Since this is the last health column, let’s go out with a bang. In less corny terms, let’s talk about sex.
Reuters reported Friday, “Two-thirds of Britons have had sex in a car, according to a British Web Site launched on Thursday advocating the joys of outdoor sex.” Of the 1,500 people surveyed, nearly half admitted to having sex in a field, and 40 percent admitted to sex on the beach. Of course they were uninhibited; they logged on to Safeoutdoorsex.com for the survey.
Last weekend San Francisco hosted the second annual “Masturbation-a-thon.” More than 100 volunteers overcame discretion and raised money for charity. Reuters went on to explain, “To the strains of soothing new-age music, the men and women — a number of them couples — were shown into rooms for men, women or both.”
Why am I telling you this? Most LSU students are misinformed about STDs, birth control, condoms and sexual health altogether. The more open and talkative we are about what is going on with sex and our bodies, the more informed we are.
I’d like to see LSU directly address sex issues. LSU’s organizations are not doing all they can to promote safe sex and abstinence, as other universities do by holding sexual health events.
The University of Wisconsin’s “Sex Out Loud,” an organization that promotes sexual education, hosts an annual Sexual Health Week, which features free HIV testing, a film festival and theatrical presentations exploring different cultural sexualities, abuse, relationships and more.
James Madison University hosted the controversial “Sexfest 2003” in April. Nine bands played while organizations handed out condoms and pamphlets, the university’s newspaper reported. One organization even provided beer goggles and a realistic penis so that students could see how difficult putting on a condom is while intoxicated.
Penn State pushed lawmakers’ buttons in recent years. The university held “Cuntfest” and “Sex Faire” in 2001. Penn State’s Collegian explains “Cuntfest” celebrated “performance art, music and a reading from Inga Muscio, author of the book ‘Cunt: A Declaration of Independence.'”
“Sex Faire” featured the “Tent of Consent,” which was supposed to enclose two consenting individuals to do what they wanted behind closed doors for two minutes. The objective was to give an understanding that consent deals with willing participants actively saying, “yes.”
Advocates claim the shock value of these events attracts hundreds of students and provides them with information. Opponents claim the events condone premarital sex.
Informative events are a must. They recognize premarital sex happens whether you like it or not, celebrate those who abstain and provide the sexually active with much needed information. I, for one, would rather inform than ignore.
To your health
May 7, 2003