The Alestle Vol. 74 No. 25 SEX EDITION

T H E

ALESTLE

thursday, 04.08.21

The Student Voice Since 1960

E D I T I O N

S E X

Everything you need to know about contraceptives see page 2

vol. 74 no. 25

What the media gets right and wrong about sex see page 9

How your mental health can impact your sex life see page 12

page 2

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THE ESSENTIALS

The Essentials Birth control need-to-knows............................page Letter from the editor........................................page What is consent....................................................page Sex and COVID-19..............................................page STIs and testing resources...............................page

Table of Contents 2 3 3 4 5

The Culture of Sex Chastity.......................................................................page 6 Sex in other countries...........................................page 6 The porn debate ...................................................page 7

Fetishization...............................................................page 7 Kinks............................................................................page 9 TikTok and sexuality................................................page 8 Sex in the media......................................................page 9 The Headphone Jack................................................page 9 Breast augmentation..............................................page 10

Sex is for Everyone

Sex with disabilities............................................page Asexual sex..........................................................page Sex after trauma...............................................page Mental health and sex.....................................page

11 11 12 12

A Historical perspective History of sex toys................................................page 13 History of sexuality...............................................page 13

Opinion Sex ed in Catholic schools..................................page LGBTQ+ historical figures...................................page OnlyFans...................................................................page Take the BDSM test.............................................page Survey results..........................................................page

14 14 15 15 16

= this piece contains content related to sexual assault

Birth control need-to-knows: How to stay protected during sex JENNIFER GOECKNER sports editor

Implant

Various birth control methods affect each individual’s body differently, and with so many options out there, it may be difficult to determine which is the best choice for you. Here is our rundown of what you need to know about each method, according to Planned Parenthood and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Continues on page 3

The birth control implant is a tiny, thin rod that is inserted into your upper arm by a doctor or nurse. The implant releases the hormone progestin and is more than 99 percent effective at preventing pregnancy. The implant is low maintenance and can last up to five years, but it is not permanent and can be removed at any point.

Many birth control methods contain both progestin and estrogen, but certain conditions may prevent some people from safely taking estrogen. Since the implant is estrogen-free, it allows more people to take it.

The most common side effect of the implant is spotting, especially within the first year. It can cause long-term spotting or periods that are longer and heavier. However, for most people, the implant causes lighter periods or for them to stop altogether.

IUD

The IUD, or intrauterine device, is another low maintenance birth control method, which can last three to 12 years. It is a tiny, T-shaped device that is inserted into the uterus to prevent pregnancy, and it is more than 99 percent effective. An IUD can be removed at any point.

There are five brands of IUDs that have been approved by the FDA. Paragard is the only brand that is non-hormonal. The Paragard IUD is wrapped in a tiny bit of copper and can be used for up to 12 years. The other four brands all use the hormone progestin. These IUDs last three to seven years.

Cramping and spotting are common side effects of an IUD; however, many side effects go away or lessen within a few months of insertion. These side effects are more common for those using a copper IUD. On the other hand, hormonal IUDs often cause lighter periods or periods to stop completely.

Shot The birth control shot is an injection that you get every three months and uses the hormone progestin to prevent pregnancy. It is approximately 94 percent effective with regular use, but can be even more effective when each shot is received on schedule.

The most common side effects of the shot are changes in periods, especially in the first year. Roughly half of people using the shot stop getting their periods. After receiving their last shot, individuals’ periods can be delayed up to 10 months. Some also experience a delay in their ability to get pregnant after discontinuing using the shot.

The birth control ring is a small, flexible ring that is inserted into the vagina and prevents pregnancy by releasing the hormones progestin and estrogen. The ring is approximately 91 percent effective at preventing pregnancy, but it can be up to 99 percent effective if used perfectly. There are two brands of the ring — NuvaRing and ANNOVERA. NuvaRing lasts up to five weeks and must be taken out and replaced by a new ring on about a monthly basis. ANNOVERA, on the other hand, can last for a year; however, one only wears this ring for 21 days and then removes it for seven days before reinserting the same ring for up to 13 cycles.

The ring requires more maintenance than the implant or IUD because you must follow these schedules in order for it to be an effective method of birth control.

Certain medications or supplements may also negatively affect how effective the ring is, including certain antibiotics, the antifungal Griseofulvin, some HIV medicines and some anti-seizure medicines.

Like other hormonal birth control methods, the ring can cause some side effects, such as changes in period, spotting, headaches and sore breasts, but these effects typically subside within two to three months.

Patch

Ring

A transdermal contraceptive patch can be used by wearing the patch on certain parts of the body, and it releases hormones through your skin to prevent pregnancy.

The patch must be replaced weekly, and it is roughly 91 percent effective. The patch can be more effective when replaced regularly; however, the same medications that may negatively affect the effectiveness of the ring can also impact the effectiveness of the patch.

Possible side effects for the patch include period changes, headaches, nausea, sore breasts and sore skin where the patch is placed. Side effects typically go away within two to three months. On the other hand, the patch may reduce cramps and PMS and cause periods that are lighter or more regular. It can also help prevent acne, iron deficiency, cysts in the breasts or ovaries, bone thinning and some cancers.

Birth control pills are medications that use hormones to prevent pregnancy. They must be taken daily and are approximately 91 percent effective, dependent on how regularly they are taken. There are two kinds of birth control pills — combination pills, which contain both estrogen and progestin, and progestin-only pills.

Failing to take a pill each day on a regular schedule can reduce the effectiveness of the pill. Additionally, the same medications that affect both the ring and the patch can also lower the effectiveness of the pill; however, Rifampin is the only antibiotic that may counteract the effects of the pill.

Many side effects of the pill are also shared by the ring and the patch. A doctor may advise those who are over 35 years old and smoke or have a history of blood clots or breast cancer not to take combination pills. Progestin-only pills may also not be the safest form of birth control for those who have a history of some cancers or certain forms of lupus.

Pill

Condom

Condoms are one of the most easily accessible forms of birth control, and one of the only methods that also prevents STIs. Condoms can be made out of latex, plastic or lambskin, and they work by covering the penis during sex and preventing sperm from entering the vagina. Condoms are about 85 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, but they can be up to 98 percent effective if used perfectly alone and more than 99 percent effective when used with other methods.

Due to limited skin-to-skin contact and exchange of bodily fluids, latex and plastic condoms are also effective in reducing the risk of contracting an STI. However, lambskin condoms do not prevent STIs. Condoms are one of the forms of birth control with the fewest possible side effects. For those who experience irritation or who are allergic to latex, they may need to try switching brands or using plastic condoms instead.

Internal Condoms

Internal condoms provide the same protection against pregnancy and STIs as regular condoms. Instead of this condom going on the penis, it is inserted into the vagina or anus. Internal condoms are made from nitrile, a soft plastic, and create a barrier between sperm and the vagina just like other condoms do.

If used perfectly, internal condoms can be up to 95 percent effective at preventing pregnancy; however, their average effectiveness is 79 percent when they are not used with other forms of birth control. However, internal condoms and regular condoms should never be used together at the same time. Because they are latex-free, internal condoms are also less likely to cause irritation and can be used by those with latex allergies.

Diaphragms and Cervical Caps Both diaphragms and cervical caps are little cups that are inserted into the vagina and cover the cervix during sex to prevent pregnancy. However, cervical caps are smaller, and the shape of each is a slightly different. Cervical caps can be left in for longer than diaphragms — up to two days — but diaphragms are more effective at preventing pregnancy.

Both act as a barrier to stop sperm from joining an egg and should be used in conjunction with spermicide to be effective. Diaphragms are approximately 88 percent effective. Cervical caps are about 86 percent effective for those who have never given birth and only 71 percent for those who have.

Both carry similar risks and may not work for those who are sensitive or allergic to silicone, have given birth in the last six weeks, have had toxic shock syndrome or if they or their partner have HIV/AIDS. Cervical caps also should not be used by those who have cervical cancer or other cervical conditions.

Some people who use diaphragms get frequent urinary tract infections, while cervical caps may cause bladder infections. Both may also cause discomfort or irritation, irregular spotting or bleeding, or abnormal discharge. Those using either method should also watch out for signs of toxic shock syndrome.

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THE ESSENTIALS

Letter from the editor...

The idea for this issue came about when some of our staff members were talking about Plan B and didn’t understand how it worked. We realized if we don’t know how these things work, it’s likely that many other college students don’t either.

We were originally going to do this issue last year and publish during Reproductive Rights Week, but the COVID-19 pandemic hit. People are still having sex during the pandemic, so we decided to revamp this issue to address it.

Sex education in the Amer-

ican school system usually isn’t great. Many people are taught misinformation or nothing at all.

While 96 percent of students get sex education before they’re 18, according to the CDC, only 13 states mandate that it needs to be medically accurate. According to the University of Southern Carolina, 25 states require that abstinence be stressed in sex education.

Our findings from our survey paralleled these jarring statistics. Only 33 percent of respondents said they believed their sex education prepared them to be a

Local/Online Resources responsible, sexually active adult.

We hope this issue can act as a starting point for people to learn accurate and practical information about sexual relationships. Although we’re covering difficult and taboo topics, we want this to be educational, not obscene. We also want to be inclusive of all identities, orientations and backgrounds.

As always, do your own research when needed and these articles are by no means meant to take the place of advice from medical professionals. Now, let’s talk about sex!

Because of the difficult topics this issue covers, we want to stress the importance of self-care to our readers. If you find yourself getting overwhelmed, here are some resources that are at your disposal.

Call For Help 9400 Lebanon Rd. East St. Louis, Illinois 397-0968 callforhelpinc.org Counseling Services SSC 0220 650-2842 Metro Trans Umbrella Group 3313 Oregon Ave. St. Louis 314-349-1402 stlmetrotrans.org Safe Connections 2165 Hampton Ave. St. Louis 314-646-7500 safeconnections.org

St. Louis Queer + Support Helpline 314-380-7774 thesqsh.org Centerstone 2615 Edwards St. Alton, Illinois 462-2331 centerstone.org Planned Parenthood Fairview Heights, Illinois 277-6668 Florissant, Missouri 314-921-4445 St. Louis plannedparenthood.org

Consent is the most important part of sex and should come before anything else.

Consent is when people agree to engage in a certain sexual activity. Planned Parenthood uses the acronym FRIES to describe consent.

Consent should be Freely Given without pressure or coercion.

Consent is Reversible and can be revoked at any time during the sexual interaction. Continuing a sexual interaction after consent has been revoked is sexual assault.

It should be Informed, meaning i everyone is fully aware and respects the boundaries of the given consent.

Consent should be Enthusiastically Given through both verbal and nonverbal communication.

It should also be Specific. Participants should consent to each different act and only do what they are comfortable with.

Not everyone is able to consent at all times. Minors aren’t able to consent and neither are people who are asleep or under the influence of alcohol or other substances.

While it is more commonly used in BDSM interactions, the traffic light system is one way to keep track of consent throughout the sexual encounter. Green means everything is good. Yellow means to slow down or change activities.

Red means to stop sex entirely. Systems like this or other safewords should always be discussed with your partner(s) ahead of time.

Freely Given Reversible Informed Enthusiastic Specific

CONSENT is mandatory

CONSENT | Summer Bradley / The Alestle

CONTRACEPTIVES | page 2

The birth control sponge is a small, round sponge made of a soft plastic. It works similarly to the diaphragm, as it is inserted into the vagina and covers the cervix during intercourse. In addition to creating a barrier between sperm and the cervix, the sponge also contains spermicide to help prevent pregnancy. Sponges have fabric loops attached to them to make them easier to remove after sex.

The sponge is about 88 percent effective for those who have never given birth; however, it is only about 76 percent effective for those who have previously given birth. To increase the effectiveness of the sponge, it can be used along with other forms of birth control.

The sponge may not work for those who are allergic or sensitive to spermicides, sulfites or polyurethane. It also may not be safe for those who have recently had an abortion, miscarriage or birth, have a history of toxic shock syndrome or have an infection in or near the vagina.

Spermicide within the sponge may cause irritation, which can increase the risk for HIV and other STIs. Sponge users may also be at a slightly increased risk for toxic shock syndrome. To lower this risk, the sponge should not be in place for longer than 30 hours, and it should never be used while an individual is on their period.

Spermicide

Sponge

A spermicide is a chemical that stops sperm from reaching an egg. Spermicide should be inserted into the vagina prior to sex, and it comes in several forms, including creams, gels, film, foams and suppositories.

While spermicide must be used with diaphragms and cervical caps to be effective, it may also be used with condoms and other forms of birth control to lower the chances of pregnancy. Spermicide is only about 72 percent effective when used alone.

The most common side effect of spermicide is irritation. This irritation can increase risk for HIV and other STIs. Some people may also be allergic to spermicide.

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THE ESSENTIALS

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COVID-19 brings extra risk when having casual sex BRANDON WELLS reporter

The pandemic impacted the ways people do many things, especially if and how they have sex.

Medical Chief Dr. Kelly Farroll of Health Service at SIUE said she believes safety is the primary concern.

“I think that like any other time, I would always recommend safe sex and knowing your partner,” Farroll said. “In the time of COVID, the more you know about your partner, the more you know about the risk you’re taking.”

