I do not think some people know how important safe sex is.

Unprotected sex is very risky; STD's and pregnancy.

I moved to Indiana from Maine, where back home we had sex ed. in our health classes....starting in the eighth grade. But, here it was all about fitness...never sexual health.

I'm enrolled in a college, where my teacher for my fitness && wellness class completely skipped over the STD chapter. Although, I know at least one of the teachers for that class covered it (my sister's teacher did).

That is one reason I want to be a SafeSite.

Does anyone have any ideas about ways to promote safe sex, even if they don't get picked as a SafeSite?

I am working with the wellness coordinator at my campus and would like to hear some ideas....
Any more than just the cliche idea of hanging up posters, etc.?

Thanks, guys!

:]

P.S. What do you guys feel about making a sex. ed class mandatory for college students?
My school has this thing called the core, which is 50hours of classes you have to take, but you get to pick from different classes in each different category.

Since I first set foot on the big ol' green bus that was the original 'To The Bottom And Back' bus on New Years Eve to hand out condoms, I knew there would be something lasting about it. I thought about what a great concept it was- getting people to and from bars safely in Richmond and not have to worry about driving or getting accosted on the streets while inebriated. Then people started getting on the bus itself. What a fun atmosphere!!! People get on and start chatting away with each other. They start singing with the music, start feeling the community growth in ways that you NEVER see on public transportation. Since that time the bus has grown, now there are 4 buses, covering not only VCU- the largest school in the state, but also University of Richmond- the wealthiest. Absolutely astounding! To cover both sides of the tracks and have people of vastly different social economic classes enjoying the same free service!

In that time I've used the bus many time myself. I've hosted for them by not only handing out condoms- but making sure people get on and off safely and answer the phone to get pickups...now I'm a driver, thanks to them helping me get my CDL, and I also run special projects for 2BnB. All in a year since the inception. Now at the end of that year we will be running a special all day round trip to 'Best Friends Day 9'....it is the end of summer for Richmond (and gaining popularity all up and down the East Coast) and will truly cement us in the hearts of all Richmonders. Thankfully I kept a reserve of 200 condoms from my original thousand...it won't be enough but it should help! To The Bottom and Back has brought school fraternity/sororities to ME, begging to get condoms, begging to be on the bus, and all from that one simple connection. As long as I keep getting condoms sent, I will continue to offer people the opportunity to be safe/have choices in their sexual health. I also will continue to drive until every last inebriated person makes it home safe.

So this semester went FANTASITC! I actually planned my distribution accordingly this semester, and i would wait until i saw a couple that needed one, and I would interupt  and be like; here you guys have a great SAFE night! I probably went through about 100 doing just that at different parties I attended or hosted. The other 900 i waited until our Greek Life at UMD had their spring banquets. I brought about 400 to my banquet personally and was "the condom fairy" and my first order of business was to shower every bed with a few condoms. It was quite fun. I then have the remainder to the other Fraternities and Sororities to put in their bags they gave to each person upon arrival at the banquet. Overall another great semester of SAFE SEX at University of Minnesota Duluth!

Hey everyone,

I started off the campaign by posting an enveloppe, filled with condoms to my dorm door, for anyone to take. The sign read " Free Condoms: Share the love, not the disease." Throughout the semester, other students were able to take the condoms as they needed them.

But I wanted to do more. During one of the final weekends of the semester the theatre department holds a huge theatre ceremony and gala called "DUDs Ball." Over the course of 2 evenings the students dress up and celebrate the achievements of the department. The theme for this year was "Art." So, I decided to create a bit of modern art myself and made a dress completely out of trojan condoms. While embarking on my latest fashion trend of the century, I made a conscious effort to explain the importance of amplifyyourvoice.org and the Great Condom Campaign. By the end of the night, most if not all of the condoms I had been wearing were given out to my peers who were intriged, inspired, intoxicated and eager to stay safe after their night of fun!
 
