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Editorial
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News
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What Are You Doing , Step-bro?
16 - 18
Museum of Fine Ass
19 - 21
Centrefold / Feature Artist
22 - 24
Whats the bloody big deal?
25 - 30
Columns
Shits Fucked Shits Good (25),Rice to meet you (26), Flat Chat (27), $10 Jugs (28), UniQ (29), Student Wellbeing (30), Vuwsa (30), Ngāi Tauira (31) Women’s Writes (33)
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Culture Sex Positions (34)
36 - 38
Entertainment
About Us Salient is published by, but remains editorially independent from, the Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association (VUWSA). Salient is funded in part by VUWSA through the Student Services Levy. Salient is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA).
Complaints Complaints regarding the material published in Salient should first be brought to the Editors in writing (editor@salient.org.nz). If not satisfied with the response, complaints should be directed to the Media Council (info@mediacouncil.org.nz).
The views expressed in Salient do not necessarily reflect those of the Editor, VUWSA, or the University.
Sink your teeth into it!
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Editorial
Praise be to Condoms New Zealanders are not using enough condoms. This is a shame, becuase condoms are an excellent, all-rounder bit of sex technology. Those who can use condoms during sex should reach for them like a blanket on a cold night. 2019 data from the Ministry of Health shows a lack of consistent condom usage. Their report found that “over half (57%) of people who had at least two sexual partners in the previous year didn’t use a condom every time they had sex.” According to Durex’s last released data in 2017, NZ has a condom usage rate of 26%, making it the third worst out of 36 countries (alongside the UK). Condoms are a bit of admin to use, and they’re expensive if you haven’t been near any of those free condom bowls around campus for a while. But, seeing as they prevent STIs like no other, and are an incredibly effective contraceptive—why aren’t we using condoms? Here are some crowd-sourced commonly used excuses around the time of sex, and some troubleshooting tips: “I don’t have one on me” Go to the shops. Unashamedly ask your flat mate. Keep a box under your bed, or in the bathroom. As a backup, hide some in weird places like you sometimes hide $5 in a pocket, and then feel like a Lotto winner when you find it. Give yourself the gift of safe sex. “I got checked since I last had sex dw” This can precipitate a decision-making crisis between blind faith and launching a full scale investigation prebumping uglies. It’s very difficult to get proof without looking at health records. Just use a condom. “It’s all good I’m on PrEP” PrEP only protects against HIV, and not all the other infections running around town. Don’t be silly, wrap your willy.
There are many sizes of condoms available to fit any size schvatz. This is a case of carrying some that fit you, or having a range. No penis is too big for a condom. “Pull out?” No. The ‘pull out method’ is not effective and doesn’t prevent STIs, which is not hot or horny. It’s not really much of a method anyway, it’s a slapdash. And if it goes wrong you need to be prepared to pay up for the ECP. Condoms are cheaper than the ECP, and also a baby. “I’m on the pill so it doesn’t matter” Also doesn’t protect against STIs. And it shouldn’t be completely up to one person to be the full-time Contraceptive Manager. It’s a lot of responsibility to take hormones at the same time every day, and to deal with possible side effects of taking those hormones. “It doesn’t feel as good” Condoms are a pretty cool piece of technology and are really rather thin. Use lube. Go fuck yourself instead. Some people are allergic to latex, and that understandably makes condom usage trickier. There are latex-free alternatives and it might be a case of getting some from your doctor. A lot of these excuses come down to lack of preparation. And so maybe it’s a good time to sit down and ponder some boundaries, and why you’re not choosing or prioritising condoms, given their greatness. This week’s issue is all about sex becuase it’s VUWSA Sex Week (see back cover for info). We’ve written about the rise of step porn, sexuality in art, period sex, and even talked to a patient who had a rare strain of chylmida. Safe sex everybody,
“It doesn’t fit” Sally Ward (she/her) and Matthew Casey (he/him) Brought to you by Peoples Coffee
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Letters and Notices
News
VUWSA backs off cuts / VUWSA election dates Condoms Hostage / Chlamydia / Opinion
VUW BACKS OFF STAFF CUTS, BUT STILL MORE WORK TO DO Johnny O’Hagan Brebner (he/him)
Victoria University leadership says that compulsory, University-wide staff cuts are likely off the table for 2021, as forecast budget losses drop from $19 million to $3.3 million. In a letter to staff, Vice Chancellor Grant Guilford confirmed that the core operational loss predicted for 2021 “if interventions were not undertaken” went from $19 million to $9.9 million at the start of the year. The remaining $6.6 million was covered by the Victoria University Foundation. Guilford said that university leadership were now confident that big job cuts could be avoided this year. This was welcomed by the Tertiary Education Union (TEU), who has opposed job cuts since their initial proposal. Dougal McNeill, President of the TEU’s Victoria branch, said “Our position for the last twelve months has been that there is no case for cuts, and that redundancies would hurt students, the University and the wider community. We welcome any statement that shows a turn to more long-term thinking and planning.” VUWSA President, Michael Turnbull, echoes McNiell’s point: “Staff are an integral part of the University community, and the student experience is not the same when staff are burning out or anxious about job stability. The announcement is positive’’. There is a lot more work to be done, however. Guilford said that the Uni needs to get from its current deficit to a surplus of $15-20 million to be sustainable. This means a minimum jump of $18 million. So far, $6.5 million has been saved from a hiring freeze, and the 60 staff who took up the voluntary redundancy scheme. Another $5.1 million has been saved from other initiatives, leaving $6-7 million “not yet solutioned”. With those staff leaving and the hiring freeze continuing, both the university and the TEU have expressed concerns about staff workloads this year. McNeill said the workforce drop and enrollment increases challenged staff with a “double bind”.
Photo: Rutherford House “Staff are being expected to do more with less. That’s bound to affect students, learning, and staff stress.” Guilford’s letter stated “we must all strive over the coming months to reduce the amount of work undertaken by the University and to ensure the distribution of workloads among staff remains reasonable and is shared as equitably as possible.” However, no specific policies were noted. McNeill noted that previous restructuring proposals had been contentious: “What we need is a measured, calm, long-term approach to how we can serve our community. [...] some deeply unpopular and divisive attempted restructuring of last year, such as the Whiria Project, didn’t help with this either.” Turnbull acknowledges there is still more to be done to centre staff welfare as a student issue at VUW. He said students will soon begin to notice the effects of voluntary redundancy at the University, and believes ultimately the “Government needs to come to the party by reviewing the Uni funding model.” McNeill agrees pressure also needs to be put on the Government to reform tertiary funding models. While the usual requirements for a 3% surplus were dropped by the Tertiary Education Commission during COVID, in 2020 the TEU has said more is needed to fill the funding gap. The government did move to subsidise the additional enrollments this year. However, Guilford noted last week that enrollments have exceeded the subsidy. Minister for Education, Chris Hipkins, has not indicated whether there will be additional support provided. More solutions from the University to fill the $6 million gap are expected to be proposed in the coming months. In his letter, Guilford committed to consultation “with staff, unions and other relevant stakeholders in line with our values and our statutory and contractual www.salient.org.nz 5 obligations.” www.salient.org.nz
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VUWSA ELECTION DATES ANNOUNCED Kane Bassett, (he/him) Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Wairoa
VUWSA has confirmed their 2022 annual Exec election dates. Nominations are open from August 30, the same day Trimester 2 resumes after the mid-Trimester break, until September 7. Campaigns are to take place between September 7 and when voting opens on September 20 at 9 a.m. Voting closes at 12 p.m. on September 23. Provided VUWSA’s Executive does not restructure before the election, the positions available are: President, Academic VP, Welfare VP, Engagement VP, Treasurer, Sustainability Officer, Campaigns Officer, Equity Officer, Clubs and Activities Officer, and Education Officer. The President’s position is a full-time, 40-hour, paid position. VP roles are paid 20 hours. Officers receive 10 hours of pay. VUWSA has budgeted $4.5k for the election. The money is to cover costs for the employment of an Election Officer, and the promotion and communication of VUWSA’s election to students, including social media and Salient ads, design, and posters. It is also to pay for extra pages for candidate blurbs in Salient. VUWSA President, Michael Turnbull, is welcoming all candidates, especially those who are rarely seen in
positions of power. He said “the onus is on VUWSA” to ensure these candidates have equitable access to the annual election this year. He said VUWSA’s core purpose, to advocate for students, is a highly enriching part of the job. “You can make genuine impacts for your classmates, hallmates, peers, and friends through lobbying, campaigning, and calling the University out on its bullshit.” One student, who wishes not to be named “because student pols are filled with drama”, acknowledges the timing is standard procedure, but says “it’s kinda sad that candidates running for VUWSA have to do so smack bang in the middle of the Trimester. That’s a really stressful time for everyone, at least in terms of assignments.” Another student, Ben, told Salient “I really don’t give a f*** about student politics.” He provided no further comment. Jamie, who is contemplating dropping out, says she might run for the Exec “to represent students who aren’t benefitted at all by the current system”, although she has no active plans as yet. Turnbull’s final words to Salient were: “It’s always good to get into your campaign early. It helps to show that you’re game, and how much of an impressive candidate you are.”
VUWSA HOLDING OVER 30,000 CONDOMS HOSTAGE Jk but go get some Kane Bassett, (he/him) Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Kahungunu ki te Wairoa The Victoria University of Wellington Students’ Association is currently in possession of approximately 34,560 condoms, which are being held in one of VUWSA’s storage rooms/lightless concrete units/dungeons. They are asking all VUW students to take them home, as they require the dungeon for other (storage) purposes. VUWSA was to receive 4000 boxes of condoms (each containing 12 individual items) at the beginning of this year as part of a deal between VUWSA and Durex. They were to distribute the condoms in OWeek bags by dishing them out to freshers in halls and in the Student Union building before lectures started.