With safety in mind, Farroll said she recommends trying to avoid sex if possible.

“Avoiding sex is the best way to have no risk. It depends on what degree of risk you want to take. Wearing a mask and keeping distance as the CDC recommends is the best way to prevent spread [of COVID-19],” Farroll said.

Despite this, Farroll said she believes sex—and the risk—is a personal choice.

“I think it can be a situation where the risk is controlled, and there’s a risk that both partners are aware of. Just like in situations with other infections, if both partners are aware and there’s discussion, I think it can be safer than random sex with people,” Farroll said.

Farroll said she would not recommend for students to use dating apps or have sex with people they don’t know, especially

during the COVID-19 pandemic. al masturbation can be helpful for staying “To be intimate, it’s ideal to know safe as well as try something new with your someone and to know their history and partner. their contacts and be able to have more dis“It’s a good alternative to try and spice cussions,” Farroll said. some things up,” Simmons said.

Sophomore business administration Although he has used them, Simmons major Andrew Simmons of O’Fallon, Illi- said he still wouldn’t recommend students nois, said his use of dating apps has been use dating apps and have sex with people varied, but he tries to stay safe when he they don’t know. does use them.

“I feel like “[I] try to during this time verify and know “I think it’s also important to we just need to who they are,” remember whatever you talk be aware of othSimmons said. er people, espe“People should about doesn’t only affect those cially if you hastate that they’re ven’t met them socially distant and two people. It’s not only about before,” Simthat they’d rather you. It’s about your mom or mons said. “Get video call than get to know them together, or meet dad or whoever is at home, and dig deep up if both parties the other and whatever you take home into feel like they’ll be party’s personokay.” might be really serious for peo- ality instead of Simmons trying to have also said he likes ple who you live with. sex.” to make sure that DR. KELLY FARROLL Various alother parties are ternatives to sex SIUE Health Service Medical Chief comfortable and also exist and stay safe when he are especially does have any sexual interactions. helpful during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I always have hand sanitizer in the car Nichole Coad, store manager of the and I usually keep masks with me in case adult store Sam and Delilah in Alton, Illithe other party wants one and I try to just nois, said masturbation is certainly an optalk to them a little bit,” Simmons said. tion for staying safe.

Simmons said he believes that mutu“During the pandemic I would say that

right now [the usage of sex toys is] safer than meeting somebody new and possibly getting sick,” Coad said.

Coad also said she firmly believes in the importance of masturbation with or without sex toys for health.

“Sexual health is important. It’s right up there with your physical and mental wellbeing,” Coad said. “Now more than ever, to have the sexual release is just important, and to do so safely is even more important.”

With safety in mind, Coad also said companies like Sam and Delilah have increased their offering of remote options such as sex toys that can be controlled via Bluetooth. “[Using remote sex toys is] about keeping that connection. That’s why all of this is so important,” Coad said. “Even though we’re stuck at home and might be quarantined, we still have a connection to somebody in the outside world in some way or another, whether we can be physical with them or not.”

Farroll said she recommends to always think before you take risks and talk to your sexual partner.

“I think it’s also important to remember whatever you talk about doesn’t only affect those two people. It’s not only about you. It’s about your mom or dad or whoever is at home, and whatever you take home might be really serious for people who you live with,” Farroll said.

Educators weigh pros and cons of sex ed through a screen DALTON BROWN copy editor

For the past year, educators on and off campus have had to manage teaching sexual topics virtually; they say while the online format brings its own challenges, for some students, it can also have its perks.

SIUE offers a Public Health course known as PBHE 210 “Sexual Health,” which has previously been taught by Public Health Professor Nicole Klein. While she said she hasn’t taught the course during the pandemic, Klein has taught it virtually during the winter sessions that were already online before the pandemic, a format she said comes with pros and cons.

“In an asynchronous class, you don’t have that immediacy where you are sitting down and discussing with another person — that could be considered a disadvantage in some cases,” Klein said. “When you have to maybe write for a discussion board … there’s some advantages to that; you have time to really think and really craft what you’re going to say, so … I’d say there’s probably pros and cons to each side of that.”

Public Health Instructor Jennifer Caumiant will be teaching PBHE 210 next fall. She said she has been using the format’s dependency on technology to her students’ advantage.

“I’m very into TED Talks or into podcasts, so finding other ways to meet them in their technology … as opposed to being in the classroom and if you miss that lecture for that 50 minutes, then you miss the lecture for that 50 minutes,” Caumiant said. “Being able to have it accessible 24/7 online … that’s one of the pros of the format.”

Cary Archer, manager of education feature. We use a lot of shared Google docand outreach with Planned Parenthood uments where we ask questions and then Illinois, said while the virtual format can have spaces [where] people can use the link comfort some, it can keep others willfully and start typing, so we can see everybody’s answers bedisconnected. typed.” “ V i r t u a l “Young people and people in ing O n l y provides for percent people who general … need accurate infor- 38 of U.S. high maybe are not as comfortable mation, they need to have spaces schools teach talking about where these things can be talked all 19 sexual health topics these topics when they’re about. Those things can all still the Center for Conactually in a be done virtually. I think there’s a Disease trol deems physical space with people sense that just because it’s virtual, e s s e n t i a l .

Klein said be— they could be more likely that sexual health isn’t as neces- cause of this, it’s importto commu- sary of a topic — it still is. ant to make nicate their sure students t h o u g h t s , ” CARY ARCHER are fully inArcher said. Manager of education and outreach with Planned formed about “On the neg- Parenthood Illinois sexual topative side, and that their informait is much less of a personal interac- ics tion, and it means that students that tion comes from credible sources.

“I think that it’s really important not don’t want to be engaged can check out very easily without anyone knowing.” to overestimate how much sexuality eduArcher said Planned Parenthood has cation an SIU student arrives on campus adopted a few tech- with … 62 percent niques to keep of SIUE stuarrive people engaged dents campus and avoid on Zoom fatigue. with gaps in “I think their sexualithe biggest ty education thing that’s ... so I think important is not assuming to … recog- a baseline of nize that just knowledge is because it’s i m p o r t a n t , ” said. virtual doesn’t Klein diffimean every- “It’s because thing has to cult just become a if you start to ‘sexulecture,” Archer Google education’ said. “But also, ality trying to use … spaces on your own, it’s where, digitally, they can also be putting really kind of the Wild West out there.”

Some credible sources Klein said their answers in a written way — so the ability to use polling, if you have the poll she recommends are Bedsider, Scarleteen

and Sex, Etc., each online resources with additional information on topics of sex and sexual health. Klein said she also recommends Columbia University’s “Go Ask Alice,” which covers a wide array of health topics including sexual health.

Caumiant said students can always reach out to Health Service on campus, or they can seek off-campus resources like the World Health Organization and Guttmacher Institute for more information on sex education and reproductive health.

Archer said Planned Parenthood’s ability to provide both education and actual health care services make it a particularly good resource for newly-independent college students. Archer also said Advocates for Youth is an organization that offers sex ed curriculum for anyone the age range of grade school through young adulthood.

As the pandemic continues, so does sex education; Caumiant said going forward, educators should try to stay patient.

“Just [have] a little patience, a little grace in helping people find what they need,” Caumiant said. “Trying to understand that everybody comes with their own challenges … but just trying to be understanding and to provide the information, the resources that can be most useful for them.”

A r c h e r said educators shouldn’t let the circumstances overshadow the subject’s importance.

“Young people and people in general … need accurate information, they need to have spaces where these things can be talked about,” Archer said. “Those things can all still be done virtually. I think there’s a sense that just because it’s virtual, that sexual health isn’t as necessary of a topic — it still is.”

THE ESSENTIALS

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page 5

Health officials stress STI testing importance despite stigmas DALTON BROWN copy editor

Local STI testing sites near SIUE and SIUE East St. Louis Center

Professors and health officials say that while sexually transmitted diseases have been stigmatized in the past, it’s still important for sexually active students to get tested regularly.

Carrie Horack, downstate lead clinician for Planned Parenthood Illinois, said the organization is trying to strip STIs of their historical stigmas.

“Unfortunately, a lot of people do associate any kind of infections that are transmitted sexually with a lot of shame — which, unfortunately, that’s been used throughout history just to marginalize certain types of people,” Horack said. “There’s a long-standing history that we’re really trying to break, especially at Planned Parenthood, of course … We’re trying to move from the terminology of ‘Sexually Transmitted Disease’ to ‘Sexually Transmitted Infection’ … just because ‘diseases’ sounds way more stigmatizing than ‘infections.’”

Nicole Holmes, manager of HIV/ STI hub/hotline resources with Center on Halsted, said when it comes to STIs, certain stigmas show through our descriptions of others.

“People still will routinely use the words ‘clean’ and ‘dirty’ in terms of describing someone’s [STI] status,” Holmes said. “They may make what they consider to be jokes about [STIs], just saying things like, ‘Oh, they’re dirty’ or ‘They’re itching’ or ‘They have fleas,’ saying those kinds of things about [STIs] in general.”

Pharmaceutical sciences professor Catherine Santanello said she thinks public perception is somewhat changing, but that change has been slowest in people her own age.

“I think adults, educated adults, should be able to speak about body parts and [STIs] without any embarrassment. It’s the human body. The more ignorance, the more lack of education there is, the more we’re going to have the spread of [STIs],” Santanello said. “When I have conversations with men around my age, a lot of them kind of clam up and don’t want to talk about it if I say, ‘Have you been tested for [STIs]?’”

Students interested in getting tested may be able to do so right here on campus.

Penny Raburn, a charge nurse with Health Service on campus, said they offer a few different screenings at various price points: a $16 HIV screening, $8 syphilis screening,

Address

Phone Number

From SIUE

From SIUE East St. Louis Center

0222 Student Success Center Edwardsville, IL 62026

618-650-2842

On Campus

25 mins

102 ROTTINGHAM STE 2, EDWARDSVILLE IL 62025

618-659-8692

6 mins

24 mins

17 Ginger Creek Mdws, Glen Carbon, IL 62034

618-201-1397

7 mins

24 mins

Madison County Health Department

101 E Edwardsville Rd, Wood River, IL 62095

(618) 692-8954

17 mins

28 mins

SIHF Healthcare 62095

230 Old St. Louis Road Wood River, IL

618.646.2596

17 mins

30 mins

MedExpress Urgent Care

515 Belt Line Rd Collinsville, IL 62234

(618) 344-7882

18 mins

19 mins

317 Salem Place Fairview Heights, IL 62208

618-277-6668

25 mins

16 mins

4251 Forest Park Avenue Saint Louis, MO 63108

314-531-7526

30 mins

16 mins

3401 South Grand Saint Louis, MO 63118

314-865-1850

31 mins

13 mins

4169 Laclede Ave. St. Louis, MO 63108

(314) 535-0413 x220

30 mins

16 mins

2166 Madison Avenue Granite City, IL 62040

618.452.3301

22 mins

15 mins

1602 21st Street Granite City, IL 62040

(618) 451-5722

23 mins

14 mins

4 Memorial Drive, Building B, Suite 210 Alton, IL 62002

618.463.5905

26 mins

38 mins

2615 Edwards Street, Suite 171 Alton, IL 62002

618.462.4342

23 mins

34 mins

Facility Name SIUE Health Service Labcorp Laboratory Testing Quest Diagnostics

Planned Parenthood Regional Facility Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri Planned Parenthood South Grand Health Center The SPOT Youth Center SIHF Healthcare Hope Clinic for Women SIHF Healthcare - Central Alton SIHF Healthcare - Alton

| Summer Bradley / The Alestle

a $10 joint screening for chlamydia and gonorrhea and other screening options for about $20 or less.

Horack said Planned Parenthood Illinois offers a few testing resources with a specific focus on both physical and environmental comfort.

“We do very minimally-invasive testing … Most of the time, it only requires you to come in and leave a urine sample … so you really can do your own testing, you don’t even have to be seen by a provider,” Horack said. “If you come to see us, you’re going to get a lot of education, you’re not going to be judged … and then you get your results within a week or two, and we’re able to treat based on what’s positive, and then we can also treat partners as well.”

Holmes said if someone calls into the hotline she manages, she first asks them about their location and whether they’re looking for free testing or testing with income-based sliding scale pricing. She then

asks about their insurance status and what services they’re seeking to match them with the best testing center for them — however, Holmes said she takes a few additional steps to ensure the comfort of all potential patients.

“If someone calls into the hotline and say that they’re trans or they say that they are queer, I’m going to make sure that I refer them to a place that I know for a fact is [LGBTQ+] friendly and won’t stigmatize them,” Holmes said. “And when I say ‘won’t stigmatize them,’ I’m not even just talking about the person conducting their testing or a doctor ... even the front office is in need of some of that same … training to ensure clients are not feeling stigmatized.”

For students anxious about the testing process, Public Health Professor Nicole Klein said knowing your results can help you make better-informed decisions about your sex life.

“If you are tested for an STI and you

have a negative test [result], maybe consider ways that won’t put you at risk the next time … Really think about what you’re doing sexually,” Klein said. “There’s a whole world of shared sexual activities or solo sex activities out there that don’t carry that risk.”

Santanello said the best way to prevent the spread of STIs is for students to reach out and stay aware.

