Maroon Life Let's Talk About Sex by The Battalion

MAROON LIFE

LET’S TALK ABOUT SEX

XX — THE BATTALION

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Family tradition

Aggies defeat No. 1 Crims

A third-generation coach, Texas A&M track and field’s Pat Henry is one of the winningest coaches in any NCAA sport

on Tide 41-38 in instant

classic

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Senior defensive back Leon O’Neal Jr. recovered the touchdown in the ball fumbled by Alabama following drive.

By Jennifer Streeter @jennystreeter3

at the end of the

first quarter. O’Neal

returned the ball

to Alabama’s

Robert O’Brien —

THE BATTALION

41-yard line allowing Fisher recording the A&M to score a first-ever victory over his former boss. on Georgia in an eventual 41-24 victory over While the win is the Bulldogs. young man. He cares, aturday was an upset and nobody expect- not be fully satisfied great, Fisher said he will to the fourth For the Aggies, it all came down ed. For the ground game, it matters to him.” until he sees how his quarter, junior team by one touchdown, with A&M only leading Isaiah performs throughout Texas A&M football Spiller and sophomore running back the 31-24. “We can be special. rest of the season. running back Redshirt sophomore Devon Achane stole No. 1 University of defeated thenOur football team quarterback Zach the show. Spiller ran Alabama in front learning to play is Calzada found 46 yards and one touchdown. for of a sold-out Kyle his groove. With the Field on Saturday, teams and have against other great football behind 12th Man of the One highlight Oct. 9 with 106,815 him, the signal caller success. That’s night for fans last time A&M defeated in attendance. The to me,” Fisher said. “It shows what matters score in all three possessionsled the Aggies to Achane’s 96-yardthe maroon and white was a kickoff return for a during the first down in the 2012 upset in the Crimson Tide was ter, and it shows a lot of belief lot of charac- quarter. Additionally, touchin the third quarter. Calzada was 10 for Bryant-Denny Stadium. It shows in themselves. before 10 Alabama head coach a lot of belief in their throwing Achane an interception in the said he was in disbelief Nick Saban’s previous teammates.” At halftime, middle amount of of the second quarter. record against his former with the open green available assistant coaches was room trailing Alabama went into the locker to him. 24-0, with Texas “There is not a harder on the scoreboard “I couldn’t believe A&M head coach for the first position in sports it Jimbo time since Oct. 17, 2020, so big,” Achane said. because the hole was when the Tide took to play than quarterback,” Fisher said. “After scoring that, “[I’m] very proud of Zach. the He’s a high-character feeling was just amazing. It gave us a lot momentum. It was a big opportunity for of us.” GAME

RECAP ON PG.

From Jimbo, with love

Jimbo Fisher celebrates

True Brown, ’04, Agricultural Journalism Senior Director of Development, A&M Foundation The Aggies’ 41-38 Robert O’Brien — victory over the Crimson THE BATTALION forth by the A&M Tide was the result football team. of months of hard work put

56th birthday coach. Starting in 2010, Saban began terrorizwith win over former boss ing his former assistants who had since taken Nick Saban over their own programs By Ryan Faulkner With 24 straight wins as head coaches. @ryanfaulk03 record against his earlier and an undefeated four wins over Fisher, protégés, including Saban’s dominance Over five months ago, Texas A&M head threatened to continue with no end coach Jimbo Fisher in sight; beating the seven-time made national champion “We’re going to beat a bold promise: seemed to be a feat his ass.” unconquerable to those On the surface, this who, at one point, claim worked under the man. with many left wondering lacked substance, Even so, in Fisher’s words, Saban’s downsingle out one specific why Fisher would fall “was inevitable” coach — Alabama’s because “someone Nick Saban. After going to do it, in time.” was all, Fisher had already complished almost acAnd though he didn’t everything there is necessarily expect it, to do Fisher himself in college football — two ships, three conference national champion- whose arrival became the grand champion was foretold in his own prophand a College Coach titles, nine bowl wins ecy. of the Year award. But beating Saban, his On Saturday, Oct. 9, the unranked Aggies to-head competition former boss, in head- upset the undefeated had significance of No. 1 Crimson Tide own. its front of 106,815 fans at Kyle Field. Not in “I have the utmost only respect for Nick Saban. did the win put A&M back on track I always have, I always after two consecutive losses friends,” Fisher said. will and I consider us but it also gave to open its SEC campaign, “But That’s ball, and I respect we’re competitors. — proof he Fisher another win of his own could do what was him for that.” thought to Starting in 2000, Fisher be impossible and take worked under Sadown his former boss, ban as the offensive coordinator and quarter- mentor and colleague. backs coach for Louisiana Saban said he had no choice but to praise The two won a national State University. his former assistant, impressed championship towith A&M’s gether with LSU in ability to snap Alabama’s 2003, 19-game winning for the Miami Dolphins, but after Saban left streak. the duo’s path split. Even apart, the two “I have great respect men’s for [Fisher]. I always mained similar, something coaching styles re- say that. He is one of the best who Fisher attributes to ever did it,” the pair’s similar upbringings Saban said on the postgame from the “same CBS broadcast. neck of the woods” learned a lot when in West Virginia. I coached with him, “I Nearly a decade later, we had a lot of good and times.” another streak of success Saban went on yet By finally defeating as a college football Saban, Fisher FISHER ON PG.

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“... he would do and say these things with intent to get me more comfortable with him.”

“He was bragging about it.” “He was reported to the chairs two times and those chairs did nothing.”

“I thought I could trust him.”

A TRADITION, TARNISHED

“It appears as though there was a shortcoming ...”

“... while traditions are important, sometimes traditions need change.”

“... a concern that existed in 2017 was able to perpetuate itself for many years.”

“After Fish Camp, he sexually assaulted her.” “Who knows how many other girls this happened to?”

Failures in reporting process, unbalanced power dynamics create culture of sexual assault, harassment in Fish Camp By Myranda Campanella @MCampanella_ Editor’s note: The Battalion does not publish the names or identifying information of rape and sexual assault victims. The names of victims and assailants in this article have been altered or removed to protect the subjects’ identities.

Power dynamics, grooming, hookups

The unequal power dynamic that Fish Camp creates between counselors and incoming freshmen makes it easy for someone who has not learned healthy boundaries to assert predatory behaviors, Carroll Spitznagle said. “Whenever you have someone that’s in a position of power like that — especially with students that come from all over the world with different cultures and backgrounds — it becomes, unfortunately, a way for survivors to be preyed upon,” Carroll Spitznagle said. “I thought he was someone I could trust.” Ashley said when she met her D.G. dad on the first day of Fish Camp, she thought he Journalism junior, “Ashley,” said this of the was nice and trustworthy. Once classes began, male counselor in her 2018 Fish Camp Dis- Ashley said her D.G. dad remained in contact cussion Group, who was supposed to “offer with her and often told her to call him if she advice about classes, College Station and any- ever needed a ride from Northgate, which he thing else you need as you begin your jour- insisted was commonplace between D.G. parney as an Aggie,” according to Fish Camp’s ents and their freshmen. website. On the night of Dec. 1, 2018, Ashley called Ashley’s D.G. dad sexually assaulted her her D.G. dad for a ride home from Northgate, four months into her freshman year at Texas but when he picked her up, he locked Ashley A&M — the unwanted campus welcome that inside his car and tried to force her to kiss she said stole her joy about the school. him and perform oral sex. Afterward, he drove Boldly stated on the front page of its web- them to his apartment in Park West instead of site, Fish Camp, founded in 1954, is “A to her house, as she had asked, and attempted freshman’s first tradition” at A&M. Howev- to rape her. er, sexual assault and harassment have woven In hindsight, Ashley said she realized there their way in as a hidden part of the tradition had been red flags, like how he as current students — D.G. would ask the freshman girls if “moms” and “dads” — are COMMON TERMS: they had boyfriends and when placed in positions of power he saved his contact name in over incoming freshmen. The Fish Camp - Texas A&M’s Ashley’s phone with a smiley result is an established culture freshman orientation program face. Ashley said she now sees of hookups, grooming and these subtle actions as her D.G. sexual assault and harassment D.G. - discussion group dad grooming her because he among counselors that extends was ultimately able to build well beyond the four-day sum- D.G. dad - male discussion trust and put her in situations mer retreat held two hours group leader that would have otherwise away from College Station. In been weird. addition, a failure to adhere to D.G. mom - female “I was a freshman. I was proper protocols — in which discussion group leader young, you know? I was comclaims of abuse and harassment ing into this camp as brand against counselors are passed new; I hadn’t been fully educated on the conalong to director staff and faculty advisors — cepts of grooming and sexual assault, so I nevhas created a climate that protects abusers from er thought it was weird,” Ashley said. “Lookrepercussions and subjects freshmen to pred- ing back now, he would do these things and atory behavior. say these things with intent to get me more Lauren Carroll Spitznagle, executive di- comfortable with him.” rector of the Brazos Valley Sexual Assault After confiding in other members of her Resource Center, said it is “common knowl- D.G. following the assault, Ashley said she was edge” among her peers that students have told her counselor had also assaulted his Fish been assaulted by Fish Camp staff. Camp partner and another freshman in their Content warning: This article discusses sexual violence and predatory behavior.

