The Shorthorn - No Strings to Safe Sex

No Strings to Safe Sex

Written by The Editorial Board

Tuesday, 02 September 2008 09:25 PM

Condoms should be available for free without required counseling The University Health Services policy that requires students to meet with a health counselor to receive free condoms may hinder students attempting to practice safe sex.
The policy is not new. It has been in effect since Donielle Smith, Health Promotions student development specialist, was brought on staff at the Health Center in fall 2007.
Health Promotions is a department dealing with campus outreach promoting a healthier lifestyle.
After Greg Bateson, former peer specialist known as the “condom guy,” left, his replacement decided it wasn’t appropriate to have condoms sitting out on the counter to grab, said Health Center director Robert Blum.
Smith said it is a statewide policy that requires compliance by the university.
The UT System Health Affairs Office said condom distribution policy is left up to each university.
The statements contradict each other.
Guli Fager from Health Promotions at UT-Austin says their policy allows free distribution of condoms to all students. Condoms are given out during university functions that Health Promotions attends and are available in every health center exam room and the waiting area.
Fager said last year they distributed 30,000 condoms, which are made for UT-Austin — they look like matchbooks and contain a condom and small lubrication container. They read, “Healthy Horns Play Safe.” Also distributed is a safe sex kit with a flavored condom, a couple of regular condoms and lubrication, and comes complete with information cards on STD testing, emergency contraception and sexual assault.
UT-Dallas also freely distributes condoms to students.
Students can buy condoms here at the Health Center pharmacy for 50 cents for a half dozen — very affordable. They are only available for free from Health Promotions downstairs with a brief educational session, Blum said.
To encourage safe sex, students should be able to get condoms as freely as possible. Safe sex promotion should have a bigger presence on campus; it is important enough that students shouldn’t have to seek it out. Some who need it most may not do so out of shyness or shame.
That is the message that comes across when counseling is required to obtain a free condom — that sex is shameful.
Educating students about safe sex is a great idea. But students shouldn’t be forced into an uncomfortable situation to get a free condom.

— The Shorthorn editorial board
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Comments (1)

1 A Condom for Your Thoughts
Written by Robert Whiddon, on 09-14-2008 16:59
"Safe Sex" is a euphamism for sex without consequences. Sex with a condom is only marginally safer than "unprotected" sex. The unqualified advocacy of "free condoms for safe sex" only attempts to fool the gullible into thinking there is such a thing as safe sex outside of marriage.

Untrue! A condom cannot guarantee protection from catastrophic emotional harm, and a condom cannot protect you from potential exposure to devastating disease processes.

I reject the cynical notion that college students will inevitably choose to act like animals and must be buried under boxes of free condoms to keep them "safe."

(Disclaimer: As a student, I spent countless hours attempting to convince various young ladies to have "safe sex" with me. I am happy to report that most of them were smart enough to see through my advances.)

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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 02 December 2008 03:05 PM )

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