“Seeking somebody that you’re comfortable talking to is really important,” Santanello said. “If we’re going to stop the spread of a lot of these STIs, the only way we’re going to stop it is if we know we have them.”

Those interested in scheduling an on-campus screening through Health Service can call their main number at 618650-2842. Those interested in finding an off-campus testing location can call the Center on Halsted’s Illinois state STD hotline at 1-800-243-2437.

Types of STIs and what symptoms to watch out for THOMAS DRAKE reporter

HEPATITIS A, B AND C Hepatitis affects the liver.

Both B and C are the leading cause of liver cancer and liver transplants. The symptoms of hepatitis A [HAV] include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, headaches, fever, dark urine, jaundice, liver enlargement and tenderness in the liver. While hepatitis C is treatable, no cures exist for A and B. There are vaccines that can help prevent infection and medical treatments that can help lessen the symptoms. HAV is spread via fecal contamination and anal sex. Besides abstaining from sex, the most effective way to protect yourself from Hepatits is to receive two shots of the vaccine over a six-to-twelve-month period.

SYPHILIS Syphilis spreads through contact with open sores and during sexual activity. If the infection is

untreated, it can cause serious brain and nervous system damage, blood infection and even death.

Early signs include a small sore around the vagina, penis, mouth or anus and rashes on the body.

The sores can be painless and go away in a few weeks, but the infected person should still get treated. If the infected person is pregnant then the disease will be passed on to the fetus.

Other symptoms are fever, sore throat, patchy hair loss, headaches, weight loss, muscle aches, fatigue and swollen lymph glands.

Early-diagnosed syphilis can be treated or cured easily with an injection of penicillin or 14 days of antibiotics. Untreated syphilis requires multiple treatments. Patients treated for syphilis should abstain from any sexual contact until the sores are completely healed.

HIV & AIDS HIV and AIDS are transmitted by blood and body fluids.

Most HIV infections don’t have any noticeable symptoms. An in-

fected person can be healthy for years, but if HIV leads to AIDS, that’s when symptoms develop and lead to death. Symptoms include fever, rashes and lesions, night sweats and blurred vision.

There is no cure for HIV, but there are treatments like antiretroviral therapy that allow the patient to live a healthy life.

If exposed to HIV, there is post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) that reduces the chance of contracting HIV. PEP medication should be sought within 72 hours of exposure.

CHLAMYDIA Chlamydia is the most common STD and most with it don’t experience symptoms; if they do, they include genital discharge.

People with vaginas may experience lower back pain, abdominal pain, nausea, pain during sex or bleeding after sex or between periods.

It can be cured with antibiotics. The infected person’s partner should test for chlamydia before having sex.

GONORRHEA Gonorrhea is one of the most common STDs in the United States. Gonorrhea is spread through sexual contact and can be transmitted to children during childbirth. It is treatable and preventable. Symptoms are unusual discharge from the penis or vagina, pain or difficulty peeing. People with vaginas may experience bleeding while in between their periods. People with penises may experience swelling in the testes.

Gonorrhea can also cause infections in the mouth, throat, eye and anus. It can be cured through antibiotics.

HPV HPV is the most common STI. HPV doesn’t usually lead to health problems, but in some cases, HPV can lead to genital warts, warts in the throat and cancer of the cervix, anus or throat. HPV can develop from any sort of contact with an infected person. The infection goes away on its own

most of the time, but it should be noted that the infection can still be spread easily.

The best way to avoid HPV is to get vaccinated.

GENITAL HERPES Genital herpes is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV).

The virus causes painful blisters around the genitals. Two types of HSV exist. HSV-1 is spread through saliva, causing sores to form around the person’s mouth.

HSV-2 is spread through anal, vaginal, and oral sex and causes sores to pop up around the genitals. Genital herpes usually spread through sex and contact with the infected area.

Symptoms of an initial infection are fever, body aches and swollen lymph nodes. People with herpes have a higher chance of transmitting HIV. No cures exist for herpes, but medication can help relieve the symptoms. Wearing a condom will not fully protect a person from herpes, but it does lessen the chance of infection.

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thursday, 04.08.21

THE CULTURE OF SEX

‘Chastity is a virtue:’ SIUE students explain the value of waiting THOMAS DRAKE reporter

Chastity is a part of many religions across the world. For example, Christianity and Islam usually restrict the chaste person from having sex until marriage. Some SIUE students practice chastity for a variety of reasons.

Sophomore nursing major from Edwardsville Maria Fitzgerald, a member of the Cougar Catholic Newman Catholic Community said that chastity is important to her relationship with God. “Chastity is a virtue. It’s a gift that we’ve been given. It’s something we’re all called to,” Fitzgerald said. “It gives us the opportunity to choose a deeper relationship, a deeper form of intimacy with the person that we’re married to and also with our God and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Senior applied communications major Jonah Bisaillon said that chastity depends on the person.

“It’s within the context of where you are in your life that asks you to commit to a relationship that is to create intimacy with another person in the ways of hoping to conceive a child. Or if that’s not the sit-

uation, that chastity is something you stick with. It’s definitely a hard process, but it’s one that’s beautiful,” Bisaillon said. “Our offering of ourselves goes towards the better of others ... and follows within [the] lines of seeing another person more clearly if chastity is lived out.”

Bisaillon said sex is a very intimate activity between two people and that sex is a desire in a married relationship.

“The idea of sex is that we’re giving ourselves fully to another human being.

In that moment, we’re giving up our own genetics, our own being, to another person,” Bisaillon said. “That desire is real and meaningful, but there’s also the room for that desire to be moved towards the good of other people and not just within the sexual encounter. It is a beautiful thing and it should happen within the ideas of marriage.”

Bisaillon said being chaste is a virtue because it promotes being selfless and disciplined.

“Being chaste is recognizing yourself and who you are, and understanding others more than just holding ourselves from a sexual act. There’s patience involved, there’s self control involved and there’s a lack of selfishness where being chaste is unselfish in the way of life,” Bisaillon said.

Senior nursing major Gabrielle Thomas, of Springfield, Illinois, is a member of Venture Campus Ministry. Thomas said her personal meaning of chastity has changed over the years.

“When I was younger, growing up in church, I think it meant to me just follow-

ing a rule or following what’s told to me.

But now I think it means to value myself enough to wait for somebody that values me the same way,” Thomas said.

Thomas said chastity is important to her and it’s more than following a rule.

“It is a very important thing, and in a Christian community I think sometimes [we] made it important for the wrong reasons. Just like I said with how I viewed it with just following the rule, it’s supposed to be deeper than that,” Thomas said.

Senior psychology major Westin Parris from Edwardsville said chastity is a promise to God. “It’s really a comment to my relationship to God and his Word. There are Scriptures in the Bible that speak to our bodies not being our own. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Ghost, our bodies are not our own. I want to live as a willing sacrifice to God and not just do whatever I please. That’s more than staying away from sexual things, but that’s like staying away from sin in general,” Parris said. “To me it’s obeying and keeping that right relationship with God.” Fitzgerald said one of the reasons for chastity to be less popular now is how common sex is in media.

“I think it’s far more expedient than the meaningful experience of waiting until you’re married to have sex. Especially with how much you can view. I mean, movies have sex scenes, it’s easy to view pornography. I think it’s more expedient to be constantly bombarded with that message and tempted to have sex before you’re mar-

ried,” Fitzgerald said.

Thomas said chastity hasn’t been explained to people as well as it could be.

“Our society, I feel like, is growing in the way of thinking for ourselves and not necessarily following traditions. When a tradition or a rule or standard is not explained and not given reasons for, I think it’s a lot easier not to follow and just do away with it,” Thomas said.

Other countries have as many differences as similarities in portrayal, treatment of women GABRIEL BRADY opinion editor

Warning: This piece contains some content related to sexual assault.

In America, sex is all over advertisements, but still considered to be taboo.

However, these views are not held across borders.

Fulbright Scholar and English major Rodaina Mousa, from Alexandria, Egypt, said she looked at The Alestle’s sex education and human sexuality survey, but noticed that some questions did not make sense from an international perspective.

“Many of the questions about sex ed were hard to answer, because in Egypt, we don’t have any sex ed in schools to begin with. It’s not even an idea,” Mousa said. “I think, personally, it has a lot to do with how religion and culture are so intertwined in the Arab world, and since the majority of people are Muslim and Islam is super strict when it comes to sex as an act, it gets really hard for young people to find reliable resources to know about sex.

It’s either all from friends, older siblings or porn, which is very unhealthy.”

Professor of Mass Communications Elza Ibroscheva has done research on media in Eastern European countries. In some of this research, she looked at how women were treated during Communist regimes during the Cold War, and compared that to now. This big shift in political and social systems was, according to Ibroscheva, the reason for many of the differences between Eastern Europe and the America “The portrayal in Communist times of women, it was not physical appearances, but more as a contributor to labor, and as the nurturing side of the Socialist nation,” Ibroscheva said. “Many scholars called it a double burden. There were expecta-

tions of being the wife and mother, but also of productivity and being a worker.”

According to Ibroscheva, the modern portrayal of women in these post-communist Eastern European states is much different than before, but still not beneficial to women, and the modern portrayals even give citizens a warped view of sex.

“Then, we pivot into the Wild Wild West of unregulated media systems … and now, the media thinks everything goes and anything is okay. There are billboards of naked women with guns for whatever company, and it’s almost comical,” Ibroscheva said.

“The comical part is this new display of sexuality that added this new unexplored highly problematic issue.

Women’s worth was what sexuality could bring to her, like a price tag and a cost.”

Sophomore in Mass Communications Stephano Hoàng is from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam originally, and although he has lived on campus for several years now, he is still struck by how different America is to Vietnam.

Hoàng said one of the biggest differences comes from sexual education and perceptions of sexual assault and abortions.

“Abortions are extremely common in Vietnam. So much so, that there are even some small businesses dedicated,” Hoàng said. “Our sex ed is all about the men.

Everything is about the men, and we [as men] are the main issue. [Men] don’t get educated, and that leads to rape. The only upside is that abortions are considered very common here as a response.”

Mousa said toxic masculinity is definitely an issue in Egypt, and the Egyptian views of abortions are somewhere between Vietnam’s and America’s.

“It’s absolutely an issue. If it weren’t for the patriarchy, things would be much better,” Mousa said. “As for abortions, they are far less common, because in Islam, it’s only permissible if the baby is only a month or two old, I think. There are some rules religiously with the heartbeat or something. I personally have not looked into it.”

According to Egyptian penal code, abortions are only permitted if the carrier of the child’s life is in imminent danger, or if two specialists approve.

Hoàng said he is still surprised quite often by how vocal the American anti-LGBTQ+ and anti-choice protests are.

According to Hoàng, some of these prejudices certainly exist in Vietnam, but citizens are nowhere near as vocal about them.

“In Vietnam, they are more open minded [on] abortions than in the U.S. I had never heard of people screaming at women about their religion not letting something, or accusing them of killing babies. I had never heard of that,” Hoàng said. “And if me and my boyfriend are walking around, holding hands in America, someone might talk to us or yell at us about how their religion says it’s wrong. In Vietnam, there would definitely be people who are not okay with it, but they would not say anything to us.”

Mousa said anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments are common in Egypt, but younger generations seem to be becoming more progressive and accepting.

“The older generations are okay with all this prejudice, because they say, ‘They deserve this. They are going against God’s nature,’” Mousa said. “When you’re born and raised in a place where they say, ‘You’re only allowed to like green apples. If you like red apples, you’re a monster,’ you grow up and you believe that and your children think it. It is getting better, though, in Egypt and in America.”

Ibroscheva said these issues of sexual assault, both abroad and in America, come from ideas of toxic masculinity.

“It is very well pronounced in the Balkan sphere, this macho culture. It leads to the larger strife of nationalism and anti-gay sentiments,” Ibroscheva said. “There is so much nationalistic grief there since the last Balkan wars were in the early 1990s. One of the biggest tools of violence in the wars against women was mass rape. Acts of nationalist violence, that is what the Serbians used against Bosnian Muslim women.

That is the most problematic system.”

THE CULTURE OF SEX

thursday, 04.08.21

page 7

At the intersection of race and sexuality lies the fetishization of people of color EMILY STERZINGER online editor

“Global” may seem like an overstatement, but racial fetishization is an issue in many parts of the world outside of the U.S. Associate Professor of History Christienne Hinz said this was supported by her previous experiences as a Black woman living in Japan.

“My perspective is that [racial fetishization is] not a Western phenomenon. But it has to do with how race has been introduced as a concept beyond the West,” Hinz said. “So it may be that fetishization across race began in the West, but it didn’t stay there. In Japan in the 19th century, they began to accept the racial descriptions, the racial categories, the racial hierarchies that came from the West.”

Historical roots of fetishization in America run as deep as the initial colonization of the Americas by Europe, and continue to this day. Black women in colonial history were perceived as especially tempting to white men, according to Tandra Taylo, an instructor in the Department of History.

“If we look at the Jezebel stereotype, that was created during the period of enslavement,” Taylot said. “We see that stereotype, or the legacy of that stereotype,

continuing to shape and influence others’ perceptions of Black women.”

Professor of Sociology Florence Maätita said in her lessons within race and ethnicity she discusses the use of gendered racial stereotypes in the media.