D.G. freshmen] … and also to make friends,” Grace “His D.G. partner was very uncomfortable said. “He was bragging about it.” with him from the start. [She] asked to get a Muñoz said Fish Camp has a strict no-datnew partner, and they told her no,” Ashley ing policy, and counselors are encouraged to said. “The organization told her no, and she “keep it PG” with the freshmen and other had to stay with him. counselors during camp until continuity ends. “After Fish Camp, he sexually assaulted “Counselors are told time and time again her.” that their role is to serve freshmen, it’s to be Additionally, Ashley said she was told by a resource and to be a mentor,” Muñoz said. her D.G. mom that her assaulter was also reDespite these policies and constant remindported to chairs for sexually assaulting fresh- ers about Fish Camp’s main missions, Grace men in 2017 and 2019. Because of those said she has discovered it’s really common for chairs’ failure to report up to the director staff, students to pursue leadership roles within the as is protocol, he was able to re-apply to be organization for the wrong reasons and to a counselor again and again. Ashley said he overlook its dating policies. ultimately graduated from A&M in May 2020 with no consequences. “He was reported to chairs two times, and Reporting sexual assault those chairs did nothing,” Ashley said. “And on A&M’s campus because those chairs did nothing [in 2017], I was sexually assaulted.” Denise Crisafi, Ph.D., a Health Promotion Ashley’s D.G. dad denied the allegations coordinator within the Offices of the Dean against him in a comment to of Student Life, said A&M The Battalion and declined to defines sexual harassment in FACULTY ADVISORS comment further. University Rule 24.4.2 in acEven though Ashley recordance with federal law as ported her assault to Title IX “any type of unwelcome sexuDIRECTOR STAFF two years later, Fish Camp’s al advance” made by students, current Head Director Eric faculty, staff or campus visitors. Muñoz, Class of 2021, said it This includes sexual favors as CAMP CHAIRS is not common for victims of well as verbal and non-verbal Fish Camp-related sexual ascommunicative conduct of a saults to report their offenders. sexual nature that is “severe, CAMP COUNSELORS However, he said if someone persistent or pervasive enough told him assault is common to [prevent access to] an educawithin the organization, he tional, living learning environwould be “very saddened, but INCOMING FRESHMEN ment,” Crisafi said. I also would not be as surprised Separately, sexual assault is as others.” definitively three different acts, Crisafi said: In addition to sexual assault, Fish Camp is rape, fondling and incest. She said there is no also a common place for counselors to meet scale for these acts in terms of importance, so dating or hookup partners, either among no one’s trauma is invalid. other counselors or, sometimes, even the “I think it’s really important for our campus freshmen, as was the case with now-junior community to understand that a lot of times, “Grace.” our initial reaction is to think of [sexual asGrace said she began hooking up with her sault] as rape,” Crisafi said. “And that’s true, D.G. dad within the first month of classes her and it’s incredibly valid. But it also includes freshman year, which Muñoz said is against other things that can happen in connection Fish Camp policy — counselors cannot be with it … or without the definition or action romantically involved with any freshmen un- of rape being present.” til their continuity program and membership Crisafi said national statistics show the risk ends in October each year. However, this pol- of sexual assault goes up within the first six to icy is not listed in Fish Camp’s Constitution eight weeks of the fall semester, particularly or by-laws. among freshmen. Grace said she quickly figured out her “Usually the risk of experiencing sexual viD.G. dad had ulterior motives for being a Fish olence and or alcohol poisoning and Camp counselor from the start. “He told me he did it to [hook up with FISH CAMP ON PG. 2

“My experience as a sports editor/writer was so much more valuable than most of my classes.” Carter Karels, ’18, University Studies/Journalism Junior Account Executive, Revolut “What I learned at The Battalion helped land internships with the Philadelphia Inquirer and The Dallas Morning News. It gave me skills to seamlessly integrate into a professional newsroom.” Angel Franco, ’19, Telecommunication Media Studies Communications Coordinator, Houston Dynamo/Dash

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS 03 || EDITORIAL LETTER STAFF REPORT

04 || CONSENT GUIDE BY AUBREY VOGEL

06 || HOW TO: SAFE NIGHT OUT BY KATHRYN MILLER

08 || SEXUAL EDUCATION BY MYRANDA CAMPANELLA

RACIAL INEQUITIES IN HEALTHCARE || 18 BY KATHRYN MILLER

SEX IN COLLEGE VS. ADULTHOOD || 20 BY RYAN FAULKNER

EXPLORING SEXUALITY || 22 BY AUBREY VOGEL

ONLYFANS PHENOMENON || 23 BY LAUREN DISCHER

10 || MALE GAZE BY JULIA POTTS

11 || SEXUALLY INACTIVE BY CALEB POWELL

12 || CONTRACEPTIVE GUIDE

BY MYRANDA CAMPANELLA, JULIA POTTS & AUBREY VOGEL

14 || RELIGION AND SEX BY MICHAELA RUSH

16 || STI HEALTH STIGMAS BY NATHAN VARNELL

Graphic by Gabrielle Shreve — The Battalion

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 3

Editorial: Let’s talk about sex

ake a deep breath: Sex. See, was that so difficult? Yet the word is so taboo that we often become cunning linguists in an effort to find more tasteful expressions. We know you’ve used them. The birds and the bees. Making love. “It.” These are testaments to how unknowable — and intimidating — so many people find sexual intercourse. How about these? Erection. Masturbation. Orgasm. Are they too inappropriate? Too terrifying? Too explicit? For some, maybe, but these words shouldn’t come with a “hush” or pointed look. It isn’t scary to talk about elbows, knees and toes, so it shouldn’t be frightening to talk about breasts, penises and vaginas either. They are our body parts; they are natural, and so is what we do with them. Sex is a special act between two

people — and sometimes more. It can be between people with the same body parts. It can be an empowering way to connect on a deeper level. It can even be fun. But it is also something we should take seriously. There are a number of factors that go into healthy, safe and enjoyable sex, and we need to talk about them — explicitly. Yet too often, in order to make both ourselves and those around us more comfortable, we resort to increasingly vague and obscure (re: “tasteful”) words. It is in the shadow these words cast that sex becomes scary, dangerous and stigmatizing. In this special addition of Maroon Life, we shed light on a variety of issues regarding sex. We speak on the necessity of consent, the specifics of contraception and the stigma surrounding sex work and sexual health. We discuss sex from various perspectives: women, who are hypersexualized by

others; the sexually inactive, who are judged for not participating; and the LGBTQ+ community, who are often left out of this country’s typically heteronormative sexual education. We also exlore the relationship between sex and religion, sex in college versus adulthood and the discrepancies among students’ sexual education and healthcare resources. Sex can strongly impact a person’s mental and physical health, which is why understanding it is important. The Battalion’s staff hopes that by removing some of the ambiguity surrounding sex, readers will be able to approach it with less timidity. No matter your take on the topic, we hope this magazine helps start a healthy conversation, full of accurate words instead of replacements or innuendos. Now, let’s talk about sex.

