By Lisa Kaczke and Sarah Metcalf

“Sex and the City” just took on a new meaning for Harvard students.

Instead of Carrie Bradshaw however, it will be Harvard sophomore Katharina Cieplak-von Baldegg and junior Camilla Hrdy bringing spice and sass to the pages of a recently-approved controversial sex magazine dubbed “H-Bomb.”

On February 10, Harvard’s Committee on College Life approved the proposal for students to print a sex magazine exploring different areas of sexuality and sex using artistic and literary means. Harvard students will appear naked in the magazine. A news article in the Harvard Crimson, entitled “Dropping the H-Bomb” by Annie M. Lowrey called it a “porn magazine.” Despite this, the publication will be allowed to apply for funding from the university.

“Although it may have nudes or feature erotica, it’s a literary arts magazine about issues of sexuality,” said Hrdy in an interview with the Harvard Crimson. “It’s about being open about sexuality.”

The publication has garnered national attention, along with two other universities which have similar publications. Vassar College in New York publishes a magazine called “Squirm,” and Swarthmore College, which is outside Philadelphia, has a magazine titled “Unmentionables.”

These types of college publications, along with sex columns and sexually-oriented magazines such as “Cosmopolitan” and “Maxim,” seem to be gaining popularity in mainstream America, many students are unaware universities may approve and even support such student-run endeavors.

“It seems kind of pointless – that’s what adult magazines are for,” said Bebe Anver, a freshman criminal justice major. “It’s one thing to write about it, but to have pictures of undergrads and stuff seems kind of cheap, especially for a school with so much prestige.”

Some Northeastern students feel that devoting an entire magazine to sexuality may be taking it a bit far.

“It’s one thing to have a sex column, but pictures and an entire magazine is unnecessary,” said Lisa Festino, a freshman criminal justice major. “A school at that level should maintain some decency. Next thing you know, students will be saying [to the university] ‘fund our nudie calendar.'”

Forms of media that bring exposure to issues concerning sex and sexuality and raise awareness about sexual assault can be a good thing, said Sexual Assault Coordinator Laura Weiss.

“Articles that help to increase awareness and educate the community would be an excellent idea,” Weiss said. “[Sexual assault] happens, it happens to people we know, it happens to people on campus.”

Weiss said, while some people might be offended by the magazine, others will be drawn to it.

“There is a target audience that appreciates that and will go to that and will find out information they wouldn’t look up online,” Weiss said.

Rape can be an issue on all college campuses, but Weiss said even if Northeastern started a magazine like the H-Bomb, it is unlikely there would be an increase in rapes on campus.

“It is very unlikely that an article would cause someone to commit a rape. But the argument has been made that showing women in a subjective position may lead to an increase of violence,” Weiss said.

Weiss said the educational purposes of such a publication will bring positive effects to Harvard’s campus.

“Education in every form is a good thing,” Weiss said.