“I get students to unpack the primary archetypes of either the Geisha: the really submissive quiet Asian woman. Or she’s the Dragon lady. She’s very fierce and in control of her sexuality,” Maätita said.

A majority of issues with racial fetishization lean towards impacting women of color most, but that doesn’t mean it is a strictly gendered issue either.

“When we think of fetishization of the Black body, we can certainly include other genders as well. Black people as a whole have been understood historically as hypersexual. There has been a focus on the ways in which their genitalia and reproductive organs work different from European, or European American bodies,” Taylor said.

The issues of fetishization impact people of color regardless of gender, but the intersectional role misogynist violence plays when applied to women of color is undeniable.

Even though the full breadth of motives is still being debated, many see a link to racial fetishi-

zation in the shootings of Asian owned massage parlors in the Atlanta area by Robert Aaron Long, who was reported by police to have been driven by his sex addiction.

“A lot of folks are saying ‘No, it’s just about this guy’s sexual proclivities, it’s not about race,’ and to me that suggests a great deal about how we overlook and deny voices, we deny power, we deny legitimacy,” Maätita said.

“Because yes, it certainly is motivated by his sexual proclivities, but that doesn’t mean that it’s completely separate from racism. And it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s separate from the fact that he specifically targeted [Asian owned locations].”

Not only can representation impact how society regards them, but the depictions of people of color in media, including fetishization, can even impact one’s self image and lead to internalized racism.

“I’m hard pressed to imagine a woman who is a racial or ethinic minority who may not either recognize that she has been fetishized, or maybe has never been fetishized,” Maätita said. “Given the culture in which we live in, where there is so much of the imagery, so much of the messages, I can’t think of somebody who wouldn’t have some sort of way of thinking about that.”

68%

of anti-Asian hate crimes are against women.

Source: Stop AAPI Hate

84%

of Native American women have experienced physical, sexual or psychological violence in their lifetime.

Source: National Institute of Justice

Black girls between ages 10 and 14 experience adultification 4 times more than their white peers.

Source: Georgetown Law Center on Poverty and Inequality

| Summer Bradley / The Alestle

Positive, negatives of exploring sexuality, expectations of sex through pornography KRISTINA JOHNSON reporter

Warning: This piece contains some content related to sexual assault.

The ethical debate of if pornography is good or bad has been around for a little while, but now it’s shifting towards how viewing may cause unrealistic expectations of of people’s sexual identities and activities.

Professor of Mass Communications Gary Hicks said he majority of those who study the impact of pornography on society would say it is not beneficial to humans.

“Typically, from a cultural, critical perspective, [ethicists] are opposed to it because they see that it is in fact part of the dominant patriarchy,” Hicks said. “If you were to see some of the more extreme forms of [porn], it goes into areas where people say it’s simply unhealthy to the people who are participating in it and it is unhealthy to those who are viewing it.”

Today’s pornography details the heteronormative view on couples by showing a high amount of content between a man and a woman, although this does not reflect the population. Right now, Hicks said the role and impact of the media is changing.

“We have become one soceity that is very much against public nudity,” Hicks said. “Right now [media] is actually more important, not in terms of value, but it is a stronger influence on our lives, including our sexual lives.”

Pornhub, a highly visited pornography website, brought in 135 million views per day during the pandemic. The increase in traffic led some viewers to notice content which contained images of sexual assualt and rape. Hundreds of thousands of people signed a petition for Pornhub to take down the content as some underaged people were featured on the site, according to an article published by Independent.

Instructor of Philosophy Meredith tent out there.

Verrochi said pornography itself isn’t al“The end of the road for [fetishizaways negative and bad, but if consent tion] is actually snuff films, where womof the persons involved within the por- en are actually killed in the production of nogrpahy hasn’t be these films,” Hicks expressed, then that is said. “People bewhere the issues arise. come resistant to “Autonomy [is] [pornography] the idea that if I own just like they do anything I own my with anything else. body,” Verrochi said.

They need more to “That means if I want get their fix, like to be a sex worker then any other kind of that’s my choice to drugs.” do. Some women are From a philreally empowered by osophical standdoing sex work and, point, the main for better or worse, it roadblock occurseems to be a particuing is whether or larly lucrative profesnot people can exsion for women.” press their sexuality Junior business without it keeping MEREDITH VERROCI major Derek Ogle, of the cycle of overinstructor of philosophy East Alton, Illinois, sexualization gosaid pornography ing. Verrochi said shouldn’t exclude consent from all parties. learning about one’s sexuality through Certain pornography websites, such as pornography can be damaging.

OnlyFans, give their users more freedom “It’s mostly damaging to women, it’s and consent happens when they choose to obviously damaging to men too, and to post. relationships,” Verrochi said. “[Pornogra“As long as there phy] skews towards is consent and someobjectifying womone isn’t being forced en. Making them MUST BE into making content for seem like they are 18 OR OVER things like OnlyFans, only meant for REC I don’t see a problem [sexual] gratifiwith it, as they can set cation. What we their prices and even find sexy is culturchoose who they let ally located.” see their content,” Along with Ogle said. oversexualizaAs development tion, the expecwithin the porn tations gathered industry evolves, from pornogHicks said fetisizaraphy may not tion may occur always benefit with the explicitthose watching | Summer Bradley / The Alestle ness of certain conin. Ogle said

“Autonomy [is] the idea that if I own anything I own my body. That means if I want to be a sex worker then that’s my choice to do.

Some women are really empowered by doing sex work and, for better or worse, it seems to be a particularly lucrative profession for women.

most porn is intended for entertainment — not educational — purposes..

“They try to make it look as appealing as possible when sex really just isn’t like that,” Ogle said. “Obviously people are still going to watch it, but I don’t believe it should be watched until you can understand that it’s made for viewing and it’s not some sort of guideline.”

With gender fluidity becoming more visible, Verrochi said certain groups have been misrepresented or not presented well.

“An important part of our lives is our intimate relationships with people,” Verrochi said. “To have your ideas about what it means to be in a sexual relationship with somebody or having a sexual experience, if that is built by pornography as it’s currently available, that’s not good.”

Representations of people in the media have long been looked at as a source of information to explore about people’s likes and dislikes. Ogle said misrepresentation of certain relationships outside of the gender binary can directly harm those who are exploring their preferences.

“Especially in people’s younger years as they are starting to explore being themselves ... it could lead to misunderstanding in how to have a sexual relationship with someone,” Ogle said.

Hicks said another aspect of the porn industry is the economic side. He said the ever-changing business has been heavily molded from how much money each site can make.

“The way it has developed into an industry, I would say, presents remarkable challenges,” Hicks said. “[Porn] can play a healthy role in, not only for kids who are going through puberty and experiencing sexual feelings for the first time, but also for all people who may have some interest in other expressions of sexuality. The problem is, if the media we are consuming is pornography, [then] it is really giving a distorted and uneducated perspective on what sexuality is.”

THE CULTURE OF SEX

page 8

thursday, 04.08.21

Social and sexual: TikTok may subtly push inappropriate content to minors KRISTINA JOHNSON reporter

Over the past three years, TikTok has been rising in popularity, with roughly 100 million monthly active users in summer 2020, according to CNBC. What does this mean for how TikTok controls sexual content?

Similar to other social media platforms, TikTok uses a certain algorithm that is heavily reliant on what the person interacts with. If a user interacts with certain content enough, then their feed will contain a lot of content similar to the videos they clicked on, according to an article in Later.

“Talking with [my] other friends I have that watch as well, we don’t see the same [TikToks,]” senior psychology major Callie Finley, of Centralia, Illinois, said.

“It’s heavily dependent on the things they monitor. [For example] how long you watch the videos, if you go into their account, what videos you are liking and what hashtags, stuff that is systematically set up to be more personalized to your likings.”

This means users can easily fall into a cycle of seeing content that may be harmful to their self image, often by giving them an unrealistic view of others’ lives.

“TikTok has fantastic algorithms to build up your ‘For You’ pages,” Mass Communications Assistant Professor Alex Leith said. “The default of them is very questionable. Until you train your TikTok, it’s a lot of unhealthy content. One of the advantages of older people in the space is it helps train content to be more universal.”

For many, TikTok became an app which absorbed a lot of time during quarantine. Finley said she started using the app around January 2020, shortly before the lock-downs in the U.S. began, when she was confined her to her home. After starting to use the app to support a friend’s content, she began creating content herself. She noticed how easy it was to get on the unhealthy side of TikTok and said this could potentially impact minors negatively.

“It only takes a few bad searches to get the algorithm to start showing you things that probably wouldn’t be appropriate for minors,” Finley said. “I really would like for them to put in stuff that’s going to be for age over 18, have some sort of warning or put in an age [restriction] so it won’t even allow you to go [to specific content.]”

According to TikTok’s website, users must be 13 years old to have an account.

Even with the age restriction, there continues to be under-age children using the app.

“Once it’s signed in on someone’s account, it could have been signed in by someone of the age but still be used by someone that is younger,” Finley said.

“The system can only do so much in that regard.”

Yet, not everybody is as concerned about content. Senior geography major Andrew Effler, of Hamel, Illinois, said it’s a matter of what the creator wishes to post.

“There is [no] full-on nudity [in the videos.] I feel that people have the right to post whatever they would like,” Effler said.

Although the person posting it has a certain responsibility with what they post, TikTok has the duty of monitoring the

app’s content as well.

“If the post doesn’t meet TikTok’s standards, then TikTok has the right to take down anything they don’t approve of,” Effler said. “Especially if they are trying to keep it a safe app for children to use as well.”

As social media has become almost a necessity to younger generations, it may seem hard to filter and keep up with all content put out. Junior elementary education major Katelyn Patterson, of Hamel, Illinois, said it’s inevitable that younger people see certain over-sexual videos.

“I just know how much technology

and apps are used at a young age as it is,” Patterson said. “Unless parents keep more of an eye on what they have access to, then they will see things regardless.”

At the same time, Leith said TikTok comes with some positives. He said it does a good job representing diverse groups of people compared to other social media platforms, and users are slowly catching on to how to police media themselves.

“The apps are going to do all they can to [protect these groups],” Leith said.

“The communities have gotten a lot better at communicating within themselves what is acceptable and unacceptable.”

Kink Korner Here are some tips when trying kink for the first time to keep you and your partner(s) safe: Kinks are always consensual.

Have a safeword or non-verbal way to communicate when someone wants to stop.

Discuss what are sexual deal breakers beforehand.

Practice aftercare even if you’re not having kinky sex. It can help bring participants back to Earth after the rush of dopamine from the act goes away.

Aftercare isn’t always the dominant caring for the submissive. All participants should make sure each other’s needs are met.

Aftercare doesn’t always have to occur immediately after. It depends on you and your partner(s) needs.

Aftercare can be a post-sex high five, cuddling, getting water or making a snack together.

The best method for aftercare is to discuss what each person needs after sex beforehand.

Aftercare is also an opportunity to talk about the session and figure out what can be done better next time.

The more intense the session is, the more likely extended aftercare is needed.

Sourced from Cosmopolitan, Vice

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Thirsty for the answers?

Visit alestlelive.com to check your work!

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ACROSS

D O W N

1. If you find yourself watching anime and being a little too into the art style, you may like _____.

7. If missionary with the lights off is what you like best, your taste is more _____.

11. Two is company, three is a crowd, but if a group is your thing then that’s a(n) _____.

12. _____ is a kink centered around role playing as a domestic animal.

14. “Kiss me thru the phone” ... or maybe more than a kiss.

16. _____ is a kink for performing sex acts in front of others with their consent.

17. Getting hit in the scrotum for pleasure is called _____.

18. If humiliation during sex turns you on, you may be a(n) _____.

20. You won’t need a chair if your partner’s face is available.

21. It’s not a rock, it’s not paper, but if two vaginas are involved, it may be _____.

22. Want to do anal but don’t have a penis? Get a strapon and try _____.

2. So close yet so far ... if you’re prolonging the time before climax as much as you can, then you’re _____.

3. This kink comes from a traditional Japanese style of rope bondage.

4. A necessary philosophy in BDSM culture is the acronym RACK: “Risk Aware _____ Kink.”

5. “No pain, no gain” is the main idea of _____.

6. _____ are bondage equipment used for blocking the mouth.

They come in many shapes and forms.

8. Storytelling + sex = _____.

9. If getting cheated on turns you on, you’re a(n) _____.

10. Just because you don’t top doesn’t mean you’re not dominant. You can be a(n) _____.

13. A FANTASY-ONLY fetish centered around eating people alive.

15. British Columbia’s Centere for Disease Control recommended the use of this during pandemic sex, saying it could act as a “barrier”: _____.

17. If getting pregnant sounds sexy to you, you’re probably into _____.

19. Top or bottom? Who cares!

20. Fans of “Orange is the New Black” may recognize this one, but if you do it in real life, use lots of lube.

Sources: bdsmtest.org, louisvillemunch.com, artofcontemporaryshibari, ohjoysextoy. com, badgirlsbible.com, kinktest.org, newnownext.com

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From the screen to your bedroom, TV and movies influence real-life sex decides she’s not going to hook up with somebody, then she’s a ‘prude,’” Speno said. “So her virtue is tied to her sexuality, From “Fifty Shades of Gray” to “Or- where this isn’t the case for the male charange is the New Black,” it’s hard to find acters … they’re proving their manhood media that is not about, or at least associ- and their masculinity by hooking up.”