Take care!
Kara

(pictures after the jump)

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This past semester on the University of Colorado Campus has truly been an interesting one.  I gave a presentation at the Colorado Queer Youth Summit on ways to have fun while engaging in safer sex and it went very well. During that presentation, I handed out small bags to those who were in attendance with condoms, lubricant, and safer sex information.  After this process, I still had a ton of condoms left over and so I had to get creative about using them.  I was on the event committee for Calling All Queers on the campus this year and we had the idea of having students switch seats to meet new people.  This would be directed by an indicator under their chair.  Safer sex actions have always been a large focus for our community up here and so we decided to write a table number on condoms and use them to redirect students. We also had them laying out on the check-in table for the event, and many were taken during this time period. I've been very successful in giving out condoms this semester at CU Boulder and am very excited to continue doing it in the fall!!!

Hey all you safesites out there. I am looking for and hoping to share creative ways of getting condoms out to the masses- here's what I did for Spring 2010

*After getting the huge box of 1000 condoms (and freaking out a bit) I gave 200 to my college's Peer counseling group called the Peer Education Resource Center. They will distribute them by making them available in their office  to whoever decided to take one.
*I gave about 400 to WEB- Women's Empowerment Breakthrough. WEB is an on campus organization that used the condoms to wrap in a mini consent-zine and then distributed them to the school. This mini-zine consisted of a comprehensive look at what is and what is not considered consent. It gave tips on how to say no and sexy ways of saying yes! It also clearly defined situations in which consent is not given... for example, if your partner (or future partner) says, "I'm tired" that means NO!
*300 condoms were stuffed into plastic eggs and hidden in nearly all the campus buildings
*The last 100 condoms were handed out at this year’s Vagina Monologues @ Prescott College

Happy Spring, indeed!

Now, I want to hear from you!

At the beginning of the school year, I and the members of my group, Students United for Reproductive Freedom, started brainstorming how we could get free condoms and information about safe sex to students who live in residence halls. The residence halls at Portland State have few common areas--not many lounges, no shared bathrooms. We would need approval from Res Life to post things on walls or to work with RAs, and we did not want to deal with that much bureaucracy. Finally, it occured to us. People could put whatever they wanted on their doors. Why not, instead of favorite comic strips, a display about safe sex, with free materials and condoms? Perhaps a rotating theme? Maybe some construction paper and glitter glue?

We started publicizing our project and recruiting safe sex representatives willing to put displays on their doors. At this point six residence hall floors have safe sex representatives, and we hope for many more next year.



Along with a monthly theme and free condoms (courtesy of The Great American Condom Campaign), displays always have materials about emergency contraception and free stickers. Past themes have included emergency contraception, how to use condoms properly and consent.

Despite some resistance from the university I was eventually able to get a table in Wichita State's student center to hand out condoms and sexual health information.  The students were excited that someone cared about promoting safe sex on our campus instead of ignoring the issue.  I have multiple students that want to help me next year and hopefully get more support in the future.

Check out the piece about GenderBloc's GenderF*ck Drag Show featuring your favorite and mine...Heywood Jablowme.

Genderf*ck

By Jayna Barker | The News Record

The bathrooms adjacent to Catskellar in Tangeman University Center are exactly the same — two stalls, two sinks, towel and soap dispensers. There isn’t even a urinal in the men’s bathroom. Most people can’t tell the difference between the two. Yet, within 30 minutes of two signs being posted rendering the bathrooms gender neutral, they were ripped down.

There are many people who aren’t comfortable with the idea of gender-neutral bathrooms.

GenderBloc, a radical activist group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and allied students, focuses on gender issues, including transgender and genderqueer activism. They put up the gender-neutral signs in honor of the Genderf*ck Drag Show hosted Friday, May 7.

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I really think all my efforts of talking and passing out info. Is really paying off. Serioulsy if or persistant about stuff people will not just ignore it.