By Kylie Jennings
The week of September 25 marks the start of Sex Week here at Western New England University! Sex Week is hosted across a variety of college and university campuses to raise awareness about sexual health/well-being and safety. According to Patrick Riley and Allison Stanich, “We want to promote a culture on campus that destigmatizes talking about healthy sex and healthy sexual relationships.” Riley and Stanich also mentioned that the main focus for this year would be about how to appropriately approach the topic of sex, as the campus is currently in the red/danger zone (the time when the most amount of sexual assault and violence occurs on campus). The key to all of this is, “We want to normalize these conversations and make everyone feel more comfortable talking about them.”
Let’s be honest, did you actually have a sex-ed class in middle or high school? Chances are that if you did, it wasn’t a good one. How did you honestly learn about sex? The internet? A friend? Well, according to Guttmacher Institute, 22 states, or 44% of states, do NOT require sex education. This probably stems from the ideology that if you talk about something (such as sex), it will subconsciously encourage it. This is how a lot of stigmas are created. Western New England University isn’t willing to settle for that.
Just because the topic is serious doesn’t mean it can’t be fun too. Many departments and clubs here on campus are getting involved to make this a fun and informative week. On Monday, GBTV will be hosting a trivia night. This’ll really be the time to put your knowledge of sex and relationship facts to the test! On Tuesday, the Center for Health and Well-being is going to set up a table with information regarding STIs. Wednesday will be a Bingo night hosted by RHA. CAB will take over Thursday while handing out succulents, hosting giveaways, and providing even more fun facts for the week. And for the part that many students are excited about is the Condom Carnival on Friday with RHS. While being debriefed on all those facts you’ll learn throughout the week, expect to see some fun games there too! And to close off the week with a bang, two sex-ed professionals will be hosting a talk about kinks and other general sex-ed topics. As the days count down and Sex Week becomes closer, there will be most information posted on Instagram @wnesexweek.
Sex Weeks has been well-received by students each year. Alongside that, Sex Week has been recognized and celebrated by Western New England Univeristy for years now! It seems to be a tradition that won’t go away anytime soon, especially with such an important topic on the table with many different subject matters. This is something you can look forward to in the coming years as well!
With Sex Week right around the corner, remember to keep an eye out for more information. This is a fun filled week you won’t want to miss. With many fun activities planned, you’ll be sure to learn something new along the way. Why not drop by and see what it’s all about? We’d love to see you there!