Michaela Rush — THE BATTALION

EDITORIAL STAFF Myranda Campanella, Editor-in-Chief Julia Potts, Managing Editor Lauren Discher, Special Sections Editor Michaela Rush, Life & Arts Editor Kathryn Miller, Asst. Life & Arts Editor Aubrey Vogel, News Editor Joshua Howell, Opinion Editor Abbey Santoro, Photo Chief Robert O’Brien, Asst. Photo Chief Cori Eckert, Design Editor

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 4

Defining, communicating mutual consent

When engaging in sexual activities with others, always establish, maintain consent throughout each interaction By Aubrey Vogel @aubrey_vogel

hen it comes to sexual activities, communication with your partner is of the utmost importance. Whether verbal or nonverbal, consent requires constant communication between all parties when engaging in any sexual encounter. “Yes” is not a one-size-fits-all pass to engage in every type of sexual activity; rather it is the start of a conversation regarding boundaries. The Tex-

as A&M System defines consent in Regulation 08.01.01, Civil Rights Compliance. Assistant Vice President and Title IX coordinator Jennifer Smith said the A&M Title IX office often helps students navigate through what consent means. “What [consent] really means is that you’ve checked in with your partner and you have clear permission to interact with their body,” Smith said. Brazos Valley Sexual Assault Resource Center, or SARC, education and outreach specialist Patricia Pitones said consent is a consistent acknowledgement of boundaries. “Consent is an ongoing process of discussing boundaries and what you’re comfortable with … your partner or [with] somebody that you may be intimate with,” Pitones said. “Typically, consent is an agreement between participants to engage in any type of sexual activity, and it should be clearly and freely

communicated. A verbal or an affirmative expression of consent can help both you [and] your partner to understand and respect each other’s boundaries.” Health Promotion coordinator Denise Crisafi, Ph.D., said it is important to dive further into what communication means when participating in sexual activities. “When we are engaging in an act that is supposed to be emotionally connective and physically connective, instead of something that people just do because it seems like it’s fun or age appropriate, we really have to get past that simplified definition to dig a little bit deeper into what communication means,” Crisafi said. Pitones said setting limits in relationships is important and should be discussed regularly. “Consent is basically boundaries — open communication and being able to provide that safe space and comfortability, [and] allowing

[your partner] to let [you] know what [they] need, what [they] want and setting those boundaries because those are pretty much the framework to everything,” Pitones said. Smith said there are various situations in which people cannot consent, including silence, intoxication and coercion. “Sometimes students interpret silence as consent, and that is not an agreement with someone else to engage in a sexual act,” Smith said. “You have to get a ‘yes.’ [That ‘yes’] can be verbal or nonverbal.” Crisafi said over half of all communication in any situation is nonverbal, so it is important to not only listen to what someone says, but also to pay attention to nonverbal cues and messages. “We should be looking at somebody’s body language, their facial expressions, if they are reciprocating or not, [if] they look emotionally distressed or [if] they look like they are

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 5

When it comes to consent, there are no blurred lines. Informed and specific verbal expression must be given. Melanie McBride

enjoying what they are doing, then checking in with them verbally at every single point and continually along the way,” Crisefi said. “It doesn’t matter how long a sex act [has] occurred; it doesn’t matter what type of sex someone is having, but check in on those variables and nonverbals.”

“Consent – clear, voluntary and ongoing agreement to engage in a specific sexual act.” TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM

CIVIL RIGHTS COMPLIANCE REGULATION 08.01.01

University Police Department, or UPD, Lt. Bobby Richardson said the department follows both the A&M system definition and Penal Code 1.07. “‘Consent’ means assent in fact, whether

express or apparent,” the code reads. Richardson said consent is situational, meaning how one person consents may not be the same as the process of another, but ultimately both parties must be in agreement. “Both parties have to agree, whether it be physical actions or verbally, but they both have to agree,” Richardson said. According to alcohol.org, more than 50 percent of sexual assaults that occur on college campuses involve drug or alcohol use. When drugs and alcohol come into play, Crisafi said an individual is no longer able to communicate effectively and may not be aware of what is happening. “If they’re incapacitated, they’re obviously not going to be able to verbalize ‘no’ or verbalize ‘yes,’ because they are passed out; they are intoxicated to a point where they don’t know what’s going on,” Crisafi said. Additionally, it is important to remember

consent may be withdrawn at any point before, during or after a sexual encounter. Since consent can be withdrawn at any point, Crisafi said it is important to make sure your partner is comfortable, and if not, the sexual activity should not continue. Crisafi said even if someone has engaged in a sexual act before does not mean they are obligated to do so again. “Just because someone hooked up with another person at 2 a.m. last Tuesday doesn’t mean that’s a standing appointment, or that it might ever happen again,” Crisafi said. “It’s not something that’s assumed by what someone did, what they said, what they texted, how they dressed when they went out on a date that evening.” If someone is sexually assaulted, Richardson said UPD encourages survivors to reach out to the appropriate law enforcement agency immediately. Richardson said his department has

a victims advocate who can help students navigate the process of reporting a sexual assault. “Our victims advocate can not only provide resources, but can also walk [students] through the process whether they’re filing a complaint with the Title IX Office or Student Conduct, going to court or whatever the case may be,” Richardson said. Both the Title IX Office and SARC serve those who become victims of sexual assault. Pitones said SARC offers resources, including counseling, therapy services and support groups. “We like to say we like to meet a survivor where they are in their healing journey,” Pitones said. “Whether they want to report or not, whether they want to receive a safe exam or not or whether they want … somebody to talk to, they can definitely call our crisis hotline, and we can assist them in any way.”

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 6

How to: Stay safe in Aggieland them,” Richardson said. “We’ve all had that gut feeling about a particular person or place or something like that. That’s our body trying to tell us something’s wrong. For our instincts to work, though, we have to be aware of our surroundings — they tie in together.” Use the Buddy System Richardson said there is safety in numbers, and it is best to go out with a group of people. “Watch out for your friends, and have your friends watch out for you,” Richardson said. “Don’t leave them behind; don’t try to meet up with them later. Stay together, and stay in the group.”

Resources, tips to have fun, stay safe on nights out with friends, strangers in social atmospheres By Kathryn Miller @KathrynMiller0

ollege is the prime time to have new experiences, meet new people and try things outside of your comfort zone. However, during these fun times, ensuring the safety of yourself and others should be the top priority when out in Aggieland. Here are six tips to have a safe night out with friends in public:

Gabrielle Shreve — THE BATTALION

Be aware of your surroundings and trust your instincts University Police Department, or UPD, Lt. Bobby Richardson said when in public, it is essential to pay constant attention to everything going on around you. “Today, we spend a lot of time on our phones or listening to music with earbuds. We get distracted with technologies,” Richardson said. “Mainly, just keep your head up, [be] alert, and pay attention to your surroundings.” If something feels wrong, Richardson said it is important to trust your gut. “Trust your instincts, and don’t ignore

Always watch your drinks Richardson said he urges individuals to be extra vigilant when consuming alcohol in public settings. “Don’t drink from a can or bottle that you didn’t open yourself or that bar staff [didn’t give] you, and don’t leave your drink unattended,” Richardson said. “Avoid things like punch bowls or drinks that are being passed around in a group setting. If your drink has an unusual taste or appearance, like a salty taste or unexplained residue, just throw it out. And again, watch out for your friends, and have your friends watch out for you.” Drink spiking is a deliberate act that involves putting alcohol into a non-alcoholic drink, adding extra alcohol to an alcoholic beverage or slipping prescription or illegal drugs, such as benzodiazepines or amphetamines, into a drink, according to an article on the Better Health Channel’s website, managed by Australia’s Department of Health. “Women are more likely to have their drinks spiked than men,” the article reads. “Many people do not think they are at risk of drink spiking and do not consider it a common occurrence. Drinks can be spiked by people you know or have just met. You may not consider an unknown person to be a stranger after talking to them for a while — then [you] are more likely to accept a drink from them.” According to a post by @studentbeans on Instagram, common ways to distinguish if a drink has been tampered with or spiked is a foggy appearance, excess bubbles, sinking ice or change in color.

