By Luc Hoekstra – Campus Editor
Over 300 students attended the second annual Sexual Health Fair in Gaiser Student Center from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 30, making it larger than last year’s fair.
Human Development instructor and counselor Summer Brown debuted the “Yes Means Yes!” event in April 2017. Counseling and Health Services Program Coordinator Marianne Luther said around 250 students attended last year, enough for the Counseling and Health Center to host the fair this year.
Luther said the purpose of the fair is to educate students on topics like body positivity and safer sex methods. “The students got a lot out of it and we had a great time,” she said. “I like how diverse our student body is and the sexual health unifies everybody. It’s about safe sex, loving yourself and being safe in your environment.”
Vancouver Pizza Company supplied free pizza and Cascade AIDS Project offered free rapid HIV and STD testing. Clark County Public Health, YWCA Clark County, Cascade AIDS Project and Planned Parenthood displayed booths at the fair.
“I think it can be taboo to talk about at times,” Luther said. “I love being able to create an environment that is fun but also for people to feel safe to discuss it and learn new things.”
Self-described “romance products industry veteran” Casey Murphy spoke about sex-positivity and body-positivity. She brought her pop-up boutique called The Pleasure Parlor PDX which sells a range of products from self care journals to “unicorn spit donut” flavored lubricant.
“I really like how much the students have enthusiasm for it,” she said. Next year Luther said she hopes to have more community partners so the fair can be larger.
Luther said she is open to suggestions on events and organizations to bring to the fair. Her email is mluther@clark.edu.
The Counseling and Health Center in Health Sciences Building room 124 offers lubricants and dental dams. They also offer lubricated and unlubricated condoms with latex and non-latex brands. A nurse is available for STI testing, prescribing birth control and answering sexual health questions. Counselors are available for mental health appointments.
The Counseling and Health Center is open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
