I've given any thought at all to frat boys and their parties. They've been good decades.

Young women - hotties or otherwise - party in their underwear?? Is JHU addressing this horrendous lack of self-esteem in its female population?

Many of the male Hopkins students that I have met fall into the "I hope he's a nice person, 'cause he ain't gonna make it on his looks" category. Just sayin'.

We have all been warned time and time again, that pictures posted on the internet will live to haunt (and, in the direst of warnings, ruin) our lives forever and a day. Through the absolute disgust that I felt while reading Mssrs Sgammato and Avitia's bunches of words, my heart smirked at the vision of either of them attempting to find employment upon leaving JHU. My observation is that candidate screening - background, credit and online - happens first and then the who-gets-the-interview decisions are made. My further observation is that Human Resources (aka: The First Hurdle) is almost always staffed by women. I believe in The Sisterhod.

Eve, if either of them do manage to land a job, I only hope they have a boss like you.

Oooh, Laura Lee--whoa! Watch out, boys!

This reminds me of a t-shirt one of my son's friends wore ages ago: "Party 'til she's cute."
I am afraid that I chewed him out royally for that.

Adolescent boys and girls.Illegal alcohol. Bad behavior ensues. Alert the press!

@Patricia: The idea that it's just "bad behavior" we should turn a blind eye to is precisely the reason there is such a high rate of date rape at Hopkins and so many other college campuses across the U.S. Keep commenting glibly about how it's a non-issue and young women will keep getting exploited by men.

@Eve: Why does a girl's willingness to go to a frat party in her underwear automatically mean "low self-esteem" to you? A big part of the reason I wouldn't go to those (besides my general distaste for JHU frat parties) is because of my LACK of confidence in my body. Your comment seems to imply that women don't like to run around semi-naked and would only do it to please men, and I think that's a rather huge (and very sexist) assumption to make.

If you found out about a party where the guys were the ones running around without clothes on, would you assume that the reason was the guys' "low self-esteem"? Think about that one.

My apologies for editing when not employed to do so, but I think you meant "ever" not "every." (Sixth paragraph.)
Sorry to be rude, but I noticed the error while quoting your piece for an open letter.
I agree with all you've said on the subject, having read the orginal quotes on Jezebel and getting riled up myself. This sort of sexism and fun-making at the expense of others will get my generation nowhere. Fast.

No one should ever have to apologize for noticing and politely correcting an error, and certainly to to a copy editor. I am grateful.

Female JHU Student: If I found out about a party where the guys were the ones running around without clothes on, I would shrug it off as they're (rude word for anal orifices). Assuming low self-esteem on the women's part was, indeed, sexism. I just hate to think of my own as (rude word for anal orifices)

I think it's time you stopped assuming that the female students have no responsibility for any of this. If you put yourself in harm's way, you can expect that something unfortunate may happen. This has nothing to do with rape - if you drink too much, regardless of where you are and with whom,you are vulnerable. I just do not accept the "woman as victim" when too often she willingly participates in the drink and the drugs. I doubt those girls have been raised to be so reckless, but any college campus in the world has its share of incidents like this: self-esteem seems to have little to do with it.

I think it's time you stopped assuming that the female students have no responsibility for any of this. If you put yourself in harm's way, you can expect that something unfortunate may happen. This has nothing to do with rape - if you drink too much, regardless of where you are and with whom,you are vulnerable. I just do not accept the "woman as victim" when too often she willingly participates in the drink and the drugs. I doubt those girls have been raised to be so reckless, but any college campus in the world has its share of incidents like this: self-esteem seems to have little to do with it.

Your argument simply doesn't make sense. For the victim to have "responsibility" for this, there has to be something about a drunk and/or passed-out girl that is forcing guys to rape her. Nope. It's still the perpetrator who makes the choice to do that. Nothing about the girl is screaming out "RAPE ME!" - as every day, reasonable men choose NOT to rape women who are past the point where they can consent.

Everybody should learn to drink responsibly. But not in order to "protect themselves from rape." There are plenty of girls and women who DON'T get drunk at the party and still get raped. There are plenty of girls and women who don't go to the party at all - they're raped at home by family members, or roommates, or other people who are part of their home lives. The idea that there are certain "precautions" women can take to avoid getting rape is fictional (Seriously - show me some studies that these "rape prevention" methods actually work, and maybe I'll say you have a point - but so far nearly everything I've read says it's hogwash.) All they do are allow women like yourself to point the finger at others, and act like it won't happen to you or someone you know.

Until it does. And believe me, regardless of whether you're drunk or sober, whether you're dressed in a miniskirt or in five layers of clothing, someone will find some way to place the blame on your shoulders.

I am in no way excusing the behavior of men who take advantage of girls who drink themselves silly and pass out. I am saying that drinking or drugging to excess puts them in a terrible position - and they do have a choice about that. I didn't mention wardrobe - you did If someone is determined to attack you, there little that can be done at that point. But far too many young women put themselves in harm's way: that can be avoided. I see you are JHU '13, which makes you about 18 or 19. Several years' perspective and experience may teach you that there are things women can do to protect themselves against some attacks. Excusing them for behaving foolishly isn't one of them. I've seen very young girls - 15-16 - wandering about the city after dark. You can tell by their attitude that they haven't a clue about their surroundings, and I assumed they were sober at the time. This does not give me hope about their safety as they grow older.