The Better Health website reads that drink spiking symptoms may include: • “Feeling drunk, woozy or drowsy • “Feeling ‘out of it’ or drunker than expected • “Mental confusion • “Speech difficulties, such as slurring • “Memory loss • “Loss of inhibitions • “Nausea and vomiting • “Breathing problems • “Muscle spasms or seizures • “Loss of consciousness • “An unusually long hangover • “A severe hangover when you had little or no alcohol to drink.” Always plan a ride ahead, and never drink and drive Richardson said it is crucial to never drink and drive, to designate a sober driver before going out and to give that driver your keys. “Just don’t drink and drive,” Richardson said. “Drinking and driving is a choice. Make the right one.” One alternative if a group doesn’t have a designated driver is utilizing Texas A&M’s CARPOOL services. CARPOOL is a university rideshare program dedicated to ending drunk driving in the Bryan-College Station area. The company’s goal is to give safe, non-judgmental and confidential rides home to anyone, including non-students, in the Bryan-College Station area for free. Director of CARPOOL Public Relations Emily Fillip said CARPOOL’s services are available on Friday and Saturday nights from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m. “Our main concern is to keep drunk drivers off the road and get them home safely, but you do not need to be drunk to get a ride,” Fillip said. “If you ever find yourself stranded somewhere or in an unsafe situation and need a ride home, we can take you home. All the resident needs to do is call our number, 979693-9905, which is also on the back of the [A&M] Student IDs. Once they call, one of our members will pick up and begin to put them on the waitlist.” Know the signs of alcohol poisoning Besides utilizing CARPOOL’s services, Fillip said it is important to be aware of the symptoms of alcohol poisoning, to stay hydrated while drinking and to always stick

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 7

Melanie McBride — THE BATTALION

Above are some noticeable ways to determine if a drink has been spiked. Here are helpful tips to note for nights out in Aggieland or anywhere.

with a friend. “Symptoms include confusion [or] inability to answer basic questions, unconscious[ness], vomiting, seizures, slow or irregular breathing, blue gums or fingernails, low pulse, low body temperature and unresponsiveness,” Fillip said. It is nearly impossible to self-diagnose alcohol poisoning, and Fillip said because of this, it is important to watch out for your friends and to not hesitate to call 911 or take someone who is exhibiting any or all of these symptoms to the emergency room. It is better to be safe than sorry, Fillip said. “Always have a cup of water in hand while drinking alcohol, or at least drink water between drinks,” Fillip said. “Along with that, stick with a friend. Watching out for one another really helps because you never know when one of you might end up drinking a bit too much.” Although, CARPOOL has no stance on alcohol, and the company wants students to

have fun while staying safe, Fillip said. “If your friend appears intoxicated, gets sick or passes out, is having trouble breathing or walking, do what you need to do to make sure your friend is safe and call 911 immediately,” Richardson said. Watch for sexual predators Being aware of the people around you both in social settings and in one’s interpersonal life is important to staying safe. Licensed psychologist at Counseling and Psychological Services, or CAPS, Kari Keller Becker, Ph.D., said she always encourages people to trust their instincts and to leave a person and/or situation if something feels off or uncomfortable. “The biggest point with this topic is that a victim of an assault is never to blame,” Becker said. “Unfortunately, a person can do all the ‘right things’ to protect themselves and still be victimized. Relatedly, a person can do all the ‘wrong things’ by putting them-

selves in a high-risk position, but that is still not an invitation for someone to violate their safety and wellbeing. The best way for us as a society to stop assaults is to address the problem with the perpetrators, not require people who are disproportionately victimized to take more safety precautions.” Becker said it is always wise to make thorough plans and back-up plans for risky situations. When meeting with unfamiliar people in private settings, like a date, Becker said tips to maximize safety include meeting with the person in a safe, public location, driving separately, letting a trusted friend know ahead of time where you are going, who you are meeting up with and that you will text or call them when you’re home safely and to create a “code word” or phrase that you can text if you need them to call with an “emergency” to get you out of an unsafe situation. Additionally, Becker said the following resources are available for when anyone feels unsafe in either a party or private setting:

• •

Call 911 Call a trusted friend or family member • Call HelpLine (979) 845-2700 • Call for an Uber or Lyft to leave • Call the SARC hotline (979) 7311000 • Call the RAINN hotline (800) 6564673 CAPS provides short-term individual counseling, group therapy, workshops, crisis intervention and psychiatric services to all students, including those who have experienced sexual assault, Becker said. “Student Assistance Services [or SAS] is a part of the Offices of the Dean of Student Life that seeks to connect Texas A&M University students with the appropriate guidance, resources and support to address a variety of personal and academic matters,” Becker said. “SAS can be a beginning point of contact for information or questions about a variety of topics, including sexual assault.”

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 8

Trials, taboos of sex ed

Haylea Keith — THE BATTALION

With an inconsistent discussion on the importance of sex education across Texas schools, students often receive information on the topic through friends, the internet and other sources.

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 9

Lack of sex education across Texas leads students to turn to other resources, which may provide unreliable information By Myranda Campanella @MCampanella_

he birds and the bees talk has long been a taboo rite of passage. From middle school health videos and awkward conversations with parents to a world of sexualized media and pornography, there is little consistency in how people first learn about one of humanity’s most primal instincts. In the Bible Belt, this taboo is even further stigmatized. In 2020, Texas’ State Board of Education revised its state-level requirements on teaching sexual education in Texas primary schools for the first time since 1997, according to an article in the Texas Tribune. “Starting in 2022, seventh and eighth grade students in Texas will learn about forms of birth control beyond abstinence, but middle schoolers still won’t have to learn about the importance of consent or the definitions of gender identity and sexual orientation,” the article reads. However, from sixth grade to 12th grade, sexual education in Texas is still focused on teaching one method above all others: abstinence.

“The student is expected to analyze the importance of abstinence from sexual activity as the preferred choice of behavior.” TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE

“The student is expected to … analyze the importance of abstinence from sexual activity as the preferred choice of behavior in relationship to all sexual activity for unmarried persons of school age; and discuss abstinence from sexual activity as the only method that is 100 percent effective in preventing pregnancy, STDs and the sexual transmission of HIV or acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and the emotional trauma associated with adolescent sexual activity,” the Texas Administrative Code reads. Yet, Texas schools are not required to teach

sexual education at all, and if schools choose to, parents can sign a waiver exempting their student from the unit, according to the Texas Tribune. This difference in curriculum leads to many discrepancies among students’ individual knowledge across the state. Psychology professor Mindy Bergman, Ph.D., teaches a course at Texas A&M on human sexuality. Due to the varying levels of sexual education students receive in secondary schools across Texas, Bergman said there is a wide variety of knowledge she sees in students when they first walk into her college classroom. “Most students know some stuff, and then there’s some students who literally think that a penis is called a ‘boner’ because there’s a bone, even though there’s not,” Bergman said. “[Some students] don’t know how their own periods work, and they don’t really understand how contraception works. I mean, [there are] people who know almost nothing.” Bergman said there is a general silence in society around sex, which has also created a silence around consent. The lack of discussion around consent can lead to scenarios where boundaries are crossed, sometimes without the violator or victim ever realizing, she said. “You really can’t talk about consent unless you’re talking about sex,” Bergman said. “When we don’t talk about sex and consent, we don’t establish clear rules or norms. It’s all ambiguous, and people have to contest those boundaries to figure out where they are.” Bergman said students should be taught about sex, including what their own body parts are called, as well as what they can do, throughout their entire lives in order to eliminate the potential for confusion or crossed boundaries as they get older. “I think [sexual education] is necessary throughout the entire life,” Bergman said. “Children should be taught all of their body parts; when they start asking questions about their bodies, they should learn penis and vagina right at the time they learn elbow and knee. It’s absolutely critical.” Journalism junior Ruben Hernandez said his middle school in Mission was supposed to have a sexual education unit, but the teachers ended up avoiding it. Hernandez said the first time sex was ever mentioned in a classroom setting for him was his anatomy class in 10th grade, where the teachers mainly discussed the biology of genitals. He said consent was never discussed in school. “If you talk about sex [in south Texas], they’re like, ‘Don’t say that. No, don’t talk about that. Are you dirty? Are you a pervert?’ So, it’s very hard to talk about,” Hernandez said. Hernandez’s parents did start talking to him about sex around the age of 15, he said.

