FIRE Condemns Univ. of Wisconsin for Treatment of Joe Gow

MADISON, Wis.—With the next hearing to determine the future employment of Dr. Joe Gow scheduled for this Friday, the legal counsel representing the former chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse (UW-La Crosse) before the University of Wisconsin System Board of Regents has recently published a letter laying out their defense. Gow is represented by attorney Mark M. Leitner of Laffey, Leitner & Goode LLC on behalf of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).  "FIRE ... urges the University of Wisconsin System (UWS) Board of Regents to honor its constitutional obligations and protect tenure for all faculty by ensuring Professor Joe Gow keeps his faculty appointment, despite controversy over revelations that he writes about and appears in adult-oriented content in his private time," reads the letter. The letter was signed by Zachary Greenberg, faculty legal defense counsel for FIRE, and was addressed to Amy Blumenfeld Bogost, the president of the Board of Regents. Bogost is a civil rights attorney by trade and profession. She specializes in representing survivors of sexual assault and has expertise in Title IX rights. "Terminating a tenured professor is a drastic sanction reserved only for severe misconduct not present here," said Greenberg. "We therefore call on [the UW System] to refrain from terminating Gow for his protected expression." Gow was fired in December 2023 for being outed as an adult content creator alongside his wife, Dr. Carmen Wilson. Gow and Wilson perform under the online branding of the "Sexy Happy Couple" and have appeared in self-produced scenes with major adult talent, including popular stars like Lauren Phillips, Sofie Marie and Nina Hartley.  Gow and Wilson also co-wrote books under pseudonyms advocating ethical non-monogamy and have a following centered around their love for vegan cooking. It was the position of the UW System that Gow could not effectively serve in his capacity as chancellor at the time. He was forced out of that position, despite his intentions to transition to a teaching position within the Communications Department. However, that plan was also stifled when administrative and ethical charges were filed against him to revoke his tenure and completely terminate his position and affiliation with the University of Wisconsin System. AVN has covered his case extensively. Over the summer, a faculty disciplinary board recommended Gow be fired for violating ethical conduct policies. Gow hinted several times during the faculty board hearing that he felt there was no presumption of innocence on his part and that his termination could result in federal litigation. Gow's hearing before the Board of Regents Personnel Matters Review Committee will take place Friday, September 20, in Madison, Wis., at Room 1820 of Van Hise Hall. AVN was informed that no live stream of the hearing will be available, but Gow expects local news outlets to broadcast portions of the entire hearing on a platform like YouTube.