LETS TALK ABOUT SEX(WEEK)

UNWIND MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2013

November 5, 2013
By: Emilie Berman

Photo by Nathan Rennich

Walking around campus, some University of Maryland students
wondered about the bright, eye-catching Sex Week posters plastered
on McKeldin Mall and in academic buildings. Despite what they might
have believed, the posters were more than just another excuse for
students to get down and dirty.
Run by the University Health Center from the Oct. 15-18, 2013, Sex
Week included events and activities aiming to educate the student
body on sexual health and wellness, and raise awareness for issues
around campus, including sexual safety.
University of Maryland Sexual Health and Reproductive Education
(SHARE) Peer Educator Jillian Clark said the motto of the first ever sex
week at Maryland was: education, communication, exploration.

In coordination with the health center, student groups, organizations

from the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area and professionals in the
sexual health field ran educational events throughout the week.
Sex Week kicked off with a health fair on Hornbake Plaza, which
included games and activities, a Sex Week photo booth and free sexual
resources.
Throughout the week, events covered a variety of topics, from
language in the bedroom and sex therapy to LGBTQ: acceptance in the
College Park community. In addition to the educational events,
students could also participate in meditation sessions, and free HIV
and other STI screenings.
Among the most provocative events was Toy Talk for Grown
Folks, where sex expert Jessica VonDyke discussed the adult sex toy
industry.
VonDyke, owner of a Washington, D.C. sexual resource center
called The Garden, said her main goal was to educate consumers in
the field who, for the most part, dont want to talk about it (sex) much
less take the time to make an educated decision about sex toys.
While the nature of Sex Week might have seemed controversial,
freshman broadcast journalism and criminal justice double-major Aleka
Lampru saw the events as beneficial.
If you have a question regarding sexual activity and the repercussions
of taking part in such actions, there should be an opportunity for you to
get answers without being judged, she said.
Angelica Rego, an intern for SHARE, agreed, adding that most students
starting college fresh out of high school have not had the chance to
explore sexuality in their own ways, and Sex Week is one way the
health center is trying to create a campus where students can
communicate and feel comfortable getting the sexual health
information that they are looking for.