Speno’s research on adolescent sexated with, sex. Even though it’s pure fiction, these scenes can impact real life ideas ting behaviors shows how this double standard translates into real life. about sex.

“My research has found that girls who Much research shows because young adults often have limited sex education, are self-objectifying, or viewing themselves they often turn to media to learn about as an object for others to evaluate, are more sex. Ashton Speno, assistant professor of likely to participate in sexting,” Speno mass communications, teaches about this said. “So, it’s kind of showing that they’re getting this idea from the culture that the in some of her classes.

“If [adolescents] are not able to get way to gain value in the culture is to get information from their parents or their the sexual attention of others, especially school or any other organization … they men, … whereas boys will want to particiare going to find other sources, and so a pate in sexting not to objectify themselves, but their motivalot of times they will tion is that they’re turn to the internet, kind of proving and of course we see their masculinity. depictions of sexualThey want to colity on TV and film,” lect pictures from Speno said. “Because multiple girls or there’s a lack of inwomen and kind formation from other of brag to their sources, these media buddies, or show portrayals can carry a their buddies the significant weight in pictures and kind shaping the concepof demonstrate tions about sexuality their manhood so for viewers.” to speak.”

As the popularity Speno said the of streaming services heterosexual script rises — Screenrant. also genders the com reported the very goal of sexual market for streaming relationships. services grew by 34 “We see the percent in 2020 — message that men sex may be become should avoid comall the more prevalent mitment in these in shows and film.

TV shows and Gary Hicks, professor films, that they of mass communicashould focus on tions, said issues of having sex with regulation across difmultiple partners ferent platforms may and avoid relaimpact the amount of tionships, whereas sex seen on screen. women seek rela“Anything that tionships,” Speno is internet-based for said. “So, you see streaming, the Suthe problem there: preme Court ruled a If the media is saynumber of years ago ing, ‘It needs to that it holds First be between a male Amendment rights and a female,’ well, that are basically the we have the males same as print, so govthat are avoiding ernment interference commitment and can be a problem,” the women who Hicks said. “Now are seeking it.” for broadcast, … the The het[Federal Communierosexual script cations Commission] leaves LGBTQ+ has two major powGARY HICKS relationships out. ers: one is granting professor of mass communications While the Gay & licenses for stations, Lesbian Alliance and the other is content. While they have allowed more and more and more graphic Against Defamation reported a slight insexuality to be shown, they have also — crease in LGBTQ characters in major stuand I think this reflects the prudish puri- dio films from 2018 to 2019, this does tanical attitudes of the American public — not mean that the portrayals are positive are much, much more opposed to showing or representative of each group under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. sexual situations than anything else.”

Hicks, whose research focuses on how The sexual encounters seen in TV and film often follow what is called the “het- media impacts marginalized communities, erosexual script.” Speno, who researches said profit often plays into this. “[For] media institutions … the botgender and the media’s messages about sexualization, said this script forms gen- tom line is to make money, and they’re going to sell what makes them money,” dered double standards.

“If you’re a teen and you’re watching Hicks said. “While they have done some most any TV show, if the female charac- remarkably progressive things, in terms ter is going to hook up with somebody, of allowing women to show they control then she’s a ‘slut,’ and that’s how people see MEDIA on page 11 are going to treat her in the episode. If she MADISON LAMMERT lifestyles editor

| Summer Bradley and Madison Lammert / The Alestle

The Headphone Jack: Steamy songs for sexy time THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board

Let’s set the scene: the lights are dimmed, all roommates are gone, but just in case, the door is locked. If you’re in a car, it’s time to steam up the windows. But before you remove your clothes, or those of your partner(s), don’t forget to press play.

Introducing what is arguably the most useful Headphone Jack: songs to have sex to. Our staff has made this beautiful compilation of songs guaranteed to get you in the mood, whether you’re having some much-needed alone time or getting it on with others.

“S&M” - Rihanna

This would not be a sex playlist if we did not include this song, and even though it came out during many of our middle school years, bad girl RiRi still takes the cake when it comes to provocative songs.

“Outside” - The Weeknd

Another OG jam that sparked Gen Z’s sexual awakening. Let’s be honest, the whole “Trilogy” album did. With “XO/ The Host” to “D.D.” you could honestly just play the whole album on Spotify and be fine (just skip the songs that give you the feels). Let Abel Tesfaye’s confidence inspire you: when you’re finished with your lucky partner(s), they won’t want to go outside.

“bad idea!” - girl in red

If you prefer to get down to altrock, this might be the song for you.

This song takes a break from girl in red’s usual indie pop to adopt a rock/ pop-punk influence, which perfectly fits its message about hooking up with someone against your better judgment because you just can’t resist.

“Hypnotic” - Zella Day

This song is a few years old, but still deserves its spot on the playlist. The buildup to the climax of the song (pun intended) is guaranteed to make you feel like you’re the star of a steamy sex scene.

“Pussy is God” - King Princess

Name a more iconic lesbian song.

We’ll wait. Yes, Hayley Kiyoko’s music is

a strong contender, but once you listen to this song, you’ll know where we’re coming from (hehe).

“Moment’s Silence (Common Tongue)” - Hozier

This is another one where you just gotta listen to the lyrics — they are the pinnacle of erotic poetry. In case you didn’t catch on the first time around, this song is all about oral sex. Now, combine that with Hozier and woo-wee.

“Daddy Issues” The Neighbourhood

Between the steady, rhythmic beat and Jesse Rutherford’s soft vocals, this is the perfect song to get it on to if you want to slow it down a little. You don’t need to have daddy issues to enjoy this one, but it certainly doesn’t hurt.

“Love is a Bitch” - Two Feet

If you’ve ever found yourself on the thirst trap side of TikTok, you probably know this one. The melody is undeniably erotic, and you might even feel like you’re in a movie.

“Deity” - Valeree

This is the perfect counterpart to Hozier’s “Take Me to Church,” especially if you want to get slow and sensual. It’s also a little blasphemous if that’s your jam.

“Lancaster Nights” Charlie Burg

With the all-consuming groove of this song, it’s impossible to sit still. And with the slinking vocals from Burg, this would make a fantastic backdrop to any special night.

“Dinner and Diatribes” Hozier

Yes, another song from the “Wasteland, Baby!” album, because it’s too hard to pick just one. If the combination of Hozier’s deep vocals, powerful drums and lyrics implying wild sex without regard for consequences doesn’t do it for you, we don’t know what will.

Want more? Check out The Alestle’s Spotify account for the full playlist.

Yes, even more steamy songs. Whether it’s a special night or spur-of-the moment thing, we’ve got you covered.

“[For] media institutions ... the bottom line is to make money, and they’re going to sell what makes them money.

While they have done some remarkably progressive things, in terms of allowing women to show they control their own sexuality ... and [has] allowed the LGBT community some visibility, ultimately these media institutions are going to show them in ways that are going to draw in viewers, and the ways they do that is to make them typically the most titillating and, sadly, sometimes that’s the most stereotypical way.”

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THE CULTURE OF SEX

thursday, 04.08.21

Surgeries for the top half, explained JOHN MCGOWAN reporter

Breast surgeries are done for a variety of reasons, from health to cosmetic-related.

Below is a quick run down of the multiple types of breast surgeries people may choose to have.

ENLARGEMENTS

According to the Food and Drug Administration, there are two types of breast enlargements, the first being augmentations. Augmentations are either done with implants made of saline or silicone, or with fat injections pulled directly from other parts of the body. According to the Mayo Clinic, augmentations are often done to improve body image.

The second is reconstructions. Reconstructions are done to rebuild the breast after physical trauma, poorly done surgery or a mastectomy, which is the removal of one or two breasts to prevent the spread of cancer.

Various complications can arise if enlargements are done improperly or even when done properly. Problems that can occur include pain or changes in feeling in the breasts, issues breastfeeding and rupture or deflation of the implants, which can come from age or physical trauma.

TOP SURGERY

According to the Mayo Clinic, a full introduction of breasts to a transgender woman is called top surgery. It can be done with implants or injections, and sometimes a combination of both.

Top surgery for transgender men involves the full removal of both breasts, and oftentimes removal of the nipples and areolas in order to be resized and placed back on.

Video creator Ash Hardell said they

was satisfied with their choice to get top surgery.

“I was so terrified that top surgery was going to be the wrong decision, not because that’s how I felt, but because so many people on the internet just kept ramming that into me … It was the right decision and I am so happy,” Hardell said.

REDUCTIONS

According to Mayo Clinic, breast reductions are the removal of fat, tissue and skin from the breasts. They are done for various reasons, including easing pain that results from heavy breasts and cosmetic reasons.

Lisa Higgins of Perth, Australia, the creator and admin of a breast reduction focused Facebook group, said she got her breasts reduced to ease back pain and look better.

“I got it done in 2012 because I get a lot of back pain … I also got it done because, I think I was like a 34 GG, so it was really hard to find pretty bras or nice clothes to wear that would be flattering,” Higgins said.

Like enlargements, reductions can have the same risks of changes in sensation of the breasts and an inability to breastfeed.

Other issues include bruising and scarring of the breasts.

Reductions also carry somewhat of a stigma with them from both people who dislike seeing breasts become smaller and people who would like to see their breasts become bigger, and are envious of those who would reduce theirs.

Higgins said complaints from men should be ignored.

“Guys don’t like you getting you getting it done because obviously a lot of guys like bigger boobs, but I think it’s a decision you need to make for yourself. Most people still have a decent amount left, they don’t go perfectly flat anyway,” Higgins said.

She also said she’s happy overall with the procedure.

“I have no regrets. I feel like they look better, and I got everything I wanted from them. They are better for the clothes that I wanted to wear and for working out in … I think if it’s something that you wanted for

| Madison Lammert / The Alestle

a long time and you’ve thought about it, definitely make it happen if you can,” Higgins said.

For more information, visit the Mayo Clinic’s website. Support can be sought from Hardell’s YouTube channel or through Facebook support groups.

SEX IS FOR EVERYONE

thursday, 04.08.21

Asexuality is not a one-size-fits-all identity PAULA BROOKS reporter

People tend to lump asexuality into one group of individuals, even though that isn’t the case at all. Asexual is an umbrella term for different groups of people that fall under that category.

Some lesser-known subcategories of asexuality are demisexual, gray ace and aromantics.

These identities have special characteristics; demisexuals are only sexually attracted to people they have a strong emotional connection to and gray aces rarely have sexual attraction but can still feel that way towards another person.

Aromantics tend to stay away from the romantic side of relationships.

Misconceptions about asexuality are everywhere, from the terms used to relationship statuses. Nick Niemerg, a co-chair

for Safe Zone along with Rex Jackson and Jennifer Hernandez, said people tend to focus on the term’s basic meaning and not the fact it’s an umbrella term.

“I think there definitely are some misconceptions, if you will,” Niemerg said. “I think people tend to just go by what the basic definition of asexual is, but not knowing that asexuality is really just an umbrella term for a few different groups of people who fall under that umbrella.”

Another misconception is that asexual people do not want to be in a relationship. Joshua Foster, a junior mechanical engineering student from Columbia, Illinois and an individual who identifies as asexual, said he wants to someday be in a relationship but to leave out the sexual part of it.

“There is another word for

it, it’s called [aromanticism] or being an aromantic, but personally I do want to eventually have a relationship, like an intimate relationship with another person,” Foster said.

Jackson said people who identify with this label normally don’t consider having sex as the most important part of a relationship.

“I think more and more people are saying asexuality is kind of an umbrella term … it’s [asexuality] for individuals who … sexual intimacy, or even the act of sex, is not necessarily a core component that they seek to form, whether it’s friendship or close romantic intimate deep emotional relationships,” Jackson said.

Jackson said due to societal demands, sex is a big part of a relationship. It can be viewed as different if it’s not necessary in a

relationship due to what society has said. This can make it hard for people to understand what it means to be asexual.

“It’s a hard thing for people to understand … sex is a big part of how society talks about relationships,” Jackson said.

Jackson said he thinks everyone deserves respect and privacy, no matter how they identify.

“Regardless of what identity we are talking about, approach people with respect and recognize that there are some things about a person that you don’t need to know,” Jackson said.

Niemerg said people who don’t identify with the label of asexuality shouldn’t rely on asexual people to give them all the information they need. According to Niemerg, it is up to them to find it, unless they’re close with the asexual person and they are

‘We are seen as big children’: People with disabilities are sexually active too GABRIEL BRADY opinion editor

Society does not usually view people with disabilities as people with sexual lives, let alone as people. But, people with disabilities are usually sexually active, just like almost everyone else.

SIUE Alum Wendy Settles works at the IMPACT Center for Independent Living, which helps people with disabilities find the most independent ways to live possible. Settles has cerebral palsy and uses a wheelchair to get around. She said the general public has very harmful views of herself and other people with disabilities, which she has seen many times before.

“I am currently in a relationship, although we don’t go

More information on sex and disabilities The Right to Sexuality • 15 minute long mini-documentary on YouTube • tells the true story of Paul and Hava.