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Photo: Condoms at VUWSA
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But VUWSA couldn’t distribute the full amount because Durex ended up delivering approximately 4000 extra boxes. VUWSA President, Michael Turnbull, says: “This is fantastic support from Durex, and is more than enough condoms for OWeek, Sex Week and beyond.” He added it was “Truly the maximum amount of protection” one could ever need, “besides celibacy or joining the VUWSA Exec.” VUWSA CEO, Matt Tucker, has just one message for the association’s members: “No comment on what students use these for, but please take them, we just want the storage space back.”
VUWSA has confirmed there is no limit on the amount of condoms students can take from the storage unit/ dungeon. They said the condoms were free, costing them nothing but crucial storage space. “Usually, I’d make a joke about fucking the Uni, but the Uni’s spent enough time fucking us lately. Instead, go have safe sex! We’re also sourcing dental dams”, said Turnbull, in relation to what he wants to happen with the peen sleeves.
SUBMISSIONS FOR INQUIRY INTO STUDENT ACCOMMODATION OPENED Matthew Casey (he/him) On Wednesday, 17 March public oral submissions to the Education and Workforce Committee for the Student Accommodation Inquiry began. The Inquiry’s terms of reference state student accommodation is “a sector being increasingly exposed as under-regulated and unfit for purpose”. This has been echoed by VUWSA president Micheal Turnbull, who says “Currently, the student accommodation sector in New Zealand exists and is thoroughly under regulated. VUWSA strongly supports a Government reviewal and restructure of the current student accommodation sector.” VUWSA believes that halls of residence should lower barriers to tertiary education, mitigate the difficulties from transitioning from high school to the tertiary system, and “create a supportive community and holistic university experience”. Green MP Chloë Swarbrick, who is sitting on the Education and Workforce Committee, told Salient that the inquiry is going to “enable students to tell their stories”. Some former staff, including RAs, have intentionally been made a “core part of the inquiry”. Swarbrick adds that issues with student accommodation have been “bubbling away for a really long time, COVID only really shone a light on it.” Azaria Howell, one of the founders of the VUW Rent Strike, submitted to the inquiry on Wednesday, and believes it is about “the Government listening to students and taking their issues into account, [...] It means we can actually talk about all the mismanagement that’s been happening in the halls.” VUWSA acknowledged in their written submission to the Inquiry that “Student Accommodation is exempt from the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, the legislation that governs renting, including tenants and landlords.” This allows for different practices to be in place such as those living in halls not having access to the Tenancy Tribunal.
Photo: Azaria Howell presenting at select committee Swarbrick mentioned to Salient, the “commodification of tertiary education in this country has resulted in this tiny little tip of the iceberg, which has somehow coalesced and brought everybody together regardless of whatever class, or whatever else, into saying that it is unfair what is currently happening inside of student accommodation.” Howell agreed with this statement, adding that traction from the VUW rent strike will hopefully translate into support for “Government action and support from Members of Parliament to really further this movement to ensure that real tangible change happens”. With catered hall fees reaching up to $18,978 according to their 2021 rates, students who are paying such fees are left with little money to live comfortably. With historical reporting on halls not providing adequate meals, the perpetuation of the ‘Mi Goreng diet myth’ has been seen as not being “entirely untrue,” something Howell highlighted in her submission. Howell ended her submission by stating that “there are many issues of the halls being run like a business instead of a place of accommodation and student support. I have no doubt that these issues will continue if no action is taken”. Submissions are still ongoing. VUWSA are presenting their oral submission on Wednesday, 24 March at 8:15 a.m. www.salient.org.nz www.salient.org.nz
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Q + A WITH VUW STUDENT WHO WAS DIAGNOSED WITH RARE FORM OF CHLAMYDIA
Salient sat down with a student at Vic who was one of the first New Zealanders in 2017 to be diagnosed with a rare strain of Chlamydia. We talk about process, fun facts, and advice. What the heck happened? I was diagnosed in 2017 with a rare strain of Chlamydia. My doctor told me there had been very few cases of it in New Zealand before, and notified me that I was the first in the country to be diagnosed with it that year. It’s my understanding that the rare strain of Chlamydia is identified by the presence of certain symptoms. My symptoms (brace yourself), manifested anally, as discharge. It wasn’t the nicest, but it was definitely par for my sex life’s course at the time, so it didn’t come as much of a shock to be honest. I actually thought it was quite cool to learn there was more than one type of Chlamydia. I hadn’t heard that information before. What was this strain? Lymphogranuloma venereum, or LGV. What was your experience like with the Dr? I really appreciated it. I’ll acknowledge that talking to strangers about sexual health can be very confronting, but my sexual health nurse really did go out of her way to ensure I felt as little shame about my diagnosis as possible.
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For example, after sitting down in her office to hear my test results, she said: “nothing bad, we’ve just found a little bit of Chlamydia is all.” A little bit of chlamydia?! Nothing bad?! Iconic. What general advice do you have for people who contract an STI? I want these people to know that contraction of an STI is not their fault, nor is it an indication of their character, or of who they are. Contracting an STI is understandably hard for a lot of people, so it’s important to understand that any negative thoughts which might run through their head are expected and fair enough. But it’s also important to understand the reason why we feel ashamed of contracting STIs: good ol’ fashioned stigma. The weight of socialisation is not your burden to carry, so please, just go easy on yourself, yeah? Any further comments? Get tested, my friends. It can be scary, but at the end of the day your health is absolutely paramount.
LET’S TALK ABOUT HIV
OPINION: Around 3500 New Zealanders are estimated to be living with HIV. Statistics show that New Zealanders are confused about what HIV is, and suggests we can do more to foster a safe and inclusive culture where HIV, and the reality for those living with it, is understood properly. The first time I heard about HIV was while watching an episode from season one of RuPaul’s Drag Race. The season’s unofficial fan favourite, Ongina, announced her positive HIV status after winning a challenge where contestants were asked to raise awareness for HIV and AIDS.
stigma, is crucial sex education that we should not just be scraping the surface of in short interactions with TV pop culture.
Ideally, New Zealanders should be learning about this in school. But that doesn’t absorb those of us who aren’t in school from trying our best to debunk stereotypes, and Ongina’s reaction to winning the challenge was powerful. to raise awareness about HIV and the realities of living She lunged to the floor in tears, revealing to the judges, with the virus. her fellow contestants, and those audience members watching the episode when it aired, that she had been HIV is a disease cloaked in real, deeply felt shame. living with HIV for the last four years. Accounts from people living with the virus in New Zealand include being referred to as “dirty” and Ongina ruptured the status quo; she spoke about HIV “irresponsible”. One person living with the virus reported positively, in the international arena. It was, and still is, a they were once called a “threat to human life”. special moment in queer TV history. A quick look at the stats is not promising, either. A 2018 But, the fact that I didn’t learn about HIV until I hit study found that nearly 50 per cent of New Zealanders double digits worries me. Awareness of HIV, and of HIV would not be comfortable letting their child play with another child living with HIV, and that almost 14 per cent www.salient.org.nz www.salient.org.nz
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of New Zealanders would not be comfortable having a flatmate living with HIV. 88 per cent of New Zealanders were also not comfortable having a sexual relationship with someone living with HIV. This is despite the fact that
HIV cannot be transmitted just by being in the same room as someone—it cannot be passed on via air particles or saliva. HIV can only be transmitted sexually, or through blood-to-blood contact with an infected person. It’s worth noting, too, that blood-to-blood transmissions are no longer considered a regular occurrence in New Zealand—the result of a successful needle exchange programme launched in 1988. The stats are also despite medical advancements which ensure HIV can be suppressed in an individual’s blood stream to the extent that it can no longer be detected in blood samples. This means people living with HIV can have unprotected sex without passing on the virus. These conversations are important to have because HIV is a disease that can affect everyone, not just gay men. While men who have sex with men are disportionately impacted by the virus, coming in at 80 per cent of diagnosed cases in New Zealand, the other 20 percent consists of heterosexual people; people who inject drugs; or perinatal cases, meaning HIV was passed onto these individuals during their mother’s pregnancy.
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News
Photo: Ongina reaction to winning the mentioned challenge on RuPaul’s Drag Race. Advice from the NZ AIDS Foundation is clear: New Zealanders need to be more aware of the realities of living with HIV, and HIV stigma. This means learning about and unpacking the myths surrounding HIV. We can do this with simple actions which have big rewards. The NZ AIDS Foundation and Ending HIV host a plethora of information about HIV and HIV stigma on their websites’ FAQ sections. If this information were to become publicly held knowledge, through thoughtsharing in physical and online conversations, we would be several steps further towards eliminating HIV stigma. New Zealanders have proven in light of COVID-19 that we can mobilise collectively towards public health response. Let’s keep up the momentum, and take a critical look at the health issues we still need to work on, like destigmatising HIV. We ^can inspire this change, we just need to try harder.
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Shit News.
Don’t mistake it for the real thing.
Student decides to become a boat
Pfizer vaccine actually male-contraceptive
Eugene Pipefitter
Your Worst Nightmare The Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine has been found to double as a male contraceptive. In a statement to the media, Pfizer said they recently discovered their COVID-19 vaccine has an unintended side effect resulting in male testosterone levels being low enough to pause, but not cease, the production of sperm cells.
Photo: sailworld.com “When I graduate, I want to become a house”, joked James. But little did James know that his new friend from the halls, Sarah, wanted to become rich as well, except she wanted to be paid by the New Zealand Government. In doing so she expressed interest in becoming a Hollywood film, or a racing boat. Her reason for thinking about becoming a Hollywood film was because she wanted the glory of getting paid by the Government, but then wrote it off because she did not want international fame. Much like most New Zealanders, she fears that this amount of celebrity will mean others might try to bring her down. “No Tall Poppy for me, I’m becoming a boat.”