“It was more like, ‘If you’re gonna do it, at least be safe. At least wear a condom.’ The kind of thing like, ‘If you get someone pregnant, I’ll kill you,’ you know?” Communication junior Nayeli Saldaña, who grew up in Houston, said the first time she ever heard about sex was in her sixth grade health class. “I honestly didn’t even know [sex] was a thing until like sixth grade, and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, what’s going on?’ And then I asked my mom, but she didn’t really answer anything. She was like, ‘Just listen in the class,’” Saldaña said. “[Talking about sex at home] was generally avoided. To this day, I haven’t talked about sex with my mom.” That sixth grade health class was the one and only time Saldaña said sex was ever discussed in a classroom setting for her. While the class did discuss how to have safe sex, including demonstrations on how to put on a

“...if it’s not being taught to us, then we might as well look into it [ourselves].” RUBEN HERNANDEZ, JOURNALISM JUNIOR

condom, as well as the biology of male and female genitals, Saldaña said she had to learn the technicalities of how to actually engage in sex from conversations with her friends. “The things I did learn about sex was through my friends just because I wasn’t taught a lot,” Saldaña said. “My friends in middle school did tell me about … what sex was and how to have it, the differences between oral and vaginal and anal sex, stuff like that … like what masturbation was, what porn was. Some of my friends in high school would do that stuff, so I would hear their stories.” Socially, Hernandez said his friends usually only discussed sex in a joking manner, mostly using inappropriate gestures. “I’m not sure how it is for girls, but for guys, the first experience talking about sex, it’s more of a joke rather than a serious discussion,” Hernandez said. “It’s not something where you can be like, ‘How do I do this?’ Because if you start asking questions, they’re like, ‘What are you, immature?’” His lack of sexual education led him to the internet, to things like pornography, fanfiction and dirty manga, in order to keep up with his friends’ knowledge, Hernandez said. “Internet culture has really changed the perception of sex, so whatever [your friends] pick up on, you have to pick up on as well,”

Hernandez said. “The school’s lacking their education on sex has made students seek out their own definitions of sex, because … we see it in cultures, we see it in movies, we see it in music videos, and if it’s not being taught to us, then we might as well look into it [ourselves]. And if we’re looking into it, then we’re obviously going to stumble onto the wrong things, and that definitely ruins our perception [of sex].” Bergman said sexual education is most beneficial to students when they are receiving fact-based and value-based instruction from several sources who have the proper specialized knowledge. “Students would be best served by having multiple resources for sex education, so not just your parents, not just a book, not just PornHub, not just your church … because there is education about facts, about how these things work, and there’s also education about values and expectations, and those all come from different sources and different levels of knowledge,” Bergman said. “Your parents may not necessarily know what hormones are going on at different levels in your body, but they do have their values.” Additionally, Bergman said for the benefit of future generations, society must begin breaking the silence around sex and encourage more age-appropriate education. She said, despite the popular belief that avoiding talking about sex will prevent young people from having it, research shows teenage pregancies are actually more likely to occur when sex is not discussed. “The reality is, teenagers have sex whether you’re talking about it or not,” Bergman said. “The real question is, do we want to have teenagers who have responsible, safer sex, that is good for you, enjoyable, safe — or at least, reduced-risk — respectful [and] private, or are we going to have them just have sex and hope for the best? I would much prefer educated sex than uneducated sex in our society.” Because of the taboo surrounding sex within her household, Saldaña said it was never a topic she felt comfortable discussing. “I never talk about it [in general]. I don’t have a lot of knowledge about it just because I never talk about it,” Saldaña said. “I think I would’ve been more comfortable talking about it if I knew more about what sex is.” Bergman said she hopes future generations of parents and educators will work toward breaking the silence and taboo around sexual education. “We’re doing a disservice to a lot of [kids],” Bergman said. “It would be much better if we just talked about it, if we were just more direct, but it’s very hard to break the cycle of this silence that we have.”

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 10

Women: By men, for men The male gaze is defined as the typically hypersexual man’s perspective of women. Abbey Santoro — The Battalion

A&M professors comment on male gaze in media, entertainment platforms, creating unrealistic ideals By Julia Potts @juliaapotts

n a world full of women of varying size, race and age, experts on female sexuality and health find the margin of female representation in media and entertainment to be quite slim. Many visual representations of women in entertainment, advertisements, pornography and more are seen through the lens of the “male gaze.” This term is used by film theorist Laura Mulvey to describe the way in which women are viewed, specifically in television and movies, as a way to derive male sexual pleasure. Mulvey said in her book, “Visual and Other Pleasures,” there is a sexual imbalance in the way men decide to portray women in movies and television. “The determining male gaze projects its phantasy onto the female form, which is styled accordingly,” Mulvey said in her book. “In their traditional exhibitionist role, women are simultaneously looked at and displayed, with their appearance coded for strong visual and

erotic impact so that they can be said to connote to-be-looked-at-ness.” Associate professor in the Texas A&M Department of Communication Tasha Dubriwny said this view is not necessarily representative of women’s preferences. Dubriwny referenced Mulvey’s work and said women are typically characterized by the way they are intended to be looked at. “The woman is [a] spectacle, and [the] man is the person who is looking,” Dubriwny said. “I would characterize the male gaze as a particular way of looking: one that typically positions women as objects, sexual objects specifically, that are there to be viewed and enjoyed by men. And through this gaze, women are sexualized; they are disempowered; and they are framed in terms of male desire.” Dubriwny said the James Bond movies are a clear representation of the male gaze because of the way women are presented, how they are filmed and how they are positioned as “sexual playmates.” In this way, women are sexual objects for the other characters in the story, as well as the movie viewer. “We can think about the way the male gaze works, for example, at bars or on college campuses as well,” Dubriwny said. “One could argue that the male gaze — again, a gaze that objectifies and sexualizes women — asks women to understand themselves and perform as sexual objects. Part of the problem here is that women’s sexual desires are not embraced by the male gaze; in fact, they’re quite invisi-

ble. The gaze instead focuses on what is pleasurable to men.” Clinical assistant professor in health and kinesiology Sara Fehr said the male gaze can be particularly detrimental to young women, as the hypersexualization of women is seen across various media and entertainment platforms today. “Media can be damaging, obviously, in many senses to a young person’s … identity because we have hyper-sexualized women in media,” Fehr said. “Young girls — young women — might look up to these ... truly unattainable standards of beauty and physique.” Fehr, who specializes in human sexuality and women’s health, said the male gaze perpetuates traditional, or outdated, views of gender roles in society. “Men are seen [as], or thought to be, more dominant, more assertive, more aggressive, the person that will instigate relationship sexual activity,” Fehr said. “Whereas women are seen, or portrayed or thought [of], as being more reserved, more submissive, patiently waiting for instigation by a male partner if we’re talking heteronormative [relationships].” Fehr said women can also be viewed in an unrealistic way in different kinds of product advertisements, especially promoting male-centered products. “If we’re talking about products that are basically geared toward men, oftentimes you will see women portrayed in these ads as [be-

ing] something that is a benefit,” Fehr said. “We see it a ton when it comes to alcohol advertisements and pornography.” While many advertisement firms still uphold the “sex sells” position, Dubriwny said there are some companies that are actually starting to embrace different female body types to show more diversity, such as the Dove beauty campaign and clothing brands like Old Navy. “On the one hand, we have companies like Victoria’s Secret that continue to promote a very kind of idealized, hegemonic understanding of female beauty. Their models are tall; they’re skinny; they’re full-breasted; they’re usually white; they’re always sexy,” Dubriwny said. “On the other hand, we have a number of brands that are promoting their product by using a far more diverse range of women, and they’re diverse in terms of size, in terms of age and in terms of race.” The male gaze’s sexualization of women in different media platforms can make it harder for women to “engage fully in their sexuality,” Dubriwny said. However, there are recent instances of women going against the common male-driven depiction of women. “I think we’re seeing women discuss their sexuality more openly across different media platforms, and in doing so, I think they’re certainly disrupting the power of the male gaze, and they’re embracing their own desires and the right to define their own desires,” Dubriwny said.

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 11

Not all Aggies have sex

Robert O’Brien — THE BATTALION

Biomedical engineering junior Kiara Perez-Ponce is a practicing Catholic and chooses to remain sexually abstinent.

Aggies comment on asexuality, decision to remain abstinent, become celibate for religious, personal, relational reasons By Caleb Powell @calebpowell23

any may perceive the average college student as someone who lives on Tinder and sleeps with anything that walks. However, reality paints a different picture.

