2008 Woodie Awards
Workshop explores sex, risks, prevention
Bailey Douglass
Issue date: 3/23/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
The Safer Sex Workshop, held last Tuesday educated students about safer sex practices, including pregnancy and STI prevention.
"By having a safer sex workshop, I hope we can give people accurate, applicable and fun information on how they can protect themselves and their partners from unwanted pregnancy and infection," junior Anna Mattinson said, who was in charge of the event.
Voices for Planned Parenthood (VOX) put on the event, sponsored by Sexuality Issues, Relationships and Gender Education (SIRGE) and ASUPS for Women's History Month. Members of VOX said the workshop was important because of the inconsistency of information students have about sexual safety.
"As college students, we are all coming from different backgrounds with different information about sex and sexual health," Mattinson said. "Some of us have had access to accurate information, but unfortunately many of us have not. Many of us have been taught little or inaccurate information with regards to contraception and sexually transmitted infections. We're all here together in college and many of us are sexually active, but without correct information we run terrible risks."
Mattinson emphasized that the workshop aimed to be inclusive of all genders, sexualities and preferences, and said that the most important information the workshop presented were STI and pregnancy prevention.
"The most important things to take away are arming you with information, practice and supplies," Mattinson said. "It is crucial to learn to use a dental dam or put on a condom in a non-sexual environment. Becoming comfortable, or at least able to, talk to your partners about sex and sexual histories. Inform yourself with at least a basic knowledge of sexually transmitted infections and methods of preventing conception. If you're having heterosexual intercourse, keep some Plan B (the "morning after pill") around just in case."
For students who missed the workshop, copies of "Safer Sex: A Guide to Sexual Health for UPS Students," a brochure Mattinson wrote with VOX co-president Adrienne Lee, are available at the Counseling, Health and Wellness Center.
• Bailey Douglass steals condoms from CHWS every couple of days.
"By having a safer sex workshop, I hope we can give people accurate, applicable and fun information on how they can protect themselves and their partners from unwanted pregnancy and infection," junior Anna Mattinson said, who was in charge of the event.
Voices for Planned Parenthood (VOX) put on the event, sponsored by Sexuality Issues, Relationships and Gender Education (SIRGE) and ASUPS for Women's History Month. Members of VOX said the workshop was important because of the inconsistency of information students have about sexual safety.
"As college students, we are all coming from different backgrounds with different information about sex and sexual health," Mattinson said. "Some of us have had access to accurate information, but unfortunately many of us have not. Many of us have been taught little or inaccurate information with regards to contraception and sexually transmitted infections. We're all here together in college and many of us are sexually active, but without correct information we run terrible risks."
Mattinson emphasized that the workshop aimed to be inclusive of all genders, sexualities and preferences, and said that the most important information the workshop presented were STI and pregnancy prevention.
"The most important things to take away are arming you with information, practice and supplies," Mattinson said. "It is crucial to learn to use a dental dam or put on a condom in a non-sexual environment. Becoming comfortable, or at least able to, talk to your partners about sex and sexual histories. Inform yourself with at least a basic knowledge of sexually transmitted infections and methods of preventing conception. If you're having heterosexual intercourse, keep some Plan B (the "morning after pill") around just in case."
For students who missed the workshop, copies of "Safer Sex: A Guide to Sexual Health for UPS Students," a brochure Mattinson wrote with VOX co-president Adrienne Lee, are available at the Counseling, Health and Wellness Center.
• Bailey Douglass steals condoms from CHWS every couple of days.
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