Joe Sperm made his public debut alongside a giant egg and condoms during the Eugene Celebration parade held on Saturday, Sept. 16. His purpose is not only to make Eugene residents laugh, but also to launch the new “Joe Sperm” campaign, said Diane Duke, Planned Parenthood’s associate executive director.
Planned Parenthood hopes to use Joe Sperm in order to increase awareness about its Family Planning Expansion Project (FPEP), which will enable Eugene residents to receive free contraceptives and Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) testing as long as they meet certain criteria.
“Joe is there for two things,” Duke said. “The first is to get attention for Planned Parenthood and the second is because of a five-year grant we received because of a Medicaid waiver.”
The waiver has enabled Planned Parenthood to start FPEP, which provides free contraceptives and STI testing for those who make less then $1,288 a month, Duke said.
The Eugene branch derived the idea to use Joe from another Planned Parenthood in Spokane, Washington. Spokane was using the sunglasses-clad mascot on billboards and found it successfully drew community members to the organization.
“They [Spokane Planned Parenthood] won an award for the ad campaign using Joe and were willing to share it with us,” Duke said. “The parade was just the beginning.”
Renee DeLaurentis decided Joe Sperm needed to be the focus of the Planned Parenthood float in this year’s Celebration parade. Duke’s son, Jason Thelen, played the giant sperm and was accompanied by a giant egg, condoms, pills, diaphragms and little sperm “swimming” behind the float.
“I felt Joe was ‘uniquely Eugene,’ and a good idea for the float. [Jason] was a perfect candidate to play Joe. He was enthusiastic, dramatic, even theatrical,” DeLaurentis said.
As for fear of the crowd’s response to such a sexually-oriented float, DeLaurentis wasn’t worried. In fact, the float received a great response.
“We received applause and a standing ovation,” DeLaurentis said. In fact, the overall response to the Joe Sperm campaign has been positive, Duke said. Since the parade, Joe has appeared in advertisements featured in the Oregon Daily Emerald, The Register-Guard and on the sides of Lane Transit District buses.
The few who object to the campaign argue that Joe is inappropriate for children to see, but Duke disagrees.
“We believe Joe opens up the line of communication between children and parents about sex,” she said. Although this is not the point of the campaign, Duke sees it as an added bonus. Planned Parenthood also provides books and newsletters geared toward helping parents talk to their children about sex.
Response to FPEP, thanks to Joe, has also been encouraging. According to Dr. Daralyn DeHaven-Murdoch, a doctor at the Student Health Center, as of July 3 there have been over 575 applications filed by students wanting to use FPEP. In order for a student to be eligible for FPEP, he or she must meet criteria that includes being a legal Oregon resident, being able to use the health center and having a gross monthly income of less than $1,288. Those who do qualify can receive a free pelvic exam, STI testing and contraceptives but cannot receive treatment or medications related to STIs found.
Joe has gotten the word out to Eugene residents that reproductive health care is available, Duke said.
“This campaign is geared toward anyone who is sexually active, including students,” Duke said. “We just want to help with the reduction of unwanted pregnancy and STIs.” For more information, contact Duke at 342-6042 or visit Planned Parenthood at 1670 High St. “Joe Sperm” T-shirts are also available.