His written comments on my research proposal were just as disturbing. He indicated that if I kept the sexual-history questions in my study, it would probably be nixed by the Human Subjects Committee.

When I submitted a list of topics for one section of my survey, it was returned with the terms "masturbation" and "orgasm" underlined, accompanied by the comment "Be careful."

Commenting on the questions about sexual behavior, he wrote "I advise you to think carefully about this study." The words were nebulous, but the message was clear. Don't ask people about their sexual behavior.

I seriously doubt that my teaching fellow is all that squeamish about sex; he was simply handing down the unwritten code of his superiors on the Human Subjects Committee.

Although I was effectively forbidden to ask the questions I wanted, at least I was allowed to continue pursuing my original topic. Another student in the same course was not so fortunate.

She planned to study people's beliefs about the origins of their sexual orientations. After turning in her proposal, she was "asked" to change her topic completely. Her TF told her that it was not unreasonable to assume that any study involving sexual orientation would be canned.

OUT of concern for my continued ability to work in this area of sexuality, I waited until my study was graded before I investigated the working of the Human Subjects Committee. I asked Dean R. Gallant '72, the executive officer on human subjects research, to find out what boundaries the committee sets for acceptable research.

According to Gallant, the Human Subject Committee's primary goal is to protect subjects from any sort of "risk."

I asked what sort of risk was involved in researching sexual behavior. Gallant replied that the committee was concerned with ensuring confidentiality, since information about individuals' sexuality and sexual behavior are very sensitive.

He insisted, however, that the committee did not suppress scientific inquiry. "As long as someone has a legitimate interest and a legitimate instrument, we are not in the business of preventing people from asking questions."

So why can't I ask subjects whether they are virgins, if the answer is crucial to my research? Why do I have to obscure my scientific inquiry in a plain brown wrapper?

Despite the Human Subject Committee's insistence that it will allow responsible research into sensitive subjects, the department conveyed a clear signal to the students in Psych 1000 that the committee will squelch any proposals that concern...you know.

Harvard students will find it impossible to conduct efficient and useful research on sexuality as long as this neo-Victorian sensibility prevails on the Human Subjects Committee. The committee should recognize that undergraduates are capable of producing valuable scholarship on sexuality and allow us to responsibly conduct the necessary research.

Until it does, I think I'll just run some rats through mazes.