• tackles the issues of sex, consent and intelectual disabilities.

Including Daniel • ongoing documentary series from filmmaker Daniel Habib, whose son Samuel Habib has cerebral palsy.

• tells the story of Daniel raising his son, and watching Samuel grow up.

• discussed the issue of sexual education, as Samuel recently graduated from high school.

Jason Travers • Associate Professor Special Education at Kansas University Jason Travers advocates for special education for students with disabilities and sexual education with research projects Bernadette Sobczak • Clinical Assistant Professor at SIUE Bernadette Sobczak • presented a research project on March 28 about the transition between adolescent care and adult care for patients with autism, including ensuring the patients were receiving quality sexual education.

out much nowadays due to COVID. But, in past relationships, people would assume my partner is my relative or caregiver, instead of just my partner,” Settles said. “It’s annoying, but it comes out of ignorance, and it’s usually not actually targeted judgement. It’s always something that can be taught away.”

Associate Professor of Special Education Susanne James has done extensive research on people with disabilities. She said the media consumed by the public promotes an incorrect and harmful image of people with disabilities that creates this societal view.

“There’s a pervasive societal devaluation of people with disabilities, and you see it in films, and in TV and sitcoms,” James said. “They are never displayed sexually, or as candidates for sex. Predominatly, they are seen as asexual, or even as sexual deviants, so it’s seen as non-normative that they would engage in a sex life.”

Settles said these harmful media portrayals can lead to real-world belittlement from able-bodied people. “[People without disabilities] sometimes see people with disabilities as children who are big. Not only are we not always asexual, but we also have our own feelings on bigger issues,” Settles said. “Most of the time, we are seen as big children. It is hard for people to understand that we live like everyone else. They kind of [infantilize] us.”

Assistant Clinical Professor in the School of Nursing Bernadette Sobczak recently published a research project directly related to this issue. Sobczak looked at transitioning patients with autism from adolescence into adulthood. A big part of this research, according to Sobczak, was making sure patients received sufficient sexual education.

“One of the topics we looked at was sexuality and I did a case study, which was with an adolescent 17 year-old girl taking birth control, and we addressed those issues that people with autism have with sexuality,” Sobczak said. “They’ve been neglected in that field. Only 50 percent of people with autism have gotten any sexual education at all, and that can become very problematic.”

According to Sobczak, this lack of sexual education sets people with disabilities up for many terrible possible outcomes later in life.

“People with autism sometimes have problems with social relationships and socialization, and that combined with a lack of sexual education can leave them open to victimization,” Sobczak said. “Studies show that they have a threefold increased chance of being victims of sexual violence. If you don’t address it with them, they become more open [to] victimization.”

Despite all of this, Settles said she is still hopeful for a societal change soon.

“I hope change is coming. We’ve come a long way since even the ‘90s, but we still have huge hurdles to overcome,” Settles said. “People think that if it doesn‘t apply to them, it doesn’t matter. But this is the only minority you can join at almost any point in your life. If you live long enough, you will most likely develop a disability of some form. And even then, some disabilities may just develop on their own. So there’s really no need to judge people.”

For more information, visit IMPACT CIL’S website.

page 11

willing to talk about it.

“As a nonasexual person, if I don’t know what that means, it’s on me to do the research,” Niemerg said. “It’s not on me to expect someone else who does identify as that particular category to explain their experiences to me and explain what it is.”

Foster said he wants those who think they might be asexual to know even as asexual, you can still have an intimate relationship.

As people grow into their identities as asexuals he also wants them to know they are still valid.

“To someone who thinks that they might be asexual, I definitly have to say remember to love yourself and remember that you’re still valid, and that you can still have an intimate relationship if you don’t want to have any kind of sexual activity,” Foster said.

MEDIA | page 9

their own sexuality … and [has] allowed the LGBT community some visibility, ultimately these media organizations are going to show them in ways that are going to draw in viewers, and the ways that they do that is to make them typically the most titillating and, sadly, sometimes that’s the most stereotypical way.”

Elza Ibroscheva, associate provost and mass communications professor, researches how women are portrayed in media and depictions of sexuality in Eastern European countries. Ibroscheva said LGBTQ+ characters may be confined to certain genres.

“I think we only allow this into certain genres like a comedic series so therefore it is a lot less problematic for us to digest and sort of relate [to] or laugh at certain scenarios … like slipping into the disguise of comedy because we could then say, ‘Well, it’s OK because it’s comical, it’s not your neighbor next door doing these things,’” Ibroscheva said.

Still, Ibroscheva is optimistic that the future will bring better representations.

“I think there is a chance to change this with the influx of new fresh blood into script writing and through all these streaming platforms that are constantly looking for new ideas and shows that will connect to people who will want to watch them, so in some ways if we show we are interested in this type of content, the shows will eventually become reality,” Ibroscheva said.

Apart from introducing more sexually diverse characters, Hollywood is also having another reckoning.

As a result of the #MeToo movement, trained sex scene coreographers called intimacy coordinators are becoming essential fixtures on film and TV show sets.

“To me, this shows a real maturation of the industries of film and TV,” Hicks said. “Instead of just a director who knows how to make a movie saying, ‘OK, now just go make out’ or, ‘Go do this or that,’ which can be very uncomfortable when you have 40 people around you on a set, it has become very commonplace today — and is becoming much more so — to have these professionally trained counselors come onto a set …, find out what the director wants, and then they choreograph it like a dance to preserve the greatest amount of respect for the actors doing it.”

Sex in TV and film is not going away, and may still cross into problematic territory. This begs the question, How can we make things better for the next generation?

Speno said it’s all about taking control of the narrative.

“A storyline that we see on TV is the perfect entryway into a discussion because it’s this hypothetical situation that’s not involving your kid, so I think it’s a really great way to start a discussion like, ‘Oh here’s this story unfolding that we’re watching right now. It seems like this male character is coercing this female character,’” Speno said. “I think that the parents adding in their commentary, while it may not always seem to be welcomed by the teenager, is so much better than saying nothing.”

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SEX IS FOR EVERYONE

thursday, 04.08.21

Mental illnesses, treatments can affect your sex life BRANDON WELLS reporter

Mental health can impact a person’s desire and ability to have sex, such as influencing libido and the potential to have an orgasm.

Chris Lynch, a professor and director of clinical programs for the School of Pharmacy, said that mental illness such as depression can have different effects on sex drive when treated.

“Some people, when their depression is treated, their libido is increased because low libido can be a symptom of this disease. Whereas, [with] other people, the medication itself can cause low libido and sexual dysfunction,” Lynch said.

Lynch said the effects medication can have on the body can vary based on many things such as biological sex, hormones and age.

“Women have a much more complex arousal pathway as well as orgasm pathways than men do. They tend to have more complicated reactions to both depression

as well as treatments,” Lynch said.

Junior psychology major Braden Furlow from Christopher, Illinois, said that he believes positive mental health is crucial to help function effectively.

“Taking care of yourself mentally is sometimes more important than taking care of yourself physically because good mental health helps you take care of yourself physically,” Furlow said.

Furlow said he believes sex can also greatly affect mood and mentality, especially when you have an orgasm.

“For the majority of people, having a healthy and consistent sex life helps [mental health], especially if you get that normal chemical reaction with dopamine and serotonin whenever you [have an orgasm],” Furlow said.

Furlow said he does not believe that sex is the cure-all for mental health, and that bad experiences can cause poor mental health and issues such as depression or anxiety.

“If they’ve had a bad experience where their partner didn’t seem into it or voiced

that they weren’t satisfied or if they feel nobody wants to have sex with them, it can really affect their self worth,” Furlow said.

Lynch said he recommends maintaining a healthy lifestyle to try and counter some of the effects that may come from either medication or mental health issues.

“Regular exercise, not using tobacco, limited alcohol intake and especially if the person has a regular partner, counseling for both can be very useful and scheduling time for intimacy,” Lynch said.

Lynch also said that while medications can have different effects on people, it’s important to talk to your health care provider about it before taking any other actions.

“We in no way want to encourage people to adjust or discontinue their own medicine based on these responses,” Lynch said. “It needs to be done in close coordination with your care providers.”

Dr. Misty Lynn Gonzalez, an associate professor for the School of Pharmacy, said sometimes people might not feel comfortable disclosing these issues or asking about them, so she tries to be as honest as she can

about possible symptoms.

“Just to prevent non-adherence [to recommended prescription drug treatments], I always counsel individuals about sexual dysfunction and chances to gain weight,” Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez also said she believes clients and clinical workers should try to talk about these issues more often.

“I think it’s helpful if the provider brings it up first and normalizes the subject,” Gonzalez said. “I speak about it very frankly when I speak to them and I tell them to not be embarrassed. This is something providers are used to dealing with and it’s not something you need to live with.”

Gonzalez urges people who have issues with having sex due to medication or mental health issues to talk to their doctors and solve the problem there before making their own adjustments with medication or other treatment options.

“If you bring it up and have that conversation, you can come up with a plan that everybody’s happy with,” Gonzalez said.

Learning to talk about sexual trauma after it happens DAMIAN MORRIS managing editor PAULA BROOKS reporter

Although conversations on preventing sexual abuse have become more accepted, the conversation rarely involves what steps a survivor can take after trauma.

Former SIUE PEACe coordinator Samantha Dickens said the first step for sexual assault survivors is to seek help, particularly through a local hotline, shortly after the crime occurs to guide them through the steps in their healing process.

“Most folks will either seek out help because of other trauma impact symptoms or they will minimize their trauma and say, ‘No, it’s not a big deal, I can get back to my normal life,’” Dickens said. “So, this is what I tell anybody, the best thing they can do is reach out to their local crisis center … and the Madison County crisis center is Call For Help.”

Dickens said Call For Help provides free counseling and has offices in multiple locations. She said they will also provide help and support for partners of sexual assault survivors. This can be separate from their partner or through couples’ counseling. They also offer group therapy for those who want to speak to other survivors about their experience.

Director of Counseling Services Courtney Boddie said these early steps are vital because of the spiral effects sexual assault can cause in a survivor’s life later down the line.

“If you have kids in the mix, for many people prioritizing self, even though it happened to self, is hard because they need to be present for the child,” Boddie said.

“That’s what I think can lead to a lot of people not getting the help that they need upfront and it being years later [after] things have fallen apart when people are trying to work on the [problem].”

Dickens said counselors take many different approaches to therapy; some counselors prefer to take a straightforward path when addressing trauma, whereas other counselors prefer a more gentle approach.

She said she believes the most effective method is very dependent on the survivor and it’s important for them to connect with a counselor who’s a good fit for them.

Boddie said he is not fond of starting counseling with addressing the trauma head-on in sexual trauma cases because he believes the survivor needs to develop a connection with their counselor before diving into the event that caused the trauma.

“To even think about the events is retraumatizing and part of a traumatic experience, because … if you’re having an expe-

rience where your capacity to feel and your rather an outside agency. For SIUE, this is capacity to think are dislocated and you Call For Help. have a struggle even forming that memo“That confidential advisor will explain ry in a thoughtful sort of way, then part of each decision,” Oberweis said. “‘Should I what happens is that it becomes dislocat- go to the hospital and have a rape kit done? ed in time,” Boddie said. “Which is what Should I call the police and file a report? can lead to … intrusion where the content Should I contact my Title IX officer on of those experiences shows up in different campus?’ and will help the survivor who’s parts of your life, like your dreams.” in very often the first hours of trying to However, Boddie said the problem oc- comprehend this act of violence that’s hapcurs when the survivor and counselor never pened and will help [them] to understand get to addressing the event, which is a nec- the pros and cons of each possible decision essary step in the healing process. that they have to make.”

“The issue with never getting there is Boddie said survivors have a hard time that the incomplete memory that you have trusting people after someone violates their won’t stop being triggered and dislocat- very basic and simple boundaries. ed in time until a process called memory “In the moment, things become reconsolidation takes place and there are murky, things really need to stop. I think lots of ways to do it,” Boddie said. “But what happens for folks is that would be that [step] does need to take place, other- a boundary. Me saying no would be a wise the smell of the cologne, sounds that boundary, and I think the boundary beremind you of that night, if you were at tween [people], even if [they’ve] been mara party, all of those could potentially be ried and have been for 30 years, [they] can things that take you right back to that mo- still say no.” ment and send your physiology into a state Dickens said there are exercises surof crisis.” vivors can use to Boddie said on explore and dis“This is what I tell top of navigating cover what their therapy, the survivor own boundaries anybody, the best thing can also seek assisare. While there they can do is reach out tance if they decide are more advanced to take on the legal when it to their local crisis center. exercises and medical routes as comes to sexual rewell. lationships, some SAMANTHA DICKENS Criminal Justice are about getting former SIUE PEACe coordinator professor Trish Obercomfortable with weis said from a crimtouch. inal justice prospective, the criminal justice “There are exercises that people can system would encourage all sexual assault walk through with friends and family and survivors to report the crime and get a partners that have to do with just touch,” medical examination for forensic evidence Dickens said. “And they can be exercises immediately after the event. that include getting used to just touching “The criminal justice system, while it’s hands and how long and where on your trying to adapt and grow, is notoriously un- hands and being able to communicate, ‘It’s kind to survivors,” Oberweis said. “So, you OK if you touch my fingertips, but I don’t may get a police officer or a whole police want you to touch my wrists. This is how department that’s committed to prosecut- I feel when you touch my fingertips versus ing sexual trauma and you might get one my wrist. I can handle the touch for this that doubts [survivors] from the begin- long, but I’m done now.’” ning.”

