UF's 'Sex in the Swamp' encourages students to create 'condom art'
The University of Florida is hosting its annual “Sex in the Swamp” event, set to take place Thursday night.
Both the Student Health Care Center and the Alpha Lambda Chapter of Eta Sigma Gamma at UF partner up to host this event, which is meant to teach students how to practice safe sex. This year’s theme is “Peace, love and safe sex!”
This year, ONE brand condoms is sponsoring Sex in the Swamp and students will be able to view a “condom art showcase.”
UF states on its website that community organizations on campus work together to give students different spring break tips through information and freebies, as well as social events like hearing from a live “SEXpert” panel, free food, t-shirts, and other goodies.
The university also promoted the event on Facebook.
Students who have artistic capabilities, or even students who just like artsy things, are encouraged to join in on one specific event held at every “Sex in the Swamp” event: the condom art show, in which competing students are provided colored non-lubricated condoms and are tasked with transforming them into an “art piece, accessory, or article of clothing.”
Students then vote for their favorite condom creation. The winners will receive a pair of AirPod headphones.
[RELATED: Indiana U defends, then cancels, ‘Sex Fest’ featuring BDSM demos, ‘kink’ and ‘sex toys’]
Jared Rossi, chairman of UF College Republicans, reacted to the event in a statement to Campus Reform.
“Since they want people to have the safe sex, I’m hoping this event is having an abstinence booth or table because the safest sex is in the confines of a committed, loving relationship called a marriage,” Rossi said.
Another student, Kat Bui, said offered her thoughts on the event.
”Sex in the Swamp is about promoting safe sex, except, it doesn’t really do that if they’re just going to put condoms out. I know that there’s a condom art showcase but I think that’s pretty tacky. People should emphasize the risk of condoms breaking or slipping, how you could still get [Sexually Transmitted Infections] even with condoms on, and how in this hook-up culture, the risk of contracting STIs is very high if you have multiple sexual partners,” Bui told Campus Reform.
”Honestly, not everyone is going to put on a condom every time they have sex, especially if they are out drinking. They should discuss long-term effects of STIs when they contract them, such as increased risk of infertility. According to the CDC, the safest protection you can get is to be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship or refrain from all sexual activity which includes oral, anal, and vaginal. This means being sexually active only with one person who has agreed to be sexually active with you and is uninfected,” Bui continued.
UF student Carter Mermer opined, saying, “I think it’s a good idea to have sexual education events because it lowers pregnancy rates.”
Chance McCall, a UF student, said that”overall, I don’t actually think this is a terrible idea.”
”If people haven’t received proper sex ed, it could help deter unprotected sex and the spread of STDs. I personally think college students should be mature enough to handle the content. The idea of a public university to advocate for puritanical abstinence is unrealistic. People can still be moral people even if they aren’t abstaining from sex and I think if the event is handled well, then there is room for students to ask real questions they might not have been able to ask their parents, especially among children from single-parent homes,” McCall added.
Campus Reform reached out to the University of Florida but received no comment in time for publication.
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