According to the Spring 2019 National College Health Assessment, 33.1 percent of college students said they had no sexual partners in the last 12 months. Some may wonder why students are declining a life of sexual activity when potential partners are abundant with a walk across campus. For biomedical engineering junior Kiara Perez-Ponce, her Catholic faith taught her the importance of remaining celibate before marriage. “We do get those talks of the idea of marriage within the church, what it sounds [like] and what it means, which also leads to the church inviting us to remain celibate,” Perez-Ponce said. “That’s my decision … but

personally, I did see the [church’s] reason [and] the logic behind that.” The Catholic church teaches the purpose of sex is for men and women to bear offspring, and Perez-Ponce said she believes that’s why sex should be treated as an experience for exclusive couples. “The whole purpose of a family is that’s your vocation,” Perez-Ponce said. “[Sex] is an intimate act that should be shared between two people. But since it does bring pleasure … it’s [God’s way] of giving that gift for [a] married couple.” Even though she has made the decision to remain abstinent until marriage, Perez-Ponce said she still feels the occasional desire to be intimate with her partner. “Right now, I have a boyfriend, and I will say, even if I know the reasons, it can be a little hard in the moment,” Perez-Ponce said. “I just remind [myself of my religious beliefs] before making a more spontaneous decision.” While many students choose to remain celibate until marriage, others have previously engaged in sexual activites before deciding to stop. Biomedical sciences junior Angelica Havard said her religion also played a significant role in her decision to become sexually inactive. “There was definitely a point where I was like, ‘I don’t get why [abstinence] is a teaching,’” Havard said. “When I was really getting back into my faith … I would go to mass when [my boyfriend] and I were still having sex, [and] I would always feel guilty.” Although God was an important element in her thought process, Havard said there was also an interpersonal component to being celibate with her then-partner. “In hindsight, whenever I said that I didn’t want to have sex anymore was about the same time I was starting to have doubts about the relationship,” Havard said. “I was realizing that … this is not the man I’m going to spend the rest of my life with. And I wasn’t okay with that.” Because of her family situation, Havard said she does not want to make any assumptions about her future with any other partners. “I come from a divorced household,” Havard said. “I know that nothing is ever really set in stone. So, I don’t want to give that part of myself to someone else.”

Though it isn’t a guarantee, Havard said she believes marriage is still the best way to know when it’s okay to be vulnerable with a partner. “I only want to share [sex] with whoever I’m going to be [with] for the rest of my life,” Havard said. “Being married would be the best insurance policy that, ‘This part of me is for you and you only.’” While she still finds others physically appealing, Harvard said she doesn’t feel the desire to be intimate. “I still have urges — I don’t think anyone is immune,” Harvard said. “Everyone sees people on a daily basis that they find sexually attractive, but that doesn’t mean you’re going to do anything about it.” Not all Aggies feel those sexual feelings, however. According to the Asexual Awareness and Education Network’s website, it is widely accepted that asexual people make up about one percent of the population. That would mean at Texas A&M, a university with 67,133 students as of fall 2021, almost 700 students would identify as asexual. “Asexuality are folks who feel little-to-no sexual attraction to others,” A&M LGBTQ+ Pride Center coordinator Frances Jackson said. “They may experience romantic attraction and may engage in some physical aspects of relationships, but [sex] is not the primary thing that’s going on.” However, the identity itself is fluid, creating a grayscale for sexual identity, Jackson said. According to the Asexual Awareness and Education Network, there is a split attraction model within asexuality which leads some people to experience separate romantic and sexual feelings. A common misconception is that asexual people are sexually inactive altogether. However, those who identify as asexual may still have sex, Jackson said, and still may feel sexually attracted to another person. “It’s person to person,” Jackson said. Faith may be a factor for asexual people who are sexually inactive, but Jackson said their sexual orientation is not what makes them abstinent. “Someone who is religious may also be asexual,” Jackson said. “They can intersect. But for folks who are celibate … it’s a decision, not an orientation.”

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 12

Go-to guide for choosing your best contraceptive With suggestions from medical professionals, The Battalion’s staff breaks down every FDAapproved contraceptive method By Myranda Campanella, Julia Potts & Aubrey Vogel @MCampanella_, @ juliaapotts & @aubrey_vogel

rom temporary to permanent, there are an overwhelming amount of contraceptives available on the market. Most known for lowering the possibility of pregnancy, contraceptives can have a variety of benefits for people, including managing periods and acne as well as preventing sexually transmitted diseases, or STIs. Dr. Sophia Yen, founder and CEO of the women- and doctor-led Pandia Health birth control delivery company, said 70 percent of people on birth control are using it for reasons other than pregnancy prevention. As far as the best method to choose, Yen said it depends on the person. “What’s the best birth control out there? … The IUD or implant,” Yen said. “But for some people, they’re not willing or ready to have something put in their uterus, or not ready to have something put in their arm.” Among other options available for people with uteruses are the patch, the ring, the shot and the pill, which has 40 different types available with varying amounts of progesterone and estrogen. Yen said it is not healthy for anyone under the age of 30 to take birth control pills with less than 30 micrograms of estrogen, as this can be damaging to one’s bone density in the long run. Figuring out which pill, or other contraceptive method, that will be best for your body is dependent upon the permanency, cost and side effects at which you are looking. Yen said thanks to the Affordable Care Act,

all contraceptives which are approved by the Food & Drug Administration, or FDA, are completely free with insurance, meaning there should be no copay or deductible charged to an insured individual. However, according to Planned Parenthood, some insurance companies do not cover all brands of each type of contraceptive, so one should contact their insurance company first to find out for which brand to obtain a prescription. An additional reason to use contraception is to prevent the spread of STIs such as HIV/ AIDS, chlamydia or syphilis. However, Family Nurse Practitioner and clinical assistant professor in the College of Nursing Dr. Matt Hoffman said regular testing is equally as important for knowing one’s STI status. “I’ll reinforce the routine testing and knowing your status of all STIs,” Hoffman said. “Don’t just test for HIV, test everything while you’re there. Just make it one big stop, that you get a clear conscience and kind of a clear mind of knowing your status for everything. Just leave nothing to doubt or question because a lot of times and certain individuals, [males] or females may not know that they have a certain STI, because some of them can remain asymptomatic.” Emergency contraception is another option people with uteruses can use post-sexual encounter. However, the commonly known Plan B, or morning after pill, is not a universal option, Yen said. “If your BMI is 26 or greater, Plan B … is not going to work for you,” Yen said. “If it were me, my daughter, my patient, my customer, I recommend ella, which is a prescription emergency contraception. If you have health insurance, either through your student health or through your parents, it should be free, no copay, no deductible. It works better and every time, and it works better if you have a BMI of 26 to 30.” Check out some of the most common types of FDA-approved contraceptives here to learn about their effectiveness, usage and market cost without insurance. More detailed information can be found at www.fda.gov.

THE PILL (COMBINED) • • •

Effectiveness: 91% Average cost: Up to $50 per month Use: Must be taken every day

THE PILL (SINGLE HORMONE) • • •

Effectiveness: 91% Average cost: Up to $50 per month Use: Must be taken at the same time every day

IUD (HORMONAL) • • •

Effectiveness: 99% Average cost: Up to $1,300, without medical fees Use: Up to 3-5 years, inserted by a medical professional

IUD (COPPER) • • •

Effectiveness: 99% Average cost: Up to $1,300, without medical fees Use: Up to 10 years, inserted by a medical professional

MALE CONDOM • • •

Effectiveness: 82% Average cost: Up to $2 per condom Use: One-time use, cannot be reused

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 13

IMPLANT ROD

INTERNAL CONDOM

Effectiveness: 99% Average cost: Up to $1,300, without medical fees Use: Up to three years, inserted by a medical professional

• • •

STERILIZATION (MALE AND FEMALE) • • •

Effectiveness: 99% Average cost: Up to $6,000 for women, up to $1,000 for men Use: Permanent, one-time procedure

Effectiveness: 79% Average cost: Up to $3 per condom Use: One-time use, cannot be reused

• • •

PATCH • • •

Effectiveness: 91% Average cost: Up to $150 per patch Use: Wear patch for three weeks, take off for fourth week

BIRTH CONTROL SHOT • • •

DIAPHRAGM

Effectiveness: 94% Average cost: Up to $150 per shot Use: Injected every three months

• • •

VAGINAL RING • • •

Effectiveness: 91% Average cost: Up to $200 per ring Use: Left in for three weeks, taken out for one, then put back in

Effectiveness: 88% Average cost: Up to $75 per diaphragm Use: Must use every time with spermicide and leave in place for 6-24 hours afterward; reusable

SPONGE • • •

Effectiveness: 76-88% Average cost: Up to $15 per sponge Use: Must use every time with spermicide and leave in place for 6-30 hours afterward; not reusable

CERVICAL CAP SPERMICIDE (ALONE) • • •

Effectiveness: 72% Average cost: Up to $270 per tube of gel Use: One-time use; must leave in place for 6-8 hours afterward if used alone

• • •

Effectiveness: 77%-83% Average cost: Up to $90 Use: Must use every time with spermicide and leave in place for 6-48 hours afterward; resuable Graphics by Gabrielle Shreve

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 14

Religion, prayer, sex, oh my!