Boddie said it’s important for someOberweis said while more police offi- one who has a partner who is a sexual cers and departments are starting to follow assault survivor to allow them to lead the the first route, such as the SIUE Police De- conversation and guide their hand to what partment, historically, police departments makes them most comfortable. have tended to follow the second one that “The more that healthy behaviors, often doubts survivors. She said from a sur- healthy relationships, boundary, consent vivor’s point of view, following the process and mutually beneficial satisfying sex are prefered by the criminal justice system is discussed, the more that people will know not the best option in every case. what to look for and how to say, ‘I’m not She said colleges and K-12 schools getting my needs met in a relationship,’” now require a confidential advisor via the Boddie said.

Title IX revisions and that the confidential Dickens said it’s important to plan advisor is instrumental in how the survivor ahead in these conversations and work out processes long-term trauma. This confiden- what the survivor needs from their partner tial advisor is not employed by the school to address the specific nuances before the in many cases, including for SIUE, but potential issues arise.

“That partner can ask them, ‘What do you need from me? What do you want from me right now? Do you want me to be a part of your therapy process? Do you want us to have regular check-ins? What are you okay with and what are you not okay with?’” Dickens said.

Dickens said while all survivors have barriers to support and services, men have a very unique barrier due to the masculinity narrative.

“Male survivors have that very unique barrier of ‘masculinity is having sex with a lot of women, women should want you,’” Dickens said. “And when you say, ‘I was sexually assaulted by a woman,’ that is a source of shame and … a source of laughter from oftentimes other men, but also women because that goes against that narrative of ‘this is what masculinity is supposed to be.’”

Dickens said it is important to have the conversation about why this stigma exists and that services for sexual assault survivors are for everyone, not just women, and no one of any gender should ever be turned down support.

Boddie said the stigma around sexual assault survivors is especially difficult for members of the transgender community due to underrepresentation that leads to a fear of not being believed or treated with respect if they ever decide to step forward.

The St. Louis Queer + Support Helpline (SQSH) practicum student Samara Lillioja said this stigma is in part due to the LGBTQ+ community having the unique obstacle of being left out of most sexual health conversations.

“A lot of queer people are left out of sexual health and relational health conversations … a lot of education around healthy relationships and also trauma and sexual assault … specifically queer relationships, so it can be a lot harder for queer people to recognize violence or to feel included in conversations of consent or spaces meant for survivors,” Lillioja said.

SQSH is a free helpline focused on supporting the LGBTQ+ community, particularly in the Missouri and Illinois areas.

Anyone can call into from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Friday through Monday.

Lillioja said people outside the LGBTQ+ community will often call in for help on how to support people who are a part of this community as well. They said outside of the helpline, SQSH also gathers resources that will help the LGBTQ+ community and partners with other organizations to bring support to the community as well.

For more information on how to get help or how to support a survivor of sexual assault, go to the SIUE Getting Help as a Survivor page.

A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE

thursday, 04.08.21

page 13

From acacia and honey to steam-powered vibrators: The long history of contraceptives and sex toys EMILY STERZINGER online editor

Within our earliest cultures, humans wanted more options for sex that weren’t just to procreate. Our ancestors quickly began developing sex toys and methods of contraception, a fine science that developed with lots of time — and lots of pleasure.

When it comes to sex toys, dildos seem to have been the first choice early cultures sought. Primary records of pre-industrial sex toys are scant, with plays and literature from Ancient Greece to Elizabethan England holding some of the best accounts of the usage of sex toys.

“Lysistrata,” a Greek comedy originally performed in 411 B.C., was popular in its time for being an open discussion of women’s sexuality in a heavily patriarchal society — and it also mentions ancient Greek dildos. Though no actual dildos have survived from this era, researchers have found that at the time, they were primarily made of stitched leather.

Within “Lysistrata,” the term used

is “ólisbos,” coming from the ancient Greek word “olisthánein,” meaning to slip in.

The first use of the modern English word ‘dildo’ comes from the erotic poem “The Choise of Valentines,” by author Thomas Nashe. The poem was originally composed in the early 1590s, but it was not officially printed until the end of the 19th century. The poem describes a sexual encounter between the narrator Tomalin and his lover Mistress Frances, ending in the narrated description of a contemporary dildo before it is used on her.

When the industrial revolution came around, vibrators came into fashion, but not as a personal sex toy. Instead, they were first used as a medical instrument. Though originally invented for pain relief, it quickly became used as a cure for female hysteria, an outdated catch-all term for issues women of the time had.

Medical vibrators of the time included steam powered or early electronic vibrators that doctors would use to administer pelvic massages. At home vibrators of the era were later marketed for massages, beauty and women’s health — all three of those being repeated in various euphemistic labellings for the use of modern vibrators.

Records of early contraception are a lot more blurred, something which can be largely credited to the decomposition of

materials and many eras of religious bans on contraception as a whole. Despite this, there are various methods preserved in ancient writings that indicate the materials used for contraception. Many non-European cultures practiced alternative contraception methods such as outer-course (non-penetrative sexual activity) or tracking fertility via menstrual cycles.

In the ancient world, other methods of contraception often included usage of natural materials inserted into the vagina.

For example, ancient Egyptians created cervical caps using acacia leaves with honey and lint. The Greek philosopher Aristotle even suggested the use of olive oil mixed with frankincense or lead ointment applied inside the vagina to prevent conception.

The effectiveness of these inserted options is questionable, and almost all were dangerous to use.

Condoms of the pre-industrial world were made of various natural materials.

King Minos of Crete was documented as using a goat’s bladder. Ancient Egyptians used linen sheaths as condoms, but seemingly only to prevent sexually transmitted diseases. Similar to Egypt, many condoms across the ancient world, from Rome to China, were used to prevent STDs instead of as contraception.

In the early 20th century, the birth

When electric vibrators first became popularized in the 19th century, they were advertised to be used for beauty enhancement, massages or women’s health. | Emily Sterzinger / The Alestle

control movement in the United States was started in an effort to support low income women and reduce the hardships that came with repeated childbirth and self-induced abortions. The legal battles fought and won in this movement not only paved the way for more open conversations about sex, but the wider breadth of birth control options we have in the modern day.

Past use of contraception and sex toys, though often rooted in trial and error, have led to the modern understanding and practice of sex as a whole.

Kinsey Scale, once a revelation, fails to be relevant today DANA MCLENNAN copy editor

Warning: This piece contains some content related to sexual assault.

Internet quizzes about identity are prolific, and while most are fun, it is important to realize they are for entertainment. Tests like the Kinsey Scale, which measures sexuality, are often built using scientific methods over time, not just a few random questions.

Alfred Kinsey, born in 1894, studied biology and psychology. He worked as a zoology professor at Indiana University and specialized in entomology, the study of insects. While at Indiana University, he initially studied the mating habits of the Gall wasp, but then began studying the sexual habits of married couples.

According to the Kinsey Institute, Kinsey interviewed thousands of people to develop his initial research, which led him to publish the book “Sexual Behavior in the Human Male” in 1948. This book included the Heterosexual-Homosexual Rating Scale, often called the Kinsey Scale. It was developed by Kinsey and two colleagues, Wardell Pomeroy and Clyde Martin.

The Kinsey Scale is viewed by some today as incomplete. Most scales, including Kinsey’s, assume gender to be binary, while examining the fluidity of sexuality.

According to an article from Medical News Today, the Kinsey Scale doesn’t represent all gender identities and sexual orientations or include the sexual experiences of asexual people.

The scale includes a rating of 0-6. The 0 end of the scale is completely heterosexual and the 6 is completely homosexual, with varying degrees of bisexuality in between.

Later, another category based on research of those who had no sexual contact or reaction were designated the letter X. The scale measured three categories only: heterosexual, bisexual and homosexual.

Kinsey believed an individual’s sexual behavior was fluid and always changing, and that all people could be measured on his scale. In Kinsey’s research, a person would be assigned a number based on their sexual history. Kinsey’s aim was to show that people did not fit in either heterosexual or homosexual categories exclusively, but rather that sexuality exists on a spectrum.

Homosexual

Heterosexual

X

No sociosexual contacts or reactions

0

Exclusively heterosexual

1

Mostly heterosexual, only slightly homosexual

2

Mostly heterosexual, but more than slightly homosexual

3

Equally heterosexual and homosexual

5

Mostly homosexual, only slightly heterosexual

6

Exclusively homosexual

| Summer Bradley / The Alestle

Sourced from the Kinsey Scale

Some scales, such as the Klein Sexual Orientation Grid, were developed years later to take Kinsey’s idea a step further.

Klein’s grid examines a person’s sexual orientation in the past, present and future. Its variables include sexual attraction, behavior and fantasies, emotional and social preference, heterosexual/homosexual lifestyle and self-identification. A person then assigns each box in the grid a rating between 1-7 for each variable.

According to Psychology Today, while the Kinsey Scale operated on the belief that sexuality occurred along a continuum and one’s orientation fell anywhere between two poles on that continuum, Klein’s grid investigated sexuality much deeper.

Kinsey’s research was initially funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, which was a very radical move at the time, according to the foundation’s website. The foundation funded Kinsey from 1941-1954. After publication of his second book, “Sexual Behavior in the Human Female,” the Rockefeller Foundation withdrew support due to accusations by anti-communism committees that they were aiding communism by weakening morality in America.

Kinsey’s research would later lead him

4

Mostly homosexual, but more than slightly heterosexual

to be dubbed the “father of the sexual revolution,” but not everyone was a fan. In his own time, critics believed his research methods were skewed, while others accused him of being a pervert.

Judith Reisman, founder of the anti-Kinsey movement, believes that all of Kinsey’s research is flawed and that Kinsey was a sex offender and child abuser, according to an article written in The New Yorker.

Reisman believes Kinsey was either involved in or directly responsible for those who were engaged in activities that led to the data on the infamous Table 34, published in “Sexual Behavior in the Human Male.” The table listed ages of adolescent boys as young as five months old and their timed sexual responses. The data on this table led Kinsey to believe that people are sexual from an early age.

According to a 1995 article in The Washington Post, a Kinsey Institute spokesman said the findings of Table 34 were not based on scientific experiment but based on accounts of a single pedophile.

This announcement came after accusations that Kinsey was a pedophile and a fraud.

In Reisman’s argument “Kinsey Crimes & Consequence,” she specifically

references the case of Esther White (pseudonym). White claims Kinsey paid her father to perform unethical sexual research on her when she was a child.

Reisman also claimed in this report that female data was skewed and presented females as largely sexually promiscuous. The Kinsey Institute has refuted these claims and continues to explore sexuality sciences.

Kinsey’s study showed that same-sex behavior was more common than previously believed. It, along with other studies, helped push the American Psychiatric Association in 1973 to remove homosexuality as a diagnosis in “The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders” according to Psychiatry Online.

The Kinsey Reports, which include both of his published works on human sexuality, opened the door to discuss then-taboo subjects, which in turn helped reduce some societal stigma. While his work was earth shattering in the early 20th century and helped fuel a sexual revolution, the scale doesn’t represent the current complex world of sexuality. The Kinsey Institute, founded in 1947, continues to explore human sexuality and relationships.

OPINION

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T H E

alestle

thursday, 04.08.21

EM STERZINGER

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I am superphobic, and this is why you should be too JOHN MCGOWAN reporter

“Super-straight” is a sexuality proposed by men on TikTok to mean sexual attraction to cisgender people of the opposite sex. In short, some teenage boys were mad about the prospect of being called transphobic for not wanting to be with a trans woman, so they made up a sexuality that excludes attraction to trans people.

As edgy teens on the internet often do, they’re embracing the bit to an embarrassing degree.

They’ve made a flag that pulls its colors from the Pornhub logo, and while many “super-straight” tagged videos have been pulled from TikTok, they’re still fully committed to their new roles as sexual minorities in the comment

sections of YouTube channels that reupload the videos.

They talk about being afraid to come out to their parents as super straight and the “superphobia” they face. There are even some trans-exclusionary radical feminists masking as “super lesbians” proudly supporting the cause. All of this is ridiculous for a couple reasons.

First, straight people being called transphobic for not wanting to sleep with a trans person is a nonissue. Most trans allies understand straight people’s genitalia preferences. Even if some of them would like to see straight people break away from the strict ways they’ve been socialized to think about sex and relationships, they won’t call a person a transphobe

for not wanting to have sex with someone who has a penis. All of this is really just another example of straight men victimizing themselves because they haven’t faced any real struggles.

Secondly, no “super-straight” will tell you: Most people who identify as straight don’t include trans people in the range of people they’re attracted to. If you ask the average straight man or woman if they would have sex with a transgender person, they will say no. Honestly, if they want to carve out a niche, they should propose a sexuality for those straight people that are attracted to transgender people, because they are the real minorities compared to “super-straights”.

