KEARNEY — The University of Nebraska at Kearney will discontinue use of the textbook 'Discovering Human Sexuality' after a student complaint and an internal review found it contained graphic images. The university’s chancellor’s office confirmed that the book includes explicit visuals, particularly in a chapter on atypical sexual behavior.
The textbook had been used in a human sexuality course required only for students pursuing a major or minor in family science or a certified family life educator credential. Beginning in the fall, the university will add enhanced notice of course content to the syllabus and course description to better inform students about material they may encounter.
UNK’s decision followed multiple complaints in May 2026, which included concerns about a separate training module on empowering transgender students and broader allegations that the university prioritizes diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen criticized that training module in a post on X, calling it evidence of a “woke disease” degrading higher education and urging university leaders to “root out this and all other similar programming.” The textbook discontinuation and the training module are distinct issues.
Simon LeVay, lead author of 'Discovering Human Sexuality,' defended the textbook’s content, stating, “I can’t imagine how any student would sign up for a human sexuality course and not expect to be presented with the kind of material that’s in our textbook, because there’s nothing different between what’s in our textbook and what’s in all the other textbooks on human sexuality.” He added, “These are adults who are opting to take certain classes, and professors, I would have thought, had the freedom to choose a textbook that they think is in the best interest of their students, but apparently not.” LeVay also noted that images in the book were sourced from stock photos, author-drawn sketches, Oxford University Press, previously published textbooks, and in one case directly from a man with diphallia. He questioned whether UNK could find a suitable replacement, saying, “I doubt that UNK will be able to find an alternative text that doesn’t show sex acts. That would be like a trigonometry text without triangles.”
A UNK spokesperson said a new textbook has not yet been selected and emphasized that “UNK remains focused on ensuring course materials are academically sound, professionally relevant and clearly communicated to students.” The chancellor’s office report stated the textbook is “designed to educate future health workers, counselors, therapists, and educators rather than for prurient interests and thus does not violate Nebraska law when used for educational purposes.”