Hundreds of students have waved sex toys at a rally protesting a new law allowing concealed handguns on campus.
University of Texas students in Austin staged the protest on Wednesday after a Texas law allowing guns in classrooms, buildings and dorms took effect on August 1.
Organizers said the sex toys were used to mock what they consider an absurd notion that guns should be allowed in academic settings, and that the protest was called ‘cocks not glocks’.
Others carried signs with slogans on them such as, ‘no guns on campus’, ‘no guns more fun’, and ‘gun free UT’.
Students were also seen carrying the sex toys, with some waving them in the air and others juggling them.
The rally’s organizer Ana Lopez said she wanted the protest to be taken seriously, despite the use of sex toys.
‘It’s hard for the props not to overshadow the message. The Texas Legislature is trying to normalize gun culture. We’re trying to normalize sex culture,’ Lopez told the Austin-American Statesman.
Students and staff at the university have fiercely opposed the law changes allowing license holder to have carry their concealed handguns to class.
One prominent dean left the school after the law passed in 2015. Several faculty members attended the rally.
Organizers said they distributed more than 4,500 free sex toys.
Some people, many carrying weapons, were also seen on campus on Wednesday holding signs supporting the law.
Texas has allowed concealed carry since 1995 but had kept college campuses gun-free until this year.