It’s important to remember that these are internet trolls we’re

dealing with, and they do these things to upset people. They know that no one has ever actually called them a transphobe for not dating a trans person, and they know that the entire idea of making a subsection of heterosexuality that excludes trans people is pointless, but they continue because they’re losers who have nothing better to do than live angry lives.

So, if you’re worried about the impact this new sexual minority will make on the LGBTQ+ scene, don’t be. In the end it’s just a meme that will die out once edgy teenage boys decide to feel attacked about something else. While it is stupid, I do kind of hope it sticks around, because the term “super straight” makes a pretty convenient synonym for the phrase “I have never felt the warmth of a woman.”

Sex ed in Catholic high schools needs to catch up NICOLE BOYD copy editor

Warning: This piece contains some content related to sexual assault.

As a graduate of a Catholic high school, I am extremely concerned about the way sex education is taught in Catholic high schools. While I received a wonderful education and had amazing teachers, the way they taught sex ed was flawed in many ways.

We were taught sex ed in theology class, not health class, so everything from contraception to sexuality was taught through the lens of Catholic doctrine, never taught objectively. This caused a number of issues.

For starters, we were told not to use condoms. According to Catholic teachings, sex is a total gift of oneself and barrier contraceptives prevent that “total gift” from being given, which harms the bond between sexual partners.

We were told instead to use natural family planning, or the fertility awareness method. This requires the tracking of menstrual cycles to prevent pregnancy. They told us this method is more effective than condoms.

When used correctly, condoms are 98 percent effective, and 85 percent when used incorrectly.

The fertility awareness method is 76-88 percent effective, although combining tracking methods can improve its efficacy. The fertility awareness method is not recommended for those with irregular cycles and does not prevent STIs.

Personally, I don’t think it’s a great idea to give a room of teenage boys a reason not to wear condoms.

Despite discouraging us from using condoms, it was stated in the school handbook that if a girl became pregnant, a meeting would be called between her family and the administration to discuss her future at the school. The handbook didn’t mention what would happen if a male student impregnated someone.

We were also taught that emergency contraceptives such as Plan B and daily birth control methods are abortifacients, or substances that induce a miscarriage.

However, emergency contraception works by delaying ovulation to prevent conception. Taking emergency contraception during your ovulation window will not work.

Therefore, even according to the Catholic belief that life begins at conception, emergency contraception is not an abortion.

Standard birth control thins the lining of the uterus so that a fertilized egg will not implant in the uterus, which is considered an abortion according to the belief that life begins at conception.

What they didn’t tell us, however, is that birth control works by first preventing ovulation altogether.

It also thickens cervical mucus to block sperm. Thinned uterine lining is the third prevention against pregnancy, but it also treats painful periods and endometriosis and can protect the lining against cancer. People should be fully in-

formed about how birth control works in case they have a moral objection or health concerns, but we weren’t fully informed. One of my biggest issues with my sex ed is that we were not taught about consent. Everyone considered sexual assault a sin, but we were never told what asking for consent should look like. We were only told to abstain from sex until marriage. Consent being specific, enthusiastic and freely-given was never mentioned, and I fear the abstinence-focused language makes those ideas harder to understand. Will students know saying “yes” once does not mean “yes” for everything? If young people know their partners were taught to say no, will they pressure them until they say yes?

Our sex ed was anything but LGBTQ+ inclusive, which isn’t surprising given the Catholic belief that gay sex is a si. However, they taught this belief without sensitivity to the possibility of there being LGBTQ+ students in the class, which there absolutely were.

Joe Mantych, a sophomore English major at Washington University, received his high school sex ed at St. Louis University High School. Mantych’s education differed from mine, because he said although contraceptives were stigmatized, they were not explicitly discouraged. While he said consent was glossed over, they were at least taught to ask for it. However, like me, he was only taught sex ed in the context of theology class, and was taught

that any sexual act that couldn’t result in pregnancy was a sin. At an all-boy school, he said female anatomy and contraceptives were only briefly mentioned.

“I was 16 as a sophomore, and I didn’t learn anything that I didn’t already know. They covered the bare essentials without going into any detail, so I would say that it really didn’t prepare me for anything,” Mantych said.

Mantych said people generally accepted that sex ed in Catholic schools is taught according to Catholic doctrine, although many did not necessarily agree.

“Because it was an all-boys school, I feel like definitely some of the more religious kids probably listened to it and agreed with it. I’d say the general consensus was that was what a Catholic school was supposed to tell us, which it is. That isn’t really the teacher’s fault, that’s just the school that it is,” Mantych said.

I understand that Catholic doctrine is not to be changed in accordance with public opinion. I do hope, however, that administrators will be more forthcoming when teaching students about sex, even if they have to make a distinction between how the science works and what the Church teaches about it. I hope they begin to teach with sensitivity and inclusivity through their language.

I hope they realize that many students will not wait until marriage, and need to be prepared to be sexually active adults who understand safe sex and consent.

OPINION

thursday, 04.08.21

page 15

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Everybody should take the BDSM Test; yes, that means you MADISON LAMMERT lifestyles editor

Sex is a huge part of the human experience, so much so that we devoted a full 16 pages to the topic while still not covering everything. Given this, it seems reasonable that we should make the most of it, right?

Enter the BDSM Test from bdsmtest.org. This whole website is devoted to “test[ing] the kink out of you!” The questions are daunting, and nothing is off limits. While initially taking the test can be a bit uncomfortable for some, it can actually provide valuable insight into one’s turn ons, boundaries and more. And no, it’s not just for those looking to explore everything.

According to the website, BDSM is a multi-versatile acronym that puts together some common kinks: Bondage and discipline, dominance and submission and sadism and masochism. If these are new terms for you, don’t worry — the site does an awesome job of breaking them down in an understandable manner. If they sound daunting, that’s OK, you might not be into those things. Or you might take the test and be a little surprised by your results.

First and foremost, as discus-

sed earlier in this special edition, kinks are — and should be — limited to consensual activity with other adults and require before-and-after care. Experimentation is welcome and encouraged, but only if done safely. Understanding this, the BDSM tool can be valuable for everybody, whether they are currently sexually active with one or more partners or enjoying their own company.

The test is set up to provide individual results, with specific scores (in percentages) that represent how much the test-taker is into — or is totally not interested in — each kink. It does not ask about one’s experiences with current partners or past partners, but focuses on what they would like or would not like, making it not exclusive to only people who are actively in sexual relationships. Since the test is quite literally all about you and your desires, it is the perfect way to explore oneself for the sole purpose of pleasing oneself. Once one familiarizes themselves with the meaning assigned to different kinks, they can reflect back on the questions asked on the test to see how they factored into their results. For example, one kink that may pop up in one’s results is “daddy/mommy.” One may

think, “Oh my gosh, this means I’m into young children.” Actually, when considering how one answered the questions, it is most likely attributable to wanting to take on a nurturing role in sexual relationships. Knowing this, one can think of new ways to make their partner feel safe and loved during sexual activity, therefore increasing their own pleasure.

As myself and many of my friends have noticed, our test results often change depending on our partners’ wishes. Taking the test while not engaging sexually with others can really provide a window into your desires without worrying you are marking things because you got accustomed to compromising with somebody else. When choosing sexual partners in the future, you will know whether you want to hook up with the self-proclaimed sadist or not. If bondage a huge turn-off, maybe you’ll stay away from the prospective partner whose prized possession is their furry pink handcuffs bought at the local sex shop.

Yet taking the BDSM test while in a committed relationship or while repeatedly visiting the same hook up brings its own long list of benefits. The key to any good sexual experience is

mutual understanding. We have all been in situations where our partner(s) does or says something and it just ruins the whole mood, sometimes past the point of recovery. Knowing what you like and what your partner(s) like greatly decreases the chances of these awkward encounters happening.

The BDSM test is a good starting point to learn how to describe what you want or don’t want.

Of course, all sexual activity — kinky or not — requires consent, and we must remember consent can be taken away at any time, so just handing over your test scores to your partner(s) does not constitute consent to sexual activity. You still need to communicate, and for some people, being upfront about their desires is hard. Not only does the test help you identify what you like and don’t like, it is also a great way to let others in on that internal conversation. It opens the door to discussing how to safely try out new things (if all parties agree and understand they can withdraw consent at any time).

And if your partner(s) judge(s) you for what you’re into? Well, I guess the test helped you dodge a bullet there.

Many of us were socialized to not talk about sexual activity

from a young age, so of course it’s no wonder many struggle with bringing up the topic. The BDSM test provides a way to talk about sex in a more lighthearted way, breaking away from the all-too-familiar stigmatizing rhetoric we were taught in sex ed.

My first exposure to the BDSM test was through friends, and honestly, I do think it helped create a more of an open atmosphere in that group. I would even go so far as to say the BDSM Test is part of the college experience.

The first step to enhancing your pleasure, and that of others, is to know what you’re into, and isn’t that the hallmark of good sex of any kind? It’s time for you to take the test.

Disclaimer: Certain questions on the BDSM test referenced in this opinion ask about donating money / becoming part of a BDSM community. I have no knowledge — or affiliation — with this organization and am not by any means making claims of its reliability. There is also an option to make an “account.” I have not made an account, and so I am making no claims about how the website operates within membership. There is an option to take a free, detailed test without an account.

Stop suppotring Pornhub, give your money to OnlyFans KRISTINA JOHNSON reporter

Warning: This piece contains some content related to sexual assault.

We’ve been supporting local businesses throughout the pandemic, now let’s support OnlyFans creators instead of Pornhub and the ongoing questionable content they put up.

OnlyFans is a social media platform that allows people to create content for subscriber or fans who can view for a monthly price. The platform has gained a lot of attention during the pandemic as more people created accounts to earn money. For some, this was a way to maintain a steady income throughout 2020 and into 2021.

A majority of the content put on the website is sexual in nature, but it doesn’t always mean it is showing full-frontal nudity or explicit sexual activities. According to a New York Times article in 2019, content creators on OnlyFans may earn their money by posting regularly, fulfilling the request of fans and with tips given by their subscribers.

OnlyFans member Jem Wolfie makes money by creating content where she may wear tight leggings or purposefully cover her naked body to tease her fans, which is far from the content seen on Pornhub.

On popular pornography websites, such as Pornhub, the content usually includes videos of people with a wide variety of preferences and fetishes.

Although OnlyFans isn’t too different in content from other pornography sites, it has a better foundation than Pornhub. OnlyFans users are putting content out which they are comfortable with others seeing, but that’s not the case with other forms of pornography. Pornhub was put under a spotlight when a petition began circulating in 2020 about the unethical usage of rape and sexual assault videos to make money, according to a Guardian article.

The site has been known to include videos of underaged people engaging in sexual activity, many of whom don’t realize the videos they sent to people in private might end up on the site. The New York Times did an in-depth investigation article in 2020 detailing the children who have

become victims of Pornhub’s distribution of underage content and how it has affected those people involved. Although some of the content including underage people has since been removed, it doesn’t take away the effects brought onto the children involved.

As an alternative, OnlyFans is a moral way to engage with pornagraphy and support the people putting content onto their profile. It is also certain the content isn’t coming from somewhere secret or produced in a questionable way. It can be trusted you aren’t stepping over another’s boundaries. There is a good and right way to produce and create pornography, but consent within all groups is needed and Pornhub is lacking it.

Did you receive sex education in school?

If so, how often?

watch porn?

I don’t

A couple times a month 55.7% Once a week 44.2%

NO

thursday, 04.08.21

Were you taught about If so, how often? in SEX EDUCATION? CONSENT Do you watch porn?

43.6%

14%

29.2%

29.6% 12% NO

SIUE Sex by the

56%

Numbers Yes

No

compiled from 1,163 responses

70.5%

53.8% YES

16.5% NOT SURE

44%

YES

YES

51%

34%

Do you feel sex education 17.2% NOT prepared you I don’t A couple times a month SURE Once a week to become a responsible, sexually 36.4% active YES adult?

Would you feel comfortable with your significant other watching porn?

45.3% NO

Would you feel comfortable with your significant Do you watch porn? porn? other watching

Were you told to use

w often?

If so, how often?

Yes CONTRACEPTIVES 43.6%

e times a month

week

OPINION

page 16

Maybe 29.2% in No 12%

44% SEX

education?56%

23%

49%

17.1%

27.7%

14% NO

23.3%

NOT 34%

12.3%

49% 51%

28%

SURE

Yes Yes

How often dohow youoften? watch porn?

If so,

Would you feel comfortable with your significant other watching porn?

What is your overall perspective of porn? you feel comfortable with your significant watching porn?

Neither good nor bad

14% Somewhat good 49% Somewhat bad 27.7% Extremely bad 23.3% Extremely good

34%

I don’t Once a week

23%

51%

Yes

What is your overall perspective of porn?

14%

20.1% 9.4%

12.3% YES

9%

20.4%

36%

49% 20%

28% A couple times a month

20.8% NOT SURE

36.4%

13.6%

No

66.8% NO

No

I don’t A couple times a month Was your school’s sex education curriculum inclusive of the Once a week LGBTQ+ community & people with disabilities?

Maybe

20% Maybe

No

Would you feel comfortable with your significant other watching porn?

Neither good nor bad Somewhat bad Extremely good

Somewhat good Extremely bad

| Summer Bradley / The Alestle

What is your overall perspective of