On March 28 at 8 p.m., S.E.A. Board is hosting a Latex and Lace fashion show which promotes sex education and HIV awareness. The show will take place in the UC spine and feature differently themed fashion designed with condoms as well interactive games that incorporate facts about STDs.
Planned Parenthood is participating in the event to talk to students about safe sex, which is especially relevant at NSU considering many college students are presumed to be sexually active. Eight NSU organizations plant to participate in the show: The Riff Tides, Open Expressions, Zeta Phi Beta, Sigma Lambda Gamma, Wave, Chemistry Club, Alpha Kappa Alpha and Sigma Delta Tau. Each organization has designed pieces based on their own themes such as peacocks, mermaids or wedding dresses.
According to S.E.A. Board Nighttime Programming Chair Marina Youssef, students will “gain [information about safe sex] and an entertaining night. They’ll see people in costumes with condoms on them, so it’s educational and fun.”
About the event’s purpose, Youssef said, “It’s [focusing on] mostly the education part. That’s where I think our problems stem from. For example, I didn’t have that in my school. There was a very broad, quick sex education class,so I would have to look up my questions online. There wasn’t a conversation about consent. A huge part of sex education is understanding you need consent before you engage in any of these sexual practices. You need to say, ‘Hey is this okay? Is what I’m doing okay?’ And the second they are no longer okay with it, then that’s the end.”
Latex and Lace attempts to fill gaps in students’ knowledge who may have had similar experiences to Youseef and to be a learning experience for all. Past Latex and Lace events involved entertainment such as a guessing game where players had to identify the scent of scented condom, which Youssef said was intended to bring protection to the forefront of student’s minds’ in a lighthearted manner. For those wondering what the event will be like, this game is a good example of what to expect.