Hannah Shaffer— THE BATTALION

The conversation about sexual education should be had regardless of religious beliefs, as many students use college as a time to experiment sexually with partners.

Students of different faiths describe their thoughts, practices regarding sexual activities, religious beliefs By Michaela Rush @Michaela4Batt

ith nearly 100 religious student organizations and ministries of all faiths across Bryan-College Station, Texas A&M has no shortage of students of faith. Despite this openness, college students contin-

ue to grapple with how their faith influences their sexual choices and activity. As the campus minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America for A&M, more commonly known as Treehouse Ministries, Pastor Jerry Wirtley said discussions surrounding sex within the Lutheran context are frequent among his congregation. “The Biblical understanding of marriage is consummation,” Wirtley said. “So how does [sex outside of marriage] work, and how do we still understand that God knows us and loves us regardless? Some of that conversation is knowing that we’re still loved and we’re still good. It doesn’t mean that what we did was bad.” Wirtley said, in addition to the modern-day

implications, when it comes to the text of the Bible, it’s difficult to extract the full meaning of text from passages. “The Bible talks a lot about sex, even when [we] think it’s not talking about sex,” Wirtley said. “There’s a lot of times in the Bible when it talks about someone knowing someone else, especially in the Old Testament. When it says, ‘a person knew a person,’ that carries a sexual connotation: an intimate connotation with it that we don’t think about or remember.” Wirtley said he believes the choice for students to participate in sexual activity should be taken seriously, but ultimately it is their choice. “I don’t believe God is going to look at you any differently if you have relationships

here and now,” Wirtley said. “Know there are ways to protect yourself from some of these consequences, and take those precautions. Understand what could happen, and be ready to accept that. To me, that’s the hardest part of the conversation. It’s not about the religion or the shaming; it’s about [being] ready for the consequences that [may] come.” Though many on-campus ministries are based in the Christian tradition, A&M is home to students of every world faith. For education junior Aminah Abodunrin, being Muslim has allowed her to acknowledge how differently each student takes their family and religious values into college, she said. “Everybody’s different, their experiences are different, so based on how you were

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 15

Hannah Shaffer — THE BATTALION

The discussion over premarital sex has been a long-standing debate, but abstinence remains a significant topic when talking about sex education.

raised is how you take [beliefs] into being independent,” Abodunrin said. “You can see the value of [your beliefs] if you stick to it.” Abodunrin said there was never any conversation about sex in her upbringing, but she feels it’s important for people to have those conversations, even if they choose to wait until marriage to have sex. “Once you’re Islamically married, you can do whatever you want with your spouse, but you don’t get any sexual education until probably the night before you get married,” Abodunrin said. “There’s not really any sexual education, and I feel like that is really important with new generations coming up and a lot of us voicing our opinions. I feel that it’s very important for us to not just go into a marriage knowing nothing [about sex].”

Though she follows the Muslim practices of not engaging in premarital sex, Abodunrin said she feels personal choice is important for students. “I feel like it’s to each their own,” Abodunrin said. “If people want to have sex or not, it’s really what you believe. I know what I follow, and I stick to the rules and regulations [of Islam], but if people want to go for that, then I support them.” Chemical engineering junior “Annie,” a Muslim student who prefers to remain anonymous, said a large part of her upbringing in the Islamic faith was the separation of the sexes. “I used to go to summer [Islamic] school a lot. I used to go during the week after school and then on the weekends,” Annie said. “There was never any talk about sex in Is-

lam school. It was separated; it was boys on one side and girls on [another] side. There was never any mixing with boys and girls, especially if they’re really young. Even on the playground we don’t mix it all.” Annie said the Islamic faith has a profound influence on her life, but especially in her views regarding sexual activity. “I find [premarital sex] unacceptable,” Annie said. “I don’t like it. I believe it’s wrong. I’m seeing it as wrong because my religion says it’s wrong. Being a Muslim has a really big impact on my lifestyle, so I’m doing what my religion says to do — there’s no in-between for me.” English senior “Carrie,” who also preferred to remain anonymous, describes herself as a non-denominational Christian. Car-

rie said before attending A&M, she did not have many conversations about how her faith aligned with sexual activity. “[Sex] was something that was not talked about in my church, but my mother wanted me to be educated because she didn’t want unexpected pregnancies and things like that,” Carrie said. “It seemed very natural because she made it sound very natural.” When enrolling in A&M, Carrie said she was quickly exposed to purity culture, which includes limiting dating, not partaking in sexual activity and praising those who remain virgins until marriage. “I wasn’t exposed to purity culture until college and I went to Breakaway for the first time,” Carrie said. “They did talk about sex, and it was very taboo for me because sex and religion had never been a conjoined thing … When they talked about it, it was very shocking and jarring. They ended up talking about it in a way that really made me feel insecure,because I was a virgin, and that was very applauded for people to be virgins.” Carrie said this sentiment of abstinence equating to holiness led to a lot of confusion, and she felt this approach may be a deterrent for those looking for a faith community. “I just can’t imagine being someone who had never gone to church before or never even heard about it, and then went to that day [of service] to find out that you’re ‘wrong,’” Carrie said. “I don’t think that makes it a very welcoming experience, and that was my first experience with purity culture. I shut down [going to Breakaway] pretty quickly after that. It was a really bad experience.” Additionally, Carrie said she sought out advice regarding having sex with her boyfriend of six months, but was surprised about the reaction she received. “I asked my roommate about it, because I had never been exposed to purity culture,” Carrie said. “Two days later, she started spamming me with these sermons talking about [premarital sex]. The first one she sent me compared premarital sex to pedophilia. That made me feel really bad because it made me feel like I was wrong for even having the idea. It took me a really long time to get out of that headspace, it made me feel so guilty.” Carrie said she feels religious students should make their own choices and believes sexual activity does not lessen someone’s devotion to their religion. “Just follow your heart, and follow what you believe to be the best path for you,” Carrie said. “Because in the end, you can still be a good Christian and have premarital sex. Don’t let anyone bully you into believing what they think is right because you are your own person. You’re only here for so long; do not let anybody else decide what you should be doing.”