Prospective male users of the vaccine are divided on the issue. John, 50, works in finance, and says he doesn’t want more kids, but believes male contraceptives are a waste of time. He said there was no point in taking up male contraceptive options because there is already a pill for women. ^Salient takes this to mean that John is a massive wanker, and questions whether he has ever heard of condoms. Bill, 22, a building apprentice, loves his wife, and says the contraceptive would be revolutionary for his and his partner’s sex life. “We want kids, but not right now. Sign me up I reckon.” Male users of the vaccine are being asked to keep calm and carry on, as Pfizer has already developed an additional serum which completely reverses the vaccine’s contraceptive capabilities, effective immediately.
Her reason for becoming a boat is that they get a lot of money, and no one really knows how they work, or if they do much work at all. She says boats just kind of exist and pop up every four years for the America’s Cup. After seeing that the Government is likely to fork out $5 million for Team New Zealand to head into the next America’s Cup, she said, “Imagine if I was literally a boat, they spend so much money on that.” “I used to think that boat racing was for rich people, and that they paid for it all themselves; turns out it’s for rich people who don’t have to pay for it themselves.” She says she is determined to become a boat, and notes any resulting income increases would probably be better than the dire amount of support she receives from her student loan and Community Services Card.
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Sex Toy Reviews
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What are you doing, step-b bro ?
Lachlan Ewing (he/him)
Understanding one of NZ’s Most Watched Porn Categories CW: discussions of incest and the portrayal of step-sibling relationships in porn
Chances are, the title question evokes an instant emotional reaction. Different readers may be disgusted, amused, or even turned-on. But they will almost all be thinking about porn. The association of a once innocent phrase with the adult entertainment industry is symbolic of a 2010s phenomenon—stepporn. Family porn. “Fauxcest” porn. Whatever you want to call it, a genre of pornography centered around familial, non-blood relations has exploded in popularity. Everyone seems to know it’s a thing, but two questions remain largely unanswered: How did it get this way? And, should we be concerned?
In the decade 20082018, the proportion of Pornhub videos which included the word “step” in their title increased by 45 times. Not only is more step-porn being made, it’s attracting serious views. In 2018, Component collated words that appeared in at least 1000 Pornhub titles, and analysed which were correlated with videos gaining greater views. The top five? “Step”, “sister”, “brother”, “stepmom”, “daughter”. “Mom” came in at eighth, and “Dad” rounded out a strong performance from the whole family at 13th.
Photo: Game of Thrones Season 4 Finale
So what’s going on? Over recent decades, “till death do us part” has become less of a binding promise before the Lord, and more of a hopeful aspiration. The rates of divorce and second marriages have increased, and more families are now “blended”, or step-families. Perhaps this contributes to the step-porn boom. It makes sense that more people are fantasising about their step-mom, because more people have step-moms. However, step-porn has grown at a far greater rate than step-families. Step-porn is now the dominant genre of porn. Although there are more step-families than ever before, they still only account for 10% of families living together in Aotearoa, according to Victoria University’s Roy McKenzie Studies of Families Centre. Furthermore, step-porn’s popularity began to grow exponentially around 2015. Such a trend is not apparent for the amount of step-families.
Midway through the last decade the porn paradigm shifted a ‘step’ closer to incest. Around that time, Game of Thrones well and truly arrived in the mainstream. In 2014, it’s fourth season was nominated for virtually every Emmy, became Guinness World Records’ most pirated TV show of all time, and HBO’s Aotearoa is not immune to the global trend. The Chief highest rating show ever. The season finale featured Censor released a report in 2019, detailing what was a particularly iconic sex scene between siblings going on in the porn popular with Kiwis. Of the top Jaime and Cersei Lannister, after finally revealing 200 most viewed Pornhub videos in New Zealand that their incestous relationship, which had been bubbling year, 46% included some sort of family/step fantasy. below the surface for most of the season. www.salient.org.nz
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Game of Thrones captured the public’s imaginations in many ways, dealing with every taboo under the sun. It certainly could have helped to turn a few minds on to the incest taboo, and shift the porn paradigm.
or YouTube recommending videos that were “so you”. Although nothing is certain in the murky world of online porn, it is suspected industry giants such as Pornhub started deploying these practices of cultivating user data to present them with targeted However, it seems that not that many viewers are content around the same time. Say there’s a bit of a loading up those step-porn videos for the taboo of spike in the step-porn genre due to the GoT hype. the storyline. Porn-aficionado Tyran* opened up to me Some people might specifically seek out these kinds about why he is giving step-porn clicks. Quite simply, of videos, and many more will casually consume “those videos have all the hottest actors.” Tyran them. Either way, Pornhub’s new system thinks that explained that he has no interest in the storyline or step-porn is a winner, so production companies the kink. He is neither turned on nor turned off by make more of it, and allocate the genre more of the titles such as “Gorgeous Step Daughter Sneaks In budget. It appears on the feed of a casual consumer, and Seduces with Creampie”, but if that’s what his who watches it regardless of narrative, but Pornhub favourite pornstars are appearing in, that’s what he’s thinks that’s what they’re into. So they present them watching. I suspect Tyran represents the typical with more. And suddenly you have a snowball of step-porn connoisseur—a very casual consumer. step-porn, and no one knows how we got there. All Like-minded people make up the majority of posters the top stars are cast as family members by the top on subreddits pondering step-porn, and frequent production companies, so the videos continue to be PornHub’s comments section. huge hits, and more continue to be made. My best theory to explain the rise of step-porn combines the planks of a growing number of stepfamilies, society’s interest being piqued towards the incest taboo by pop-culture (especially GoT), and casual consumers of porn with the tinder to get this bonfire burning: Big Data. Five to six years ago you may have first noticed increasingly personalised advertisements appearing on your Facebook feed,
Step-porn is a truly bizarre phenomenon, and it highlights many concerns around pornography in general.
Graph depicting words mentioned in popular video titles Via 2019 Chief Censor Report ‘Step’/Family
46%
Young/Teen
14
19%
Aggressive or ‘Rough Sex’
5%
Non-consensual Behaviour
5%
Feature : What are you doing step-bro?
Dr Samantha Keene is a critical feminist scholar and lecturer at Vic Uni’s School of Social and Cultural Studies. She observes that
step-porn “often relies on regular tropes we see in porn, such as playing with seniority (ie MILF) and naivete (younger, less experienced). In many ways, then, it often depicts the same gendered roles that we see in much mainstream porn generally.” However, what we don’t understand an awful lot about is how people interpret and understand the pornography they view. A common concern is that there is an inherent aggression in the step-porn genre, with (usually) male characters persisting to pressure female relations until they agree to sex. Could this have an effect on people’s sexual behaviours in real life? According to Dr Keene, there is a lot of debate as to whether pornography in general causes violence and aggression. She believes that “[...] we should not consider pornography as a separate, distinct media form that has a causal relationship with violence. Instead, it is better to consider pornography as one form of media that could play a role in normalising particular sexual scripts or behaviours that people engage in outside of their online sexual lives.” If behaviours in porn are reinforced by magazines, social media, films (@Clueless, wtf?), it is more likely more people will want to engage in them.
Photo: Cover of Fountains of Wayne’s “Stacy’s Mom”, 2003.
and relationships education more broadly. Ensuring that everyone – and our young people in particular – knows they are entitled to have autonomy over their own bodies, that they do not have to engage in the behaviours that they see in pornography or other mainstream media if they don’t want to, and that they can withdraw consent to sexual behaviours in the moment. Further, we need to educate people about the importance of respecting others boundaries and hearing people’s ‘no’ or withdrawal of consent and respecting that immediately.” So when next loading up “Step sister gets fucked during her family camping trip”, perhaps hit pause. Dr Keene believes we can “[...] view porn more responsibly by being a bit more aware about what we view, where we view it, and how we access it.” She encourages us to ask more questions. “What are your sexual values? Who produced this porn? What are their protocols to ensure the consent and protection of performers? Can the performers’ ages be verified?”
But what happens when particular behaviours become *Name has been changed routine? When not everyone feels comfortable, but societal pressures mean they feel unable to say they’re not ‘down for anything’? This is where Dr Keene sees the problem, and she hit the nail on the head: “[...] it is a critically important aspect to consider in the context of consent education and healthy sex
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Museum of Fine Ass:
Sexuality in Art In the last year, the internet has seen a dramatic increase in both supply and demand of online erotic content, and in turn, severe pushback by social media executives and legislators alike to keep sexual content off of sites such as Instagram and Patreon. This has sparked conversations around what we consider obscene or pornographic, and how we should be responding to the proliferation of explicit content online and in real life. While this is a topic worth exploring, there’s not an awful
Lily McElhone (she/her)
lot I can say that hasn’t been said more eloquently by someone else, so I’m not going to get into the politics of it all right now. I will indulge in, however, a small exploration of five erotic artworks that stick out in my mind as noteworthy. I realised halfway into writing this that all of these works are by men, which is a curious subconscious decision for someone who spent basically her entire art history degree obsessing over the gender politics of art institutions...
