Students learn about safe sex, consent and toy care at Pride Month event
Students mingle before a sexual wellness presentation in the Health Professions building.
A sexual health event, hosted by Eta Sigma Gamma and Planned Parenthood, covered topics including safe sex, consent and toy care on April 11.
The event was led by two public health education majors, Kristen White and Lorena Morgan, who said they want to "fill in the gaps"in the sexual education of CMU students.
“The main thing that I hope anyone gets out of this is just one new bit of information that can help them protect themselves and their partner, or whoever they're going to be with sexually,” White said.
The presentation explained various methods for safe sex, including how to use lubricants and how to make and use dental dams. One thing public health major Harrie Walls learned at the event was how to properly clean sex toys.
“I think sexual health is super important and it's something that not everyone takes seriously as they should,” Walls said.
Curiosity is what compelled Walls to attend the event.
“Opportunities like this give people the experience to learn things that they should have learned before and maybe they'll have healthier sexual experiences later,” Walls said.
White said the event provides students with vital information about sex, which in her experience, was neglected before college.
One attendee, Matthew Bingham, said he had a similar experience with sex education.
“Thinking back to my own sex (education) classes that we had in high school, I remember thinking that they were so uninformed and that they were teaching the abstinence-is-key type of ideology, which for most people in the world, just doesn't work,” he said.
Audience members were asked to answer questions in anonymous polls throughout the event. Morgan said interaction among attendees made the event enjoyable.
“One of the other main objectives was just to create community because we had queer folks here, but we also had straight folks and allies,” she said. “We all got to come together for a certain cause.”
Morgan said creating a conversation about sexual health can reduce stereotypes.
“By disseminating this information, it's a great chance for people to learn. And I think by talking about it, it also lessens that stigma around sex,” Morgan said.
Goodie bags with condoms and lubricant were handed out at the end of the event.
The Office of LGBTQ Services and Gender Equity Programs has several more events planned throughout April in honor of Pride Month.
The next event is a discussion about supporting trans and non-binary students, faculty, and staff, which will be held virtually at 12 p.m. on April 13.