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Transmitting information Medical experts advocate awareness regarding sexually transmitted infections, erasing stigma around getting tested By Nathan Varnell @newsncv

Haylea Keith — THE BATTALION

The taboo around sexually transmitted infections is often more dangerous than the actual infection, as a result of untreated symptoms.

louded by misconceptions and stigma, the most common medical conditions can appear life-altering. “We had a patient with a very common viral condition, a little genital wart, which is a [Human papillomavirus infection] effect,” Dr. Hector Chapa, clinical assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Texas A&M College of Medicine, said. Condylomas — genital warts — may be unsightly and undesirable, Chapa said, but they’re not life-threatening and are relatively easy to treat. They are manageable symptoms resulting from one of the milder sexually transmitted infections, or STIs. “I told her this [infection] was not going to influence her health or ability to have children. ‘Monitor it and you’re going to be fine — it is one of the most common conditions out there.’” Yet, breaking down into tears, the patient took the news as if she had been diagnosed with a terminal illness, Chapa said. “It’s heartbreaking. I’m not minimizing the condition; this is a real health issue,” Chapa said. “But there was this stigma over something that should be like, ‘Oh, thank goodness, doctor.’” In the past year, A&M’s Student Health Services, or SHS, said it identified positive cases of HIV in persons who had no idea they contracted it. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported annual cases of STIs reached an all-time high for the sixth-consecutive year in 2019, according to an April 2021 press release. The most commonly reported were chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis, which doctors once believed was close to being eliminated from the United States. Health experts and advocates at A&M want students to normalize communicating their sexual concerns and needs to professionals, regardless of background. Whether they are coming from a family who didn’t talk about

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sex or was openly sex-positive, health problems don’t discriminate, Chapa said. “It’s very disturbing, as a physician, that we still have things that historically have never gone away,” Chapa said. “The only way you can tackle a problem is you’ve got to talk about it.” Stigmas around STIs are one of the predominant issues among college-aged individuals, yet most are preventable, public health junior Nimisha Srikanth, who is a member of the student organization Feminists for Reproductive Equity & Education, or FREE, said in an email to The Battalion. “There is a huge stigma that if you get an STI, you’re diseased or you’re dirty, etc.,” Srikanth said in the email. “However, some STIs are pretty common, and they’re easily treatable if caught early.” Getting tested often is not just good advice, but the current guideline for public health, SHS Chief Medical Officer Dr. Tiffany Skaggs said. STIs often appear asymptomatically, yet can still be spread and cause long-term damage. “Current guidelines [recommend] preventative health exams for asymptomatic, lowrisk people every one to three years,” Skaggs said. “However, if you have risk factors that

increase the risk, such as more than one sexual partner, previous history of a sexually transmitted infection [or] condomless sex, then frequent testing is recommended. For people who have multiple partners, especially men who have sex with men, we actually recommend testing every three months.” More routine screenings than STI tests are just as important for male and female

“There is a huge stigma that if you get an STI, you’re diseased or you’re dirty.” NIMISHA SRIKANTH Public health junior

patients alike, Skaggs said. SHS at the A.P. Beutel Health Center provides wellness exams, pregnancy tests, birth control counseling and prescriptions, pap smears, Hepatitis C testing, cancer screenings and much more. In the era of vaccination debates, the HPV vaccine — also known as Gardasil — is one of the

most critical preventative measures available, Skaggs said. “Gardasil is a two- or a three-shot series, and it basically decreases the risk for cervical cancer to almost none,” Skaggs said. “It also decreases the risk for head and neck cancers, as well as penile cancers and anal cancers. If we can decrease the risk of cancer in the future, why not?” When Gardasil was first FDA-approved in 2014, it was marketed in a limited capacity toward only women preventing cervical cancer, Chapa said, and parents were concerned that protecting their kids against STIs would open the door for their child to have sex. This usage was simply short-sighted, Chapa said. SHS staff try to regularly initiate conversations with students and provide educational materials, but the most valuable event has been the once-monthly free STI testing, Jo Ann Culpepper, assistant director of medical laboratory operations and outreach, said. The first testing day in months was held Nov. 3 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., but funding for future events is uncertain unless SHS can obtain a grant. “It was 2018 where we really started to offer the free testing, that’s when it really kicked in and got popular,” Culpepper said. “And

then we kind of geared it toward the type of testing that the students really require, mainly the chlamydia [and] gonorrhea. But in June, the state [government] let us know that they can no longer fund the event. And that’s the reason we haven’t done it in several months.” Unfortunately, many students over the years would not have gotten tested if not for the free event, Culpepper said. SHS doesn’t provide the only affordable or free services in the community, however, thanks to telemedicine and other state-funded programs, Chapa said. “Some clinics have sliding scales or [perform tests] pro bono. And although you have to wait, every major county in the country has free testing,” Chapa said. “That’s at your county health department. So ours is up on Texas [Avenue]. You can go to the Valley Health Department and you can get tested for anything. In today’s culture where, ‘I want to go in and get it done now,’ well, you probably have to pay for that. You just got to wait.” A&M’s office of Health Promotion and the organization FREE both offer sexual health resource services on their websites, where individuals can request a variety of supplies for sexual wellness at no charge.

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Gabrielle Shreve — THE BATTALION

Women of color often do not receive the same quality of sexual healthcare as white women, including gynecology and obstetrics, due to systemic racism and implicit bias.

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Color barriers of sexual healthcare Local experts argue adequate healthcare cannot be exclusive to racial majorities for women’s sexual wellness, medical care By Kathryn Miller @KathrynMiller0

espite various efforts made to promote equity in healthcare for all, racial and ethnic discrimation still pervades the healthcare system, preventing marginalized groups from accessing adequate health services — including treatments for sexual health. According to a study by Cynthia Prather, Ph.D., Taleria R. Fuller, Ph.D., Khiya J. Marshall DrPH, and William L. Jeffries, IV, Ph.D., health disparities result from the social determinants of poverty, unemployment and limited education, among other factors. Furthermore, the study concludes that among all racial and ethnic minorities, African American women are disproportionately affected by numerous sexual and reproductive health conditions compared to women of other races and ethnicities. Idia Thurston, Ph.D., associate professor of psychological and brain sciences at Texas A&M, said racism drives health inequities. Thurston said health equity is the principle idea in which everyone should have the ability to be as healthy as possible. “We need personalized healthcare. The way race is talked about in the United States tends to take a colorblind approach and says we’re going to give services to everyone — we’re just thinking of everyone as a group,” Thurston said. “What that does is … not allow people to get what they need when they need it. Racism really drives people’s experiences with health when their race is not considered.” Racism affects sexual healthcare in three main areas, Thurston said: access, communication with healthcare providers and appropriate fear and distrust. “One of the biggest drivers when we think about health equity is access to high quality and effective treatment,” Thurston said. “When [people are] part of marginalized groups, because of their experiences with healthcare systems, they don’t trust the health-

care system. So oftentimes, by the time they show up, they’ve had the infection for so long that it causes more complications.” When racial and ethnic minorities have healthcare providers who don’t believe them, fail to ask thorough questions tailored to their racial experiences and directly discriminate against their patients, their bias affects the type of service healthcare systems are providing, further causing racial minorities to not follow through with healthcare services, Thurston said. “The healthcare system traditionally and currently does not treat minority individuals in a proper way,” Thurston said. “Over time, those stories get told. When you have a bad experience, you’re more likely to tell someone, ‘I’ve had this bad experience.’ You find that the fear and distress that people have about engaging with the healthcare system shows up and spreads throughout the community.”

“The healthcare system traditionally and currently does not treat minority individuals in a proper way.” IDIA THURSTON, PH.D. ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, PSYCHOLOGY

Liasko McKeyer, Ph.D., professor in A&M’s Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences in the School of Public Health, said health disparities faced by racial minority communities are preventable and stem from external stressors from systemic racism in the United States. McKeyer said numerous studies have shown that Black women are more likely to give birth to low weight babies, but that those rates and low infant mortality rates are preventable. “My baby should not be at an exponentially higher risk for dying than someone else’s because of our skin color,” McKeyer said. “It’s not because of our skin color; it’s not because we’re Black. It’s because of our experiences in this country, which stressed out our systems … it’s something about being in a place where you’re under chronic stress from being discriminated against that taxes your system, your heart, your body, your mind, everything. That stress is going to have adverse

health outcomes.” McKeyer said healthcare providers display implicit bias toward patients, even if they’re non-minorities. Implicit biases come from systemic racism and being raised in a climate where racism exists in everyday life, McKeyer said. “It’s not as though people looked at them and said, ‘Oh, they’re Black, they don’t get pain medication.’ That’s not how racism works in healthcare,” McKeyer said. “To this day, there are med[ical] students, as well as practicing physicians and nurses and so forth, [who] think that Black people have a higher tolerance for pain, therefore, you don’t need to give them as much [medication]. That’s a complete fallacy.” Healthcare providers’ personal stereotypes of racial minorities, such as assuming they’re abusing medication or using them for recreational purposes, also affect their access to adequate healthcare, McKeyers said. “There are people who assume that Black people are drug seeking, so they’re more likely to be asked a whole bunch of questions before they’re administered any pain medication,” McKeyer said. “There’s extra hoops people have to go through in order to get help because of implicit race bias on the part of the people who are delivering care.” Brazos County Health District, or BCHD, health equity coordinator Felicia