1. Ecstasy of Saint Teresa by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. 1647-52. Italy. This sexy slab of marble, Bernini’s Ecstasy of Saint Teresa, is the central sculptural group in an aedicule, or an ornamental shrine, in the Santa Maria della Vittoria church in Rome. Its placement in the category of ‘erotic’ art is tenuous at best, but this is exactly why I think it deserves a spot in this slutty little article. The piece depicts a moment from St. Teresa of Ávila’s autobiography in which she experienced transverberation, or religious ecstasy—a euphoric state of heightened consciousness and spiritual awareness bestowed upon mortals by God—in the form of an angel stabbing (fucking) her repeatedly with a golden sword. This is what she wrote of her experience: “I saw in his hand a long spear of gold, and at the iron’s point there seemed to be a little fire. He appeared to me to be thrusting it at times into my heart, and to pierce my very entrails […] and to leave me all on fire with a great love of God. The pain was so great, that it made me moan; and yet so surpassing was the sweetness of this excessive pain, that I could not wish to be rid of it. The soul is satisfied now with nothing less than God.” I don’t personally understand how anyone could read this as anything but erotic, but maybe that’s just me. Everything about Bernini’s sculpture screams sensuality, heightened drama, and opulence. The way St Teresa’s head tilts back with her eyes closed and mouth agape, the illusion of movement in the folds of her robe, her hand grasping at the stone beneath her, and the
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Feature : Museum of Fine Ass
smirking angel’s hand delicately lifting the saint’s robe as if to expose her skin, all contribute to the eroticism of the artwork. Look at the sculpture and read the above excerpt again and tell me she wasn’t actually just talking about cumming. Or perhaps every time we reach orgasm, we are simply experiencing God’s love. Who knows!
2. Tako to Ama (蛸と海女) (The Dream of the Fisherman’s Wife) by Katsushika Hokusai. 1814. Japan. Hokusai is easily the best-known Japanese woodblock print (ukiyo-e) artist in history. He was prolific, producing over 30,000 pieces in his lifetime, and prints such as The Great Wave off Kanagawa are among the most replicated artworks of all time. Like most ukiyo-e artists, Hokusai also made shunga; erotic (and often incredibly explicit) woodblock prints, usually published in 12-page books called enpon. Shunga was lucrative, and in high demand. It was consumed by all social classes, and by men and women alike. While the government made repeated attempts to censor such explicit images, their efforts rarely made a dent in shunga production and sales.. This particular shunga work, from the three-volume series Kinoe no Komatsu, depicts a large octopus performing cunnilingus (oral sex) on a nude woman, evidently an ama (shell-diver), while a smaller octopus kisses her and fondles her nipple. The text surrounding the scene quotes the woman and her tentacled lovers expressing their mutual pleasure. Chitinous beak aside, the octopus evidently knows how to treat his girl right.
Hokusai wasn’t the first to depict sexual relations between human women and octopodes, with such scenes being depicted in netsuke carvings dating as far back as the 1600s. This subject matter continues to be explored today, namely in hentai, pornographic anime, or manga. Next time you’re in the mood for tentacle porn, give thanks to the long history of cephalopod erotica behind it.
3. The Great Masturbator by Salvador Dalí. 1929. France. Masturbator, that he finally managed to do the deed. While his interest in intercourse was minimal, he was a big fan of jacking off and advocated for masturbation as an STI-safe alternative to good old fashioned fucking.
Salvador Dalí’s relationship with sex and sexuality was complex to say the least, making him well-suited to the Freudian preoccupations of the Surrealists. As a pre-teen, Dalí’s father showed him images of bodies mutilated by advanced STIs, instilling in him a great fear of sexual contact. He was insecure about the size of his penis, and apparently was deathly afraid of female genitalia. It wasn’t until his marriage to Gala, a Russian socialite ten years his senior with an insatiable appetite for sex, in the same year he completed The Great
At first glance, there’s little about The Great Masturbator that would suggest anything erotic, the only real sexual signifier being the woman’s head and shoulders facing a man’s crotch and legs toward the upper right-hand side. Dalí paints his own face as a paleyellow amorphous mass, apparently based on a rock formation he saw on the Spanish coast. His elongated nose rests on the ground, supporting the rest of his head, which is topped by a precarious stack of rocks and seashells. A grasshopper with an abdomen teeming with ants covers his mouth. The mass of the head is at once so organic and fleshy in its curves, yet so artificial in colour and retaining the solidity of the rock that inspired it. It’s an agonising image, full of incoherent and abstractly sexual images that synergise to form a deeply uncomfortable whole. It’s sexually charged but also totally repressed, totally anxious. I think that’s why I like it so much. It’s erotic and yet it has little to do with desire. www.salient.org.nz
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4. Georgia O’Keeffe, Torso No. 11 by Alfred Stieglitz. 1931. USA. Stieglitz will forever be one of my favourite photographers, primarily because of the way he turns three-dimensional scenes and objects into abstracted geometric compositions with just a camera. In the same way he compartmentalises the view of the Flatiron building in Manhattan, here he turns the nether regions of his muse and wife, painter Georgia O’Keeffe, into a collection of shapes, lines, and surfaces. Her amplypubed labia form a dark, gem-like diamond shape in the centre of the image, breaking up the consistent surface of her smooth legs. Every line is on a diagonal, and there are few right angles. The cropping of the image minimises the presence of curved lines, creating something totally geometric and delicious. Some would label the image as objectifying, but I challenge them to come up with a way to achieve the same artistic goal in a way that humanises the subject. Breaking images down to the most essential of their parts was kind of the whole point. However, feminist art critics are justified in commenting on the way that Stieglitz’s images of O’Keeffe totally shaped the public’s reception of her own paintings, even to this day. Her paintings of expansive, rolling desert landscapes and close-up views of the anatomy of flowers are persistently read as sexual in nature. Anything pink, anything folded, anything with symmetry in her work, is read as a yonic symbol. Biographical knowledge of an artist can be a useful tool for looking at artworks, but it can also be restrictive and reductive.
5. Untitled (Lisa Taylor in bathtub with tray of perfume bottles) by Chris Von Wangenheim. 1974. USA. This photograph appeared in Vogue in 1974, which I think is brilliant because she is not wearing any clothes. A hill I am willing to die on is that good fashion photography is about so much more than just selling clothes. I do not know this woman, and seldom do I find myself oiled up in a bathtub holding a mirrored tray covered in luxury perfumes, and yet this image conjures up such a distinct atmosphere for me. It’s frivolous and totally unrealistic; why is she wet when the bath is empty? Why is she putting on perfume if she is in the bath and will simply wash away the fragrance? Why are the bottles balanced so precariously around the rim of the tray? These unanswerable questions teach us that an image does not have to follow the rules of our world to effectively build a world of its own. The sensuality, the wetness of her skin, the utter nonchalance are distinctly pre-AIDS pandemic, and preReagan-era return to moral purism. It doesn’t matter if we can’t distinguish the exact brands of the perfumes, because the image was created not to sell individual consumable items, but the fantasy, the lifestyle, the mood as a whole, something rarely seen in commercial publications like Vogue in recent years. And while these elements place this photo firmly in the 1970s, aesthetically speaking, it is ahead of its time, with the saturated colour and intense flash being fairly typical of 1980s and 1990s fashion photography. Everything about this photograph gives me a little thrill. The deep lustre of the black bathtub; the sense of freshness and fertility evoked by the pale green orchids; the way the tray sits between the model’s parted legs; how the pink perfume bottle only just conceals her nipple; and the way the mirrored tray conjures up images of debauched New York City parties, with lines upon lines of cocaine. It’s a sensory affair—we can’t help but imagine the steamy slickness of her skin, the way the perfumes smell, the warmth of the only-maybepresent bathwater. Sometimes, I want to lick this photograph.
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Feature : Museum of Fine Ass
ARTIST PROFILE
Slice Studios Kia ora, I’m Alice, an artist and illustrator based in Wellington. A year ago I started Slice Studios as a way to collaborate with people working in the creative space. It’s allowed me to develop my digital art skills. I’ve been able to use them to visually represent a number of incredible projects, both locally and internationally. I have created illustrations and graphics from logos to album covers and short animations. I’ve been lucky enough to work with like-minded people who are equally passionate and driven in their work. Bouncing ideas around to fulfil a brief is far more enjoyable than creating in my dingy Wellington flat. It also helps me maintain inspiration as my works are primarily centred around others’ ideas. I’ve been working with Unpack Podcast (@unpack.co.nz) to create designs based around their informed words, energetic personalities, and hot takes. Adaptable is a good way to describe my art but so is inconsistent. I constantly swap up my style because I’m influenced by the broad range of artists that I follow. The only recurring feature of my artworks are people and prominent outlines. Creative output has become a big focus and I have been consistently drawing in my spare time. I have really enjoyed working on my most recent pieces, including the centerfold in this week’s issue of Salient. Storytelling is something that is incorporated into a lot of art pieces, and this one is no exception. Living in flats, boundaries go a miss and privacy is limited. I’m sure many of us have been in both situations. I used bright, clean colours to contrast the state that our flats sometimes end up in. @slice.studios is where you can keep up with my art. Help me beat the algorithm and acquire a sustainable art career. The goal is to keep on collaborating with creative people who are dominating their lane or those who want to. Send me a DM or email me (contactslicestudios@gmail. com) if you want a personalised illustration or a design to back the hard work you’re putting into your passions.
www.salient.org.nz
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What’s the bloody big deal?
Conversations on Period Sex
Frankie Dale (she/her)
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Feature : What’s the bloody big deal?
The thing is, you guys, there is quite literally nothing sexier than having sex with someone who isn’t afraid of your body and all the ‘grossness’ it has to offer. I’m not about to swallow a heaped tablespoon of semen if you won’t even consider smanging on my period. The stuff that comes out of our bodies isn’t gross—it’s fucking hot. Seriously, the best sexual partners should be completely willing to bone on your period; better yet, they should make you feel sexy as fuck for it. Firstly, I understand that period sex may be daunting for some. By all means if the sight of blood alone makes you queasy, maybe don’t read on.
