Military school hosts \'queer prom, condom olympics\'

Military cadets are celebrating gay pride week at the nation's oldest private military academy by holding a “Queer Prom” and a “Condom Olympics” - an event that includes a game where participants smear lubicrant on condoms until they tear.

Norwich University's celebration of homosexuality will culminate Saturday with a “Free Love Dance” at the school's armory. The university said the events are meant to have an “open dialogue on diverse opinions in a safe place.”

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The events are believed to be the first of their kind on an American military campus. Norwich University was founded in 1819 in Northfield, VT and has about 1,300 cadets and 1,100 civilian students.

A university spokesperson told Fox News that as an institution of higher learning they support “exploring ideas and respecting the right to a diverse opinion and having respectful conversations so that people can learn from each other.”

The university's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Questioning and Alllies Club held its first meeting the day after the end of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell.” Approximately 30-35 people attend club meetings.

As an institution, Norwich never banned open homosexuality in the corps of cadets, but because many of its students were destined for the military, which prior to the end of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” the law served to keep people quiet, said Norwich spokeswoman Daphne Larkin.

Among the scheduled events are the “condom Olympics.” Prophylactics will be given as prizes. Military cadets will also be attending a dance where same-sex partners are welcome. There will also be a discussion about HIV testing â€" and a movie called, “Lord, save us from your followers.”

A university spokesperson told Fox News the “condom Olympics” include a number of games ranging from filling condoms with water â€" to learning about lubricants. According to the university, the games include:

The Condom Olympics include:

-Rubber Relay Race
Participants will divide up into two teams. One team will have an internal/female condom and the other will have an external condom. Each team will use their condoms to run water from one bucket to another at the opposite end of the room.

-Safer Flavors
Participants will be paired up. One teammate will be blindfolded while the other puts a flavored dental dam in front of their face so that they can determine the flavor.

-Pop The Prophylactic
Participants will be paired up. One teammate will blow up an external condom and tie it off. The other teammate will then put on of the various types of lubricants on the condom and rub it until it pops.

-Texture Testing
Individuals will place their hands inside boxes to assess the texture of the condoms inside.

-Lubricated Thumb Wrestle
Participants will be paired up. Each participant will put on a glove and have lubricant spread over their hand. Participants will then thumb wrestle with each other.

-Condom Creations
Participants will be placed into teams wherein each team is in charge of using various types of condoms to create something unique.

The Family Research Council called the planned events an assault on traditional moral values.

“It does illustrate some of the concerns we had with regard to the repeal of the law against homosexual conduct in the military which is there would be a slippery slope from neutrality very quickly to hostility towards people who disapprove of homosexuality,” Peter Sprigg told Fox News.

Sprigg, a senior fellow for policy studies at the Family Research Council, said the gay pride events at Norwich have created a hostile environment for students with traditional moral values.

“It's one thing to say that the military is going to become neutral on the issue of homosexuality,” he said. “It's quite different to go to the point where you are celebrating gay pride events and having a condom Olympics and a queer prom.”

Joshua Fontanez, a past president of the university's student government, told the Associated Press that he always wanted to be a soldier but figured he would have to keep his sexuality a secret.

“The aspects of my sexual orientation, how that played in the military, that was something I was willing to sacrifice, being open versus serving my nation,” Fontanez told the Associated Press. “It's something I feel I was truly called toward and truly loved, so it's great that I don't have necessarily to make that sacrifice.”

With reporting from the Associated Press

Todd is the host of Fox News & Commentary â€" heard daily on radio stations around the nation. He is also the author of “Dispatches From Bitter America â€" Culture War Stories from a Gun-toting, Chicken-eating, Son-of-a-Baptist.” Click here to get a copy of the book.

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