Love was in the air as students put the finishing touches on their romantic Valentine’s Day plans Tuesday. Aware of the overpowering effect of Cupid’s arrows, La Casa Latina and the Center for Student Health and Counseling joined forces for a workshop, titled “Cupcakes and Condoms,” that aimed to inform students about sexual health.
‘Cupcakes and Condoms’
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Love was in the air as students put the finishing touches on their romantic Valentine’s Day plans Tuesday.
Aware of the overpowering effect of Cupid’s arrows, La Casa Latina and the Center for Student Health and Counseling joined forces for a workshop, titled “Cupcakes and Condoms,” that aimed to inform students about sexual health.
“We want to help empower students to ask more questions and talk to their partners,” said Alicia Printemps-Herget, a registered nurse and sexual assault nurse examiner at SHAC.
While the subject matter was serious, games, prizes and treats lightened the mood.
The workshop started with a condom-toss challenge. Students were asked sexual health questions, and if they answered correctly they got to throw condoms through cutouts on a toss board to win prizes.
The event highlighted the importance of both physical and emotional sexual health.
Part of leading a healthy physical sex life is learning how to use birth control properly. According to SHAC, students have many options available to them for practicing safe sex.
Portland Community College student nurse Joshua Hellstrom demonstrated how to properly put on a condom, using a banana to show correct and incorrect methods.
“Condom use is important, but proper or correct use of the condom is just as, if not more, important,” Hellstrom said.
On college campuses where sexually transmitted diseases are prevalent, safe sex is no joking matter.
“Here on campus we most often treat…chlamydia and human papillomavirus,” Printemps-Herget said.
HPV is extremely common, and most people who are sexually active are exposed to it at some point.
However, there is a vaccine that protects against some of the virus’ most common strains.
“We have it at SHAC,” Printemps-Herget said. “[The vaccine is] recommended for everybody, not just girls.”
Faculty members from SHAC and the Women’s Resource Center also emphasized the emotional component of a healthy sex life.
Staff discussed the importance of consensual sex, and taught students how to handle guilt and pressure from a sexual partner.
“Consent is really when the option of ‘no’ is present and viable, so that people are not getting coerced or guilted or talked into [having] sex,” said Adrienne Graf, an interpersonal violence advocate at the WRC.
Hellstrom added that a consensual action is one that has the full consent of both (or however many) parties involved.
Faculty also answered questions that students were able to submit anonymously to a box prior to the start of the event. This gave students the opportunity to have candid conversations about sexual health concerns in a comfortable environment.
“It’s okay to talk about this,” said Emanuel Magana, program coordinator for La Casa Latina. “I think this will get people comfortable with getting condoms and being safe.”
Magana hopes “Cupcakes and Condoms” will raise awareness this Valentine’s Day in terms of safe sex practices in the Latin and youth communities at Portland State.
“Valentine’s Day is coming up…we want [students] to be doing things in a healthy way, and protecting themselves,” said Magana.
“Especially in communities of color, it’s not talked about a lot, so we want to make sure they’re aware of what’s available.”
Students seemed eager to have an open space to discuss sexual health.
“There was some good [information],” sophomore education student Andres Hernandez said. “It’s good to know what’s out there and where to go get condoms.”
Students are encouraged to contact SHAC or the WRC with any questions regarding sexual health.
“You can talk to us about both the physical and emotional aspects of sex,” psychologist resident Teresa Carpinito said.
This is La Casa Latina’s first year hosting this event, or a sexual health workshop in general.
The center, which was founded two years ago, is a safe community where any student can drop by and hang out.
“You don’t have to be Latino,” said Magana. “Anyone can come in and use the services.”
La Casa Latina will have a day of card making called “Dia del Amor y la Amistad,” today in Smith Memorial Student Union, room 229, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
At this event students can make a card for someone special, and a video of Valentine’s Day traditions in Latin American countries will be screened simultaneously.
“Any student is welcome,” Magana said.