We all have a different perspective on the matter of riding the crimson tide. But, please don’t rule out period sex just because you think its gross; lets unpack it a bit first. When my ex-boyfriend was pretending not to be a misogynistic cunt, he voluntarily suggested we have sex on my period—he’s the best! After he came, and I lay there completely unsatisfied for the 300th time, he said his dick looked like someone had poured motor oil all over it; super sexy. His attempt at trying to shame me didn’t work. As he continued to make barfing sounds and make jokes about the millilitre of blood I secreted onto his dick, I came to the realisation that period sex is fucking iconic and no one can tell me otherwise. So, how do we broach what can be considered a taboo subject? Recently, I was talking to a perfect stranger about period sex. The other day she had mustered up the courage to message the guy she is casually seeing to come over. Much to her frustration, she got her period that day. As our society overtly hates women, she was afraid to tell him in fear he wouldn’t want to come over. “My period was so light, he didn’t even notice”.
Still, the fact that she felt it was easier to hide this says so much about the taboo of period sex. Interestingly, research from the 2021 Sexuality & Culture Journal (“Just Put a Towel Down:” Approaching Conversations About Period Sex with an Intimate Partner) has shown that men and women in commited relationships are willing to engage in period sex with no apparent feelings of digust. But, for young cis-gendered women in non-commited relationships, the feelings are quite the opposite. The fear of having period sex with casual partners comes from a place of being insecure about our sexuality and our functioning bodies; something we’ve been told to hide. So, what’s the catch here? Is it a product of the social taboo surrounding periods in general that makes the idea of period sex ‘censored’ by a large measure of society? Or is it merely the people that we are choosing to sleep with? Period sex isn’t just all about the people we sleep with, it’s obviously got a fair bit to do with how women feel about it, and how to feel comfortable and sexy whilst getting freaky.
The fact of the matter is that being on your period rarely makes you feel like Gwen Stefani on Adderall. Sometimes we feel fucked up and grumpy, and are capable of eating a whole pack of beef mince, unseasoned and hardly cooked. My point is, it’s easy to not feel sexy as fuck on your period. “It sucks because I’m the horniest I’ll ever be on my period - all I want is to fuck but I’m scared I’ll gross him out”
www.salient.org.nz
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my friend told me last week as she had a hot water bottle placed over her stomach and ice cubes over her nipples to stop the swelling. I chatted to a few students to get a vibe for the general consensus on period sex. Surprisingly, most people aren’t grossed out by period sex after all— result! I got a lot of different perspectives. A few people didn’t feel comfortable speaking about it at all, and that was okay too. I spoke to a studious group of boys sitting in The Hub who looked like they might have bullied me in high school: “I’ve done it before but she wasn’t heavy ‘perioding’, it was way more slippery; it was sick” and “It’s just like normal sex I guess, you just probably shouldnt go down on them, right?” I guess you should never judge a book by its cover, yeah? I then approached a group of girls who were extremely accommodating to my awkward energy. “If someone was to care I’d be like fuck you”; “If you can’t be having sex with a girl on her period maybe you shouldn’t be having sex in general”. One person said, “I have nothing against it, but to me my period is gross so I probably wouldn’t want to engage in that”. Similarly, another person said, “my period is miserable, I don’t really want to relate sex to something so miserable”. Some people had tips for making it more comfortable, like not doing certain positions that might make more of a mess. Lastly I was totally humbalised when my flatmate candidly said “Frankie bro, I don’t care—it’s not even a thing”.
It seems the key to period sex is to feel comfortable, sexy and have a plan of how to not make your bed look like a cold case files episode.
The amount of times I have feigned bewilderment to my sheets being bright red is just embarrassing; I’ve had to literally train myself to being honest about having my period. It’s time to absolutely cull this notion that period sex is taboo. Let’s not get too graphic here, but, period sex isn’t actually all that messy, and its not going to look like a crime scene. Firstly, gravity is our friend here; lets maybe stick with positions like missionary and spooning. In saying that, I am in no position to take away being on top from you—just put another towel down. Secondly, your period is literally natures lubricant, which is just going to lead to better sex for everyone involved. Thirdly, period sex aleviates cramps and boosts your mood (apparently). Also, this is a really good time to test you and your partners communication skills. Why not throw the idea of a threesome in there? Like I said, everyone has their own standpoint, and I’m not about to bloody judge you for being a little wary to come to the dark side. In saying this, if your only reason is because it’s ‘gross’ or ‘unhygienic’ I have a couple stories about smegma I’d love to yarn with you about. Period sex should not be a concept that makes you feel self concious; we have to work at destigmatising this ‘taboo’ subject, because it’s honestly kinda boring and I’m genuinely not sure why it’s still in discussion. The bigger picture is that being grossed out by period sex is a problem; dont have it, have it—I don’t really care. My point is that none of those who bleed should ever feel insecure about talking with their partner about it.
Let’s be open and honest about our fucking bodies—
it’s really just a bit of blood. er, less
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Feature : What’s the bloody big deal?
SHIT'S FUCKED Landlords - William Waiter Last year I left a flat and we got $500 taken out of each of our bonds because the house was not clean enough. Not in a stains-all-over-the-carpet way, but a “there’s spiderwebs in the top corner of one of the bedrooms” kind of way.
In the most recent email from our landlord, he highlighted that we need to biannually clean the mould off of our walls. Since this is one of my first flats, I don’t know my rights too well, but this sounds bullshit.
I wish that this landlord was my new one, because the actual state of what we’ve just moved into is comedic. Not only are there cobwebs, there is literally mould on my bedroom wall, which was covered by a bed when we had our viewings.
If I started exercising my rights, I’m afraid that I’d lose my place. It’s just unsustainable being at the whim of these landlords, and who gives a fuck about my thoughts as a 20-something-year-old out of towner. I’m not from here, so can’t just stay with family or do anything as an interim while I try to sort this out.
So about a month ago I moved into this new flat in [redacted]. This was very exciting as I’d been looking for a flat since December, and had finally found one with a cool group and what seemed to be good landlords. That was until the first day I moved in, and the mold on my wall was, well, there.
Cold nights in the lounge or sleeping in my moldy bedroom—the choices are endless. After writing this, I will be calling the Tenancy Tribunal because to be fair and frank, shit’s fucked.
SHIT'S GOOD Cousins By Māori, for Māori media rarely frequents the big screen, but when it does, it’s something else. Cousins, directed by Ainsley Gardiner and Briar GraceSmith, is a testament to this. The film follows three Māori women, Mata, Makareta, and Missy, as they each navigate identity, loss, and connection throughout their separate, but still intensely intertwined lives. Mata has been displaced from her family and is living in Wellington; Makareta left her home to pursue law at Victoria University and find Mata; Missy has spent her life guarding the whenua, while awaiting the return of her whanaunga. The story of these three wahine Māori is one of colonisation, and of the real trauma and consequences faced by Māori communities as a result of it. To illustrate one example: Mata was stolen from her family at a young age, and has spent her later years homeless, silently roaming the streets of Wellington in search of her family.
We see the effects of Mata’s displacement embed themselves into the structure of her whānau. Makareta dedicates her life to finding Mata, her family’s missing piece. Missy longs for Makareta to return, but is strong and levelheaded; she knows Makareta’s return will bring her joy, but the pain of Mata’s displacement can only be alleviated by Mata’s return, not Makareta’s. In this film is also a powerful story of kinship, and of its centrality to Māori culture. Not once did Mata, Makareta, or Missy, cease efforts to find each other again. The trio fought long and hard to seek reconnection after rupture. Watching it all unfold is devastatingly painful, but remarkably beautiful, at the same time. I left Cousins with a full, but heavy heart. It is a remarkable Māori film, highlighting the painful effects colonisation has had on Māori communities, but also the power of Māori, especially of Māori women, to be unapologetically resilient in the face of them.
www.salient.org.nz
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Hi! We’re Anoushka and Laurelei and it’s Rice To Meet You. From dating, to pronouncing ethnic names, to racial imposter syndrome, we’re Salient’s resident Asian aunties giving completely unsolicited (but somewhat sage) advice.
Of Cluelessness and Rice Purity Tests I’m no expert on dating, but I’m not completely clueless either. I got into my first relationship at 17 with the boy who I went on exchange to France with (trashy rom-com vibes, I know) and we’ve been together ever since. This has meant that I have only ever swum with one of the fish in the sea, and my experience is quite limited. Nonetheless, I shall share my wisdom with you. As a young Indian woman, dating wasn’t really talked about much in my household. We had rules about what was and wasn’t okay to do in relationships, and when we were allowed to start dating. Once I got into my first relationship, I was certainly given advice when I needed it, yet was still clueless about many aspects of relationships that most people tend to know about. So for those who also don’t know jack shit, please keep in mind: - Even though your mum doesn’t think so, sexuality and romance is something to look forward to! - Go and have that secret boyfriend/girlfriend! We are all going to die some day, best not to die a virgin. - It’s okay to have relationships and hookups, and whatever else you’re into. Many Asian cultures have quite the focus on locking down on the first relationship, saving yourself until marriage, and choosing a partner from the same ‘pedigree’. I say, that’s bullshit! Go out and explore!
When it comes to dating, the only advice I have ever received from my parents is “don’t”. Anything related to romantic love is strictly taboo in our house. Naturally, I did not adhere to this “I pretend I do not see it” approach, and so aside from lived experience, much of my relationship knowledge boils down to the YA phase I had in intermediate. Since 2015 was apparently a time where the “not like other girls” trope thrived, much of my flirting consists of insulting whoever my crush is and pretending that I’m not interested (my search history of our zodiac compatibility says otherwise). Thankfully—and contrary to my parents’ belief—I do have actual experience that debatably gives me authority on the subject. So here are the main takeaways that I wish younger Laur had known before diving headfirst into her first relationship: - Don’t settle for people that do the bare minimum. Someone being nice to you does not mean they are in love with you. - The Rice Purity Test does not measure your self worth—low score or high score, literally none of it matters! I will concede that it is quite entertaining, though. - “You’re pretty for an Asian” is not a compliment. - And if his name starts with “J” and ends with “osh”? Run.
