In celebration of National Condom Day on Wednesday, the HIV Alliance and the organization Population Connection teamed up with the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Queer Alliance for a fun but educational event celebrating condoms.
In the Erb Memorial Union’s Ben Linder Room, Students competed in a “condom triathlon,” with a condom application race, a risk continuum where students had to place HIV-related unsafe behaviors in order of risk, and a condom trivia game. Students cheered each other on during the condom application race, where contestants rushed to apply condoms onto rubber models of penises.
During the risk-card continuum, students raced to put giant cards printed with risky behaviors in order from most to least dangerous. At the top was unprotected sex, and at the bottom was “a mother passing HIV on to her baby” card, because there are now medical techniques to prevent the baby from getting infected. Participants were surprised to find out it’s possible to contract HIV from getting a tattoo.
Through the condom trivia game, students learned that condoms have been made of everything from linen in the 16th century to pig intestine to the latex or polyurethane of today. In earlier centuries, condoms were promoted as a way to prevent the spread of diseases, not as birth control. Today, five billion condoms are sold worldwide per year and are the third most popular means of contraception behind female sterilization and birth control pills.
HIV Alliance intern and University student Daniel Richter led the games and handed out fun prizes like goofy socks, gift certificates and Slinkys to the winners. All recipients received tubes of lubricant and, staying in the Duck spirit, yellow and green condoms.
HIV Alliance is a nonprofit organization that aims to support HIV positive people and to prevent HIV from spreading. HIV Alliance operates a needle exchange program, participates in outreach to the homeless and gives educational presentations in middle schools and high schools in the Eugene area. The group also offers free HIV testing for high-risk citizens, and can be contacted at (541) 342-5088.
– Amélie Rousseau
Condoms provide a reason to celebrate
Daily Emerald
February 15, 2007
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