While students listened to the lively tunes of the acoustic bluegrass quartet Water Tower String Band in the EMU Fishbowl on Friday afternoon, cherry-red balloons tagged with facts on AIDS prevention and statistics floated above tables littered with lollipop condoms in commemoration of the 18th annual World AIDS Day.
That night, Seattle burlesque troupe Von Foxies headlined the event in the EMU Ballroom, and featured performances by Pidgeon Von Tramp, Elsa Von Schmaltz and Randy Andy, who strutted their stuff in titillating striptease vignettes.
In spirit of the holidays, Von Schmaltz strolled onstage with shopping bags, hot pink glitter gloves and a Santa hat. Soon enough, she lost her hat and jacket, revealing a chef hat and an apron with a pig’s face. She flounced offstage for a moment, coming back with a pink clown nose and a cookie tray. The audience howled with delight as she pulled off her hat, apron and pink tulle skirt, showing off a pair of perky pig ears on her head and matching pink tassels on her nipples.
Invited for a second year, the Von Foxies came to show a “different perspective on feminism and sexuality,” said Women’s Center Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer Alliance Coordinator Nicole Tomlin, who helped organize the event.
In between the Von Foxies segments, various groups, including the Sexual Wellness Advocacy Team (SWAT) and the University Health Center, educated the audience on HIV and AIDS.
“People get to come up on-stage and say ‘sex,’” Tomlin said before the show. “So everyone is excited.”
Military science instructor and 1986 University alumna Joelle Goodwin co-hosted the event and spoke about the death of her brother Scott to AIDS six years ago. By the time Scott was tested, she said, he had AIDS, kidney failure and only four months to live.
“I don’t want his death to be in vain,” Goodwin said. “That’s why I do this-I come out and support organizations that deal with HIV and AIDS.”
Co-host and second-year student Cree Gordon spoke about being offered $10 by the HIV Alliance to get tested in May 2005. He took the test and found out that he was HIV positive and since then has become an advocate for HIV prevention.
“Being someone who is young and HIV positive, I put that young face on HIV,” Gordon said. “I want to let our peers know that they’re not as invincible as they think they may be.”
This year’s World AIDS event stressed more education about HIV prevention than just entertainment, according to Gordon.
Peer health educators from the Health Center and other speakers at the event greatly encouraged students to “know your status” and get tested.
Gordon agreed, wanting to let students know, “They’re important enough to make healthy choices, protect themselves and get tested.”
At the University Health Center, students can get tested by blood draw for $12 and an oral swab for $15.