And by the way, you, my friends, are hot shit. Sometimes I feel unattractive, but that’s really because I don’t fit the eurocentric standard of beauty (maybe I should go blonde?). You are beautiful, and you deserve to be with someone who makes you feel beautiful. So even if Auntyji says that you’ll only be happy with a doctor, I say, follow your heart. Ja Simran, jee le apni zindagi— go, live your own life :)
Do with this advice what you will—I know full well that if I were you, all of this would be going out the window for some average-looking boy that probably wears a total of two outfits (one of which definitely includes an Absent hoodie). Whether you’re liking and claiming “this initial is secretly in love with you” videos on your FYP, or you’re in a talking stage that’s been going on for six-monthstoo-long, remember that nothing is that deep. As much as dating a Josh was a mistake, his Tinder bio reigns true: you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.
Anoushka Divekar (she/her)
Laurelei Bautista (she/her)
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Columns : Rice to Meet You / Flat Chat
Your friendly guide through the trials and tribulations of student living. Rant about your flatting issues and we’ll find a solution.
Question of the week:
By Ash Bestos
“I have a crush on my really good friend and we’re flatmates. We’ve known each other for three-ish years and have been living together for about 4 months. I don’t want to make it weird but also I’m having trouble acting normal and have started avoiding them. What do I do?” Flatmate friendships can be some of the closest friendships you’ll form in your life. They can also lead to some of the best DMCs you ever have. Combine those two things and sprinkle in horny, stressed out uni students living in close proximity, and feelings can start to pop up. Before you go proclaiming your love for your flatmate after having one too many White Rhinos at Saturday’s pre-drinks, or in one of those sacred 3 a.m. DMC’s where you’re starting to get a little delirious with sleep deprivation, you should make sure to double, triple, quadruple check that you genuinely do like this person.
Step Two: Chat With a Close Friend If you can, talk to someone outside of your flatting group who you can trust. Get their perspective on the situation. If they’re a true friend, they’ll listen and help you figure out how you feel. They’ll also be willing to tell you if you’re being ridiculous. Do know that they’ll only be saying the things they say because they care about you, even if you don’t agree. Disregard it if you want, but it can be helpful to have their words in the back of your mind.
Step Three: Pros and Cons It may seem odd, but weighing up the pros and cons could be helpful. Think about all the good things that could Step one: Masturbate happen—they like you back, you start dating, you realise This step is especially helpful if the crush is taking on a they’re the one and you eventually get married and start a sexually charged form of wanting to slip into their room and family together, if that’s your thing. But also consider the bone them, or accidentally walk in on them in the shower negatives: they don’t like you back, things become awkward and really make things steamy (provided they consent of in the flat; you get together but then break up, things course. Consent is sexy, people). Some self-love may be the become awkward in the flat. Consider how you would feel in answer. Whatever you do, DO NOT think about your flatmate the negative situations, and if it would be worth it if things while doing this. Including them in your special alone time, went south. even just in your mind, will not help you figure out if it’s them you’re craving, or an orgasm. Step Four: Figure Out How They Feel Maybe you’ve hyped yourself up to go for it, or maybe you’re This step can sometimes lead to you realising you’re just still unsure. Either way, figuring out how the other person horny, which is a completely natural thing to feel. But, DO feels might help. It’s easy to read into everything someone NOT start a friends with benefits situation with them. When does when you have a crush on them, and only wanting to feelings are involved, especially if it turns out to be one see it as validating their feelings towards you. You don’t sided, it very rarely ends well. Even if feelings aren’t involved have to go it alone with this step. Enlist the help of that at the start, they can manifest, and soon you’ll have a whole trustworthy friend of yours and figure out how they feel. other issue to worry about. If you’re still unsure on how to proceed, then don’t do anything for a while. Treat yourself and repeat step one. If the answer doesn’t come, then at least you will ;)
Need a flat disagreement sorted out? Want to know if you’re the asshole? From minor issues to major ones, send a question to flatchat@salient.org.nz www.salient.org.nz
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Export and Raspberry
It’s Sex Week, and we’re bringing you the sexiest $10 jug that we know of in Wellington. The local favourite of our editor, Matthew —“a jug of Export and Raspberry, thanks’’. There are varied origin stories for this. Some say it’s a rip off of a ‘Snakebite’, which is a British cocktail of beer, cider, and blackcurrant cordial. Another story is “I just saw that someone got a Guinness with raspberry and thought, fuck it, I’ll see if they’d add it to my Export”. This also works with Tui—not as good, but it does work. This is reviewing the tasty drink that is ‘Export and Raspberry’. It’s a full jug of Export Gold with raspberry cordial added, in the same way it would be with a raspberry Coke at the Te Rapa rugby clubrooms.
Size:
Venue dependant
Availability:
Anywhere with Export and Raspberry cordial
I can’t explain the science, but it has something to do with raspberry flavoured drinks being some of the best, raspberry Coke? Raspberry lemonade? Even raspberry that is blue. It’s describable in flavour as both sweet and tart. It reminds me of buying full bottles of Schweppes Raspberry after catching the bus home, and sneaking it into my bedroom because my parents didn’t like me having sugary drinks after school—it had something to do with dental health. When Salient Sub-Editor Jamie Clarke tried this for the first time, he sent me the following two messages: “bro, the raspberry export slaps hard” “I was a sceptic, but now I’m a convert”
At $10, this is our favourite tasting jug in Wellington. It is so sexy that it is comparable to fresh linen sheets after a long day at uni, when you tuck in to watch Dan Carter highlights. When I order this, sometimes the bartender seems befuddled as to why someone would request it. This is $10 Jugs, and we bloody love some innovation. I googled a Bill Gates quote which agrees with me: “innovation is the real driver of progress.” You may feel a bit weird ordering it the first time, but thereafter it’ll be hard not to continue to order this. I would describe the taste properties of this jug as a very sweet overtake of the Export Gold crisp flavour. It adds a sweetness that you traditionally wouldn’t find in beer, and actually makes this the $10 jug with the most taste. It is both fun and staunch. It’s playful and makes you feel like you’re having a drink. The taste of raspberry, combined with the delicate freshness of the Export Gold, just does the trick.
As you can see in Jamie’s comments, it’s easy to misunderstand this for being a silly gimmick. I have found that since being introduced to this, and introducing it to friends, we have struggled to turn our back on it. Sometimes my mate Joel feels a bit too embarrassed to actually order it, but if I’m going up to the bar he asks me to get it, as he loves himself a jug of Export and Raspberry. There are reports that people were putting raspberry cordial into their Export Golds for crate day, which is absolutely absurd. Crate Day in itself is absurd. Sticking to jugs in a more controlled environment is the go. Also, while I’m on Crate Day, pressuring your mates into drinking more alcohol than they would because of some big macho tradition is silly. If someone has the capacity to, all the power to them, but honestly, just enjoy drinking with your mates rather than encouraging stupid behaviour on that day. There’s just no real need for it. You get bloated as fuck and everyones asleep by four. Be smart, drink Export and Raspberry Be smart, drink $10 jugs
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Columns : $10 Jugs / UniQ
The Lesbian’s Guide to Getting a Sugar Daddy Rosie van Beusekom (she/they)
As far as sex work goes, getting a sugar daddy is often considered Sex Work Lite™. But rest assured, there is nothing at all ‘lite’ about the crushing weight of capitalism bearing down on us all. If your girlfriend of two weeks broke up with you and you suddenly need somewhere else to live, the current economic climate can really leave you in a tough spot. So allow me to alleviate some of that tension for you with this comprehensive guide to going undercover as a hetero and snagging a sugar daddy. Step 1 – Achieving that straight woman appearance I know you just freshly cleaned up your eyebrow slit and trimmed your undercut, but you’re a hetero now. Take out that bun to hide the undercut and buy yourself an eyebrow pencil. Not only are you about to learn to dress like a heterosexual woman, but you’re going to learn to dress like a heterosexual woman that is dreadfully concerned about the male gaze. This means doing stuff like wearing skirts, ‘flattering your body’, and actually trying to figure out what men want and adhering to that.
However, they are less likely to have access to the kind of big money that you really want in a man, and tend to be more social media-savvy (and therefore more likely to uncover your huge lesbian secret). This might work in your favour, though—they might ask for a threesome with a hot girl.
I know, it’s a big ask, but you’ve got to pretend to care.
Older men will often actually have access to that phat bank balance that you’re really looking for in your dream man. However, the main drawback is that they’re old. They may not be especially pleasant to look at, they’re probably homophobic and/or racist, and the horror of potentially having to endure a face-to-face encounter with a shrivelled old peen is just too much to bear sometimes.
Step 2 – Making an online public-facing hetero profile
Pick your battles very, very carefully.
Steal a cynical friend and ask them to take photos of you looking straight and god-fearing in some picturesque locations. You’re going to need falsified evidence of your heterosexuality as an aide to help you lure unsuspecting men into giving you their money.
Step 4 – Going in for the kill.
Wear a dress and stand in a field. Buy some flowers and pose with them. If you’re really going in for the kill, get all of your gay pals together and make a day of sarcastically pretending to be straight together. Or if you have no friends, a selfie stick or self-timer will do just fine. Step 3 – Identify your target There are two main target categories when looking for a sugar daddy: younger men or older men. Younger men are often more ‘attractive’ (whatever that means) and are oftentimes more fun and spontaneous.
