Oxford Union members are being offered discounts at a local sex shop in the heart of the university town as a treat for joining the prestigious organisation.
The debating society's members can receive sex goods up to 10% cheaper simply if
they flash their membership card at Adult World on Cowley Road.
But some members have predictably raised concerns about the initiative, claiming it was offensive and undermined its women's initiative.
It's incongruous with
the image of the Union, its prestigious history and the list of great and good who have spoken there, one source said: It is a sign of the times. Even a few years ago this wouldn't have happened, or, if it had, it would have kicked up a storm of
debate.
Earlier this year, the Union's former executive team debated the initiative's introduction after it was claimed some reasonable members had become offended by it.
According to minutes of the January meeting, Eleanor
Lischka, from Lincoln College, objected to the scheme despite not actually being offended by it . She urged it be scrapped because it undermines the women's initiative and gives the Union a negative image .
But Stuart Cullen, the
former president from Christ Church College, argued at the meeting that he didn't see why it's offensive as it did not encourage members to use the sex shop .
Alistair Walker, a Union spokesman, defended the scheme. He said it was a
long-standing member's discount deal with the sex shop. He said there were plans to expand the scheme: This is just one of the 63 current discounts the Union's current and former committee members have negotiated to ensure best value for its
members, he said.
Oxford Union members will no longer be able to enjoy discounts from the Adult World sex shop on Cowley Road.
The decision comes after several national papers reported that there was disagreement within the Union over one of the Treasurer's
Treats discounts offered to Union members.
It was claimed that some members of the Union found the Treat offensive and that it undermined the women's initiative.
Up until this term, students had been able to take advantage of the
discount their Union membership gave them in Adult World in Cowley. The decision means that the discount has not been renewed for students this year.
However, when contacted, Adult World's store manager claimed that, They [the Union] hadn't
actually informed us of that.
No conscious decision was made to discontinue the discount; however, the Union's committees chose to pursue other priorities instead , said Walker.
Roisin O'Hare, store manager of Adult World, was
surprised to hear that they were no longer included as part of Treasurer's Treats. She went on to explain that she thought that many students' sex lives benefited from the shop.
Oxford Union members are being offered discounts at a local sex shop in the heart of the university town as a treat for joining the prestigious organisation. 
