Let’s talk about Sex Week, baby
By Lianelle Barraza, January 26 2016 —
Got sex on your mind? Start February off by checking out Sex Week, which offers five days of workshops, events and movie screenings on sex and gender-related issues from Feb. 1–5.
Sex Week is a collaboration between the Students’ Union, Q Centre, Wellness Centre, Women’s Resource Centre and the Faith and Spirituality Centre.
Q Centre coordinators Leah Schmidt and Katie O’Brien said the collaboration between campus organizations means this year’s Sex Week will better capture student interest.
“Sex Week tries to provide fact-based education on issues and have a chance for people to talk about issues not generally talked about,” Schmidt said. “We are trying to make the conversation about sex and gender-related issues more approachable.”
The BDSM workshops and Friday Campus Carnival are some of Sex Week’s most anticipated events. These workshops stress the importance of maintaining safe sexual conduct.
“A lot of people who are brand new to these issues can come out to these events and learn about what’s out there,” Schmidt said. “Sex Week offers the chance for people to learn about sex and gender without feeling like it’s wrong.”
O’Brien said one of the biggest issues surrounding sex and gender is the reluctance for students to explore and start non-judgemental conversations.
“The point of Sex Week is to open the dialogue,” O’Brien said. “A lot of people may feel uncomfortable starting a conversation about sexual orientation or gender-related issues, and Sex Week helps make this conversation more relatable.”
Sex Week has grown to encompass topics like gender diversity, sex toys and orgasms, sexual orientation and faith.
Student’s Union vice-president student life Kirsty McGowan says Sex Week offers students education on sex and gender in a fun and safe environment.
“Sex Week touches on so many topics surrounding sex, that people who aren’t regularly engaged in this kind of context can get involved,” McGowan said. “Sex Week offers a fun introduction to the topics that are often avoided in conversation.”
Documentary screenings of Orchids: My Intersex Adventure and a play called Oblivion by Johnathan Brower will be featured on Feb. 2.
“I think that it’s something a lot of students will have interest in engaging with. It elicits so many topics that it will appeal to such a wide range of the student population,” McGowan said.