A bouncer marks hands with an X as a line moves into a dark room with high tables and blaring music. Some attendees are dancing, some cluster around tables, mingling, while some sip on lemonade.
“Okay guys, look at the color of your X to see what STD you got,” announced Dalton Cromer, Spectrum Vice President. The X is orange and so is the big sign on the wall that says, “HERPES.” This isn’t a club. This is Partying 101.
Partying 101, an event during Spectrum’s Spring Week, is not typical safe sex education. The event is supposed to be fun while reminding participants that carelessness is dangerous, said Spectrum President Christie McCauley.
Several STIs and STDs were posted on the walls including Hepatitis C, pubic lice, gonorrhea, chlamydia and HPV. Surrounding the titles was information on the diseases, including treatments and symptoms.
“It’s quite an icebreaker. It’s pretty much the only time I can go up to someone and ask, ‘Hey what STD do you have?’ Or at least, the only time I can ask that and not get a really odd reaction,” said Chase Streetman, a junior sociology major.
The activity grouped participants together according to their STD and taught participants about STDs the others contracted. This exercise facilitated discussion.
“It kind of normalizes it. We’re talking about it. So, you have an STD. That’s fine, now you know. Just go get it treated. There’s no shame in that,” said Carmen Schwierking, a senior art major.
The education didn’t end there. Sexual assault statistics were marked throughout the room. Each high table had condoms and lubricants with a flyer reminding readers to check the condom’s expiration date. A table displayed literature on STD facts and how to use protection and emergency contraception.
In the middle of the event, Cromer instructed everyone to inspect their drinks. A Spectrum member had been using the mingling time to walk around and slip skittles into drinks, unbeknownst to anyone.
“Everyone look at your drink. If you have a skittle in there, that represents a [date rape drug]. Watch your drink better,” said Cromer.
Even members who knew about the exercise in advance were susceptible to the fake date rape drug. SGA Representative Jose Claudio found a skittle in his drink even though he knew about the exercise in advance.
“I didn’t even realize I had one until I had finished my drink. When I drained it, it was in there," Claudio said. "It’s really crazy because I didn’t even know. I thought I was watching my drink well."
Claudio may have been startled by the skittle, but said he learned a valuable lesson, stating awareness on socially responsible partying is important for members of all communities, not just the LGBT community.
Although the exercises were unsettling to some participants, catching participants off guard with real-life scenarios would hopefully send a strong message, said McCauley.
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