So, you’ve found a potential sugar daddy. Congratulations! When sorting out the details of your arrangement, make sure you are being adequately compensated for your time and effort. You’re going to actually have to hang out with him at least semi-regularly, which can be a bummer. However, hopefully the financial incentive helps dull the pain of having to pretend you are invested in The Bachelor and listen to Adele. All going well, this arrangement will give you the flexibility to fill your free time with all the gay nonsense you like, without fear of capitalism’s iron fist. Queer liberation comes in many forms, and taking heterosexual money is just one of the many ways that you can do your part to improve wellbeing outcomes for the rainbow community.
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Student Wellbeing
Eden Roberts (Ngāpuhi, she/her) VUW student, PASS leader, Student Ambassador and volunteer Student Wellbeing Facilitator
regularly tested. The process for getting checked is easy. Just wait two weeks after an experience with a new sexual partner, and head to Mauri Ora for a test— grab free condoms while you’re at it! Free condoms are available not only during sex week, but all year round. You’ll find different sizes and flavours available at Mauri Ora in the reception.
Sexual health workshops are also available for students to attend, teaching the importance of consent, preventing STI’s and unplanned pregnancy etc. These can easily be booked through CareerHub, and are only It’s Sex Week! This means it is VUWSA’s annual week 45 minutes long. Not only are the workshops helpful for dedicated to all things related to getting down and our wellbeing, but they provide a safe place for students dirty, whilst empowering safe sex within our student community. An engaging and fun environment promotes to talk about their sexuality and feel welcomed. Let’s all work together to ensure we create a safe community this year’s main themes such as consent, sex positivity, for us all to explore ourselves (and each other) in a sex intersectionality, and safe sex. harmless and consensual way. This year’s main market day will be Wednesday, 24 March, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., in The Sex is fun and enjoyable, but only when we look after ourselves and our partners. As students we have access Hub on Kelburn Campus. You can come along and be a part of the kaupapa and take part in interactive to free health care, and that includes sexual health activities, educational kōreros, and grab some freebies. checks. Whether you partake in hook-up culture (the ole bumble and tinder link-up) or are in a relationship, Stay safe and happy humping! practise safe sex by using protection and/or getting
It all kicks off on Monday with our Sex in the City panel in The Hub at 12:30 p.m. This is followed by our Sex Bingo in The Hunter Lounge at 6:30 p.m., hosted by everyone’s favourite Aunty from Bulls, Pamela Hancock.
Ralph Zambrano (he/him)
On Tuesday we have our Sex in the Mezz Market Sexpo at Rutherford House, Pipitea Campus, starting 11:00 a.m.
COVID-19, unaffordable housing, and uni fees may be Our main event is the Sex in the Hub Market Sexpo on f*cking us on the daily, but we’re presenting you with the Wednesday, 24 March, which will be opened by a special sex talk of all sex talks. That’s right, VUWSA Sex Week is guest at 11:00 a.m. back and it’s bigger and better than ever! Thursday is a double whammy, with our Outside the Sex Week is an engaging week that focuses on Box panel in The Hub at 12:30 p.m., and our Art of Love combating and raising awareness of sexual violence event at Te Aro at 12:00 p.m. through promoting safe, enjoyable, and consensual sex within our student community at Te Herenga Waka – And it all ends on Friday, with Friends at First Sight at Victoria University of Wellington. 7:00 p.m. in The Hunter Lounge. Our main themes for Sex Week this year are consent, sex positivity, sex intersectionality, and safe sex. This year we’re bringing you events at all three campuses. From Market Sexpos, Sex Panel, and sexthemed night events, Sex Week has something that is sure to tickle your fancy.
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Columns : Student Wellbeing / VUWSA / Ngāi Tauira
Fun, informed, and enthusiastic safe sex should be at the centre of everyone’s experiences. VUWSA is committed to ending sexual harm in Wellington; we believe that Sex Week furthers this kaupapa and provides the opportunity for open and informative conversations about all areas of sex.
Ngai Tauira
10 sexy ways to ask for consent, but in Māori…
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
He pai te ai-ā-muri ki a koe? (Does enter sexual act of your choice turn you on?)
Me haere tonu ahau? (Do you want me to keep going?)
He pai tēnei ki a koe? (Do you like that?)
Māku tēnā ki te kai? (Can I put it in my mouth?)
He ai o te ata māu? (Wanna have morning sex?)
Kua rite koe mo tēnei? (Are you sure you’re ready for this?)
He wā tāu mo te ai tere? (You have time for a quickie?)
Me hoki tāua ki taku whare kia ai? (Do you wanna come to my place and fk?)
Māku aua kākāhu e tango? (Can I help you out of that?)
Māku aua ngutu reka e kihi? (Can I kiss those sweet lips?)
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Women's Writes
Let's Talk About Sex (addiction)
Kia ora, I’m a student at Victoria, and I am a sex and love addict. As I’m writing this I realise that I’ve never heard another woman talk about her sex and love addiction before; I’ve always been the only woman in my Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous (SLAA) meetings. Something I was told in my first SLAA meeting, is that it can be harder for women to admit there’s a problem because of the stigma that surrounds women and sex—by that I mean slut-shaming. I don’t know where my addiction fits into our current social climate, let alone sex week. Between the sexual revolution of the 2020s and the #metoo movement, women are demanding autonomy and reclaiming their bodies, while I have been celibate for the past year. I wholeheartedly support women in finding whatever works for them, but sex is a bit more complicated for me. In a way, being sex-positive made it harder for me to identify that I had a problem. In the past, when I had tried to share my concerns with my friends after getting an Uber to someone’s home that I’ve never met, or sleeping with several people in one weekend, it was usually brushed off as internalised misogyny. I’d be met with “omg get that D!”, “don’t let men make you feel like you shouldn’t want sex”, or “I wish I could just go out and get some like you do but I’m shy”. What my friends didn’t realise, and nor did I fully, was that I wasn’t ashamed of sleeping with lots of people, I was ashamed because I didn’t want to do it and had forced myself to. I knew something wasn’t right.
a sex and love addict. Mickey’s story seemed ‘normal’ to me, and not what I had pictured addiction to be like. I thought that to be addicted I would have to be walking around town begging for sex and assaulting people, which seems ridiculous now, but that’s how little I knew about it. The show follows Mickey through a series of unstable relationships and a lot of casual sex, and that I could identify with. For me, my romantic relationships will consume other areas of my life such as work, study, hobbies, and friends. I’ve become obsessive with partners and don’t like to be away from them, or I feel like my world is crashing down if they don’t feel like having sex with me. I don’t like who I am in those moments—I contradict my own values, and the shame is unbearable. It’s estimated that between 3-5% of people have some form of addictive sexual behaviour, so I don’t want to worry the 95-97% of people reading this. A healthy sex life comes in all shapes and sizes, and chances are you’re painfully normal! I just really wish I had known about S&L addiction while I was grasping at straws trying to understand myself, so my hope is that this column reaches someone who needs it. If what I’ve said in this column resonates with you, then I recommend checking out Sex and Love Addicts Anonymous’ fellowship-wide services at slaafws.org. If SLAA isn’t for you (I get it, it can be a bit preachy), then Student Health has counselling services available for all students, or you can text or call Need to Talk on 1737 for free at any time.
I turned my worries into a joke, because I didn’t know what else to do. I told my friends that I was getting an IUD because “you know me and condoms ahaha”, but really it was after quite a serious conversation with my GP after I couldn’t tell her how many sexual partners I’d had that month. What helped things click for me was stumbling across the Netflix series Love, in which one of the main characters, Mickey, figures out that she is
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Review
Sex Positions
Do you like what I like?
Sex originated at some point in human history. It’s unclear when, but we assume it was a long time ago. It can take a bit of practise to figure out what you like giving and receiving. One couple of two years reviews five common sex positions.
Head Her: I’d argue that head can be the best part of the sexual experience for both partners, even more so than penetration. It makes for great foreplay, or is perfect for when you don’t feel like going the whole way but are still super horny. I also think it’s probably the most effective way for both parties to achieve orgasm (in saying that, my partner is also amazing at it and has been known to go down on me for up to an hour at a time). In regards to giving, there are few positions in life where I feel more powerful than when going downtown. As SATC’s Samantha Johnson wisely asserted, “you’re on your knees, but you got ‘em by the balls”. Get down there my friends.
Him: Receiving head is very great. When the gluck gluck 9000 gets pulled out, it’s game over. It is one of the best feelings. It feels like the closest I’ll ever get to the Elysian Fields—it just feels really good. When I heard DJ Khaled doesn’t go down on his wife, I felt really bad for him because he does not know what he’s missing out on. It is honestly so good, either for warming up, finishing off, or just the whole encounter. It may take time to understand what you’re doing—communication of what feels better can help everyone in both giving and receiving.
Missionary Her: Missionary gets a bad rep, and I can definitely understand why. There’s nothing worse than having what feels like a plank of wood move against you vertically for 15+ minutes. However, Missionary can definitely be super hot and romantic if it’s with your boo. Eye contact is a must, as is kissing. I find having my partner bend my legs back behind my head feels really good penetration wise.
Him: I find people talk about this being a vanilla sex position, but I find it fucking good. You’re able to have a bit of agency that other positions do not offer. It feels like it’s all about making your dick move, which reminds me of the song Dick Move, by Dick Move, where she says “let me see your dick move”. I have not enjoyed this position with casual partners before but I love it with my partner.
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Review : Sex Positions
Doggy Her: When it comes to penetration, Doggy is definitely my GOAT position. It’s diverse—it can be dirty and kinky (think spanking, hair pulling etc), or unexpectedly tender (back kisses, slow thrusts). It hits all the right spots and shows off all my best bits. Extra points for doing it in front of a mirror. Him: This is a pretty good position. I do sometimes feel weird, as I think she’s better at taking the lead and it seems like a position where I need to take the lead. It is a good switch up from other positions. It’s just a bit much for me, especially when her room neighbour can probably hear us talk explicitly throughout.
