Dear Dub: National Condom Week
Did you happen to see a gaggle of glittery, giggly, and (of course) masked feminists sprinting around campus recently? Did you think to yourself, “Who are those fun-loving gals? Why ever are they sprinting around campus?” Well, never fear. It was only us, The Dub, celebrating our favorite holiday–National Condom Week! Spanning from February 14th to February 21st this year, National Condom Week helps spread awareness about how internal and external condoms can help prevent STI/STD infection and unplanned pregnancies.
If you’ve ever come into contact with our house or anyone in it, you know how much we love talking about and handing out condoms! Each semester, we apply to the Great American Condom Campaign to receive free Trojan condoms to distribute on campus. This semester, we received 1,500 condoms from the GACC, which in the past, we have had available in the vestibule of our house and occasionally in the Student Center. Although we are a group of relatively sexually active individuals (hubba hubba), we knew that we needed to rethink the way we distribute condoms on campus with COVID this semester so that we could ensure that any student who needs access to condoms can have as many as they need!
This brings us back to the glittery giggly gaggle, The Dub’s First Ever Bi-Annual Great American Condom Campaign Distribution Race. We came up with a list of 40 spots on campus where we could distribute our supply of condoms, including public spaces on campus such as the Student Center and ODY bathrooms, theme and Greek houses, first-year and upperclass dorms (our Trojans are MUCH nicer than those Lifestyles, we promise), and the townhouses. All in all, we were able to distribute over a thousand condoms in paper bags labeled “Rubbers from the Dubbers” in less than an hour! And although the race came down to the final minute, with Sara’s cheerleading abilities and Aubrey’s impeccable balance, their team finished first and claimed the Condom Crown.
We go to all this effort to distribute condoms on campus and celebrate National Condom Week so wholeheartedly because condoms, when used correctly, are incredibly effective at doing what they are made to do: prevent STI/STD infection and unplanned pregnancies. According to Washington and Lee University, one in four college students has an STI, and these are just the students who have been tested. While most (80%) of people with STIs don’t show symptoms and the stigma around them is often more of a challenge than the infection itself, it is still important to use condoms with your sexual partner(s) unless you both or all of you have been tested and are open about your STI/STD status.
We also want to acknowledge the fact that while we have predominantly distributed condoms that are used by those with penises, not all students on our campus have penises nor have sex with people with penises. While less commonly seen and used, other forms of protection such as dental dams are equally important for preventing STI/STD spread and should be used with any sort of genital contact. The Dub wants to make sure our advocacy includes all students on campus, and so we are currently in the process of ordering dental dams (flavored, yum) and will be distributing them shortly! Lubrication is also important to making sure both external condoms and dental dams work properly, so we are also ordering a bulk supply of individual, water-based lubricant. Look out for information on both of these new services!
As always, we continue to have a variety of condoms for your entertainment (no, that does not mean putting them on doorknobs) in our vestibule at 3 University Ave. Stay sexy, stay safe, and make sure a mask isn’t the only protection you’re using this semester!