The University of Wisconsin student organization Sex Out Loud kicked off their Sexual Health week with an event with PAVE on Library Mall, Monday.
The “Sex Carnival” was the first of many events planned this week to educate students about sexual health, Sex Out Loud outreach coordinator Jane Houseal said.
“We are just trying to spread awareness of what resources we have on campus and have some fun,” Houseal said.
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Sex Out Loud aims to provide students with accessible, comprehensive and pleasure-based sex education through a sex-positive platform.
The Sex Carnival on Monday included dildo races, free contraception and informational booths on oral dams. The carnival also offered free STI testing through Vivent Health, Sex Out Loud chair Ky Romero said.
“Free, 20 minute results testing for syphilis, HIV and Hepatitis C,” Romero said. “It’s convenient, on the spot. They can get it between classes today.”
While UHS provides free STI screenings, Sex Out Loud event coordinator Maddy Hu said many students don’t get tested because of the stigma associated with STIs.
Sex Out Loud also works closely with the student organization Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment, Romero said.
“We work really close with PAVE in all the things that do,” Romero said. “We think that if we are talking about sex, PAVE should always be in the conversation — or some sort of resources for survivors available.”
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PAVE is the UW chapter of a nationwide organization dedicated to using education and advocacy to create a world free of sexual violence.
Last February, PAVE launched a campaign pushing for UW to provide more resources for sexual survivors. The campaign came after several students reported having to wait weeks, and sometimes months, to access UHS’s survivorship resources.
“Just like with sex you have to have the health aspect, I think you also need to have survivor resources on campus,” Romero said. “As much as we can combine those things and talk about pleasure and consent and happy health sex, we’re all students and it’s important to connect it wherever we can.”
Sexual Health week also includes a birth control program and yoga class Tuesday night, a talk about intersex Wednesday night and a showing of “Moonlight” Thursday night.
