The LSU Student Health Center held its first Consent Carnival Wednesday, centered around making learning about sexual health fun and interactive. Set out across Tower Drive, the Consent Carnival was full of students, faculty and other members of the LSU community teaching and learning about sexual health.
Partnering with multiple on-campus organizations and departments to make the event possible, the Student Health Center connected with students to spread information about sexual health and consent. Answering questions about being sexually active, the center shared information on the contraception methods they offer, especially birth control for students, and held free STI testing.
One of their tables was a condom bar, which included a wide variety of protection, such as glow-in-the-dark, non-latex and internal condoms, as well as dental dams and flavored-and-unflavored-lube.
Carlie DiLorenzo, the wellness coordinator for the Health Center, wanted to host an event to, “take sexual health education, but make it fun.”
“And what’s more fun than carnival games?” DiLorenzo asked.
When talking about consent, DiLorenzo said that a lot of the time people aren’t fully aware of what it is, explaining that consent is broader than just a “yes.”
“There’s non-verbal cues,” DiLorenzo said, “there are verbal cues like saying ‘yes,’ but it is also context and I really want [students] to know what is involved in consent – how it’s ongoing, reversible – and just so they’re educated on it so they can make sure they are getting and giving consent.”
One group spreading information about consent was student organization Feminists in Action. Amanda Meaux, an anthropology junior and FIA’s director of volunteering and community engagement, was sharing information, talking about reproductive care and offering protection.
Meaux said some of the most important things that FIA does is give access to resources and teach people about sexual health, including dispelling misconceptions about consent.
“When people say, ‘no means no,’ it can also be, ‘I’m unsure,’ ‘I don’t know,’” Meaux explained, saying if there was not “100% enthusiasm,” there is not consent.
On the table, there was a white board asking the question, “What’s an example of asking for/giving consent?” Some of the answers were, “Verbally saying yes while sober,” “Checking in in the middle, not just the beginning,” “Being comfortable with what’s going on” and “Authentic yes.”
The row of carnival tents housed other organizations and games with sexual health trivia. Tower Drive was packed full with students waiting to play the games.
Student Government held axe throwing, where students could throw axes, answering trivia questions if they landed the axe on the target.
The Office of Civil Rights and Title IX was at the carnival, offering information about what they do while facilitating a ring toss game. The employees spent time telling students about how the office protects students against any type of discrimination, violence and misconduct.
The Women’s Center, an office offering study spaces, period products and safer sex products, held a balloon popping trivia game. For the game, students would battle each other to blow up their balloons first. After one popped, the student was asked a trivia question to win a prize.
Campus Life had a sexual health spin-the-wheel game with trivia and prizes and a bean bag toss with an interesting twist: instead of just throwing the bags, the attendant would read out a relationship situation and students would choose between a red and green bag, depending on if the situation was a red or green flag.
DiLorenzo said she was happy with the turn out, and that she is glad so many students are getting informed. The Health Center’s next event will be on Feb. 13 with Cupid’s Consent Corner at Tower Drive.