Cowgirl Her: When Cowgirl is good, it’s good. I like it best when it’s slow and tease-y, with lots of neck kisses and whispering. My main issue with Cowgirl, though, is rhythm. I find it almost impossible to ride dick quickly without feeling like I’m just going to a) fall straight off or b) get a debilitatingly painful cramp in my hip that forces me to stop altogether. I find Cowgirl is ideal for a breather between more strenuous positions. Him: When she’s on top it’s enjoyable, and there is so much room for variation. She looks earth shatteringly good on top. This position offers you the chance to be a power bottom. To me feels like the closest thing to what I’d define as “love making”. You can speed it up, or slow it the fuck down. This position is really good. Note: Yelling yeehaw can be a bit weird.
69 Her: As perhaps the most meme’d position of all time, I’ve always struggled to take it 100% seriously. Overall, I’m on the fence about it—sometimes it feels awesome, and you can really get more mileage throat-wise without feeling like you’re going to gag. Sometimes, though, it’s too much of a sensory overload for me, and I find myself constantly anxious that I haven’t wiped properly and that my partner is just valiantly battling through the stench. Best served immediately post-shower. Him: This is weirdly one of the best sex positions by far. People see it as a meme and something from porn, or really funny because the numbers appear in our everyday lives. But, giving and receiving head at the same time is something I never thought I’d enjoy so much. Personally I get the enjoyment of going down as well as the enjoyment of getting going down’d on. It’s honestly the marriage of the two best sensations. It feels less intimate than either, but I wouldn’t deny that it feels like heaven.
life. x e s r ble. i u s o n y o y p o s j En be re , t s e n o Be h facts. e h t t e G
Life goes on, it’s good to have
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Crossword: Haunted House
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ACROSS
DOWN
1. Its blossom was featured on the 2-cent coin (6) 4. Undying (8) 8. One of seven deadly things (3) 9. Produces; gives way (to) (6) 10. Slangy term for something that chews up your whole afternoon (8) 11. Adam Driver’s ‘Star Wars’ role (4,3) 14. Steven Spielberg production company whose name means ‘walking’ if you add a G at the end (6) 15. Dated (3) 17. 20-Across character who can go off one side of the screen and appear on the other, like the figures in the shaded squares (6) 20. Place to find 17-Across and the figures in the shaded squares (6) 24. Taringa, in another official language of New Zealand (3) 25. Island where you’d find Nagasaki and Naha (6) 26. ‘Daredevil’ villain; ringleader (7) 30. Signifying (8) 31. Like someone who doesn’t skip leg day, or arm day, or... shoulder day? Is that a thing? (6) 32. Stick up (3) 33. Barrier to progress (8) 34. Unmoving; form of electrical cling (6)
1. Palindromic water vessel (5) 2. Playable race for about half my D&D characters (they’re 31-Across so they can give good hugs) (4-3) 3. Produce; edition of Salient (5) 4. Turn ___ (4) 5. Event for an aspiring comedian (4-3) 6. Turned six into eighteen, for example (7) 7. Enjoying friendship with (6) 12. Shrill bark; quick agreement (3) 13. Zero (4) 16. Unilluminated (4) 18. Saint Thomas who wrote ‘Sorrow can be alleviated by good sleep, a bath and a glass of wine’ (7) 19. Title for Gandhi (7) 21. State capital of Maine, or the golf course which hosts the U.S. Masters (7) 22. ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ actor Wallach (3) 23. “Blue ___, we can too!” (‘Blue’s Clues’ line that gets stuck in my head at least once a month) (6) 27. Metrical feet used a lot by Shakespeare (5) 28. Timberlake’s former band (5) 29. Bone-crushing villain of some fairy tales (4)
Puzzles
Skuxdoku
Word of the Week
“orgasm” Te Reo Māori tokomauri New Zealand Sign language
Last Weeks Answers
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Dusty Aries
Taurus
Gemini
2.5/10 chance of getting ghosted this week. You’ve got game this week, and your moves are sure to impress. Your fiery energy, however, can put some people off. So, instead of worrying about if they like you, ask yourself, do you actually like them?
5/10 chance of getting catfished . You’re feeling super spontaneous this week. It’s a great time to explore and put yourself out there. If you’re in a relationship, ask your partner what they’re open for, and if you’re single, maybe go for that person who seems too good to be true.
7/10 chance of buying a sex toy . This may be Sex Week, but who said that needed to include anyone else? Revolutionise the way you view your sex/love life, with or without your partner. And remember to go with the flow, you’re an ~air sign~
Cancer
Leo
Virgo
4/10 chance of falling in love with someone you’ve never met. You’ve been spending too much time flirting in your DMs. It’s time to step into reality and be extroverted. This doesn’t mean ghosting everyone and starting again, just take the leap and ask someone to come over.
3.8/10 chance of starting an Only Fans. You’re extremely driven this week, and you have the power to flip your sex/ love life on its head. Whatever your ideal situationship is, it’s achievable. If you want to focus on yourself right now, that’s okay—maybe ask them about being friends with benefits.
9/10 chance of accidentally starting a friends with benefits relationship. We know you love safety, Virgo, but it’s time to whip out the chains (not necessarily literally, but no-one’s judging). It’s okay to feel vulnerable, but don’t forget to communicate— your trust is earned, not given.
Libra
Scorpio
Sagittarius
6.8/10 chance of getting friendzoned, but wait, there’s a twist… You may be looking in the wrong direction. The person you think you want isn’t right for you (they secretly want your lecture notes); you’re ignoring the signs right in front of you. Be yourself and notice what comes naturally.
Capricorn
6/10 chance of heavily considering edible underwear. You’re currently feeling extremely curious, regardless of whether you’re in a relationship or not. This is a normal feeling and it’ll pass; there are other ways to get rid of excess energy. Sex isn’t everything, but this might be a sign to switch up your approach.
Aquarius
9/10 chance of your photos being used to catfish someone. Last week your horoscope was a double-up, but I reckon it gave you a chance to shift your focus. This week is all about building up the people around you—surprise your partner with rose petals, or leave your one-night stand a croissant as you sneak out.
6/10 chance of work getting in the way of your sex-life. You need more balance in your life. You won’t leave work alone, so it’s time to bring that energy into your sex/love life. If you’re in a relationship, maybe switch up the power-play (if that’s your vibe). If you’re single, ask someone out, and see what happens.
7/10 chance of exploring a roleplay fantasy. You’re attracted to adventurous people, and you tend to bring out their weird side. You might find you’re not leading your sex/love life this week, and you’re not mad about it. Get a second opinion from your best friend if you feel too out of your comfort zone.
3/10 chance of learning sex tips via the internet. Looks like you’re having issues with your love life, I’m sorry. But, you’ve got to try a little harder. Search outside yourself for clues, and don’t be scared to open up. Maybe console in your witchy flatmate and ask for a tarot reading.
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Horoscopes
Pisces
The Team Guest Editor Ronia Ibrahim
Editors
Sally Ward & Matthew Casey editor@salient.org.nz
Design & Illustration Padraig Simpson designer@salient.org.nz
Sub Editor Jamie Clarke
Feature Writers Lachlan Ewing Lily McElhone Frankie Dale
Contributors
Johnny O’Hagan Brebner Frankie Dale Lily McElhone Laurelei Bautista Anoushka Divekar Puck Francesa Georgia Pietkiewicz
News Editor
Kane Bassett news@salient.org.nz
Chief Reporter Niva Chittock
Staff Writers Janhavi Gosavi Ronia Ibrahim Lachlan Ewing
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The sex talks of all sex talks; one where we are smashing stigmas & having open conversations about all areas of sex. Got a burning question you’ve been too embarrassed to ask? Need a reminder that your sexuality is yours to share & not anyone else's to define? Curious about different contraceptive options? Come along and join the conversation!
SEX IN THE CITY
PANEL DISCUSSION A kōrero with local organisation representatives on the resources & support services available in Wellington City, our local culture of sex, the opportunities available for students to engage with efforts to reduce sexual harm & promote sex positivity.
12:30pm The Hub, Kelburn
SEX ON THE MEZZ We’re bringing the market down to Pipitea! Pop on by to check out goods for sale, activities, free give aways, info stalls and fun sex-related activities.
11:00am-2:00pm Rutherford House Mezzanine, Pipitea
OUTSIDE THE BOX
SEX IN THE HUB
PANEL DISCUSSION
Join us for activities, free give aways, goods for sale & the chance to chat to experts from different organisations about topics from sexual harm reduction to sexual health!
A kōrero with our student representative groups on the intersectionality of cultural perspectives & sex, understanding consent, sex positivity & safe sex.
11:00am-2:00pm
12:30pm
The Hub, Kelburn
The Hub, Kelburn
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VUWSA SEX BINGO W/ PAM FROM BULLS
But not the bingo your nan might be used to… We are putting a naughty twist on the classic bingo, while raising funds for WellingtonHelp! Hosted by everyone’s favourite Aunty Pamela Hancock from Bulls! It’s a night of laughter, generosity, prizes & a special half time performance from Pam herself.
Tue
Wed
Thu
ART OF LOVE
Fri
FRIENDS AT FIRST SIGHT
12:00pm
The thrill of speed dating with the chill conversation of a mate. Come along & meet some new faces. We’ll suss the convo starters, you just need to bring yourself! Who knows, could be friends at first sight?
Te Aro Campus
7:00pm
Let your creativity shine by contributing to our banner of consent & enter giveaway competitions while you are there!
The Hunter Lounge
6:30pm The Hunter Lounge
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MARCH 2021
SCHEDULE
Register for SEX BINGO & FRIEND DATING at:
VUWSA.ORG.NZ/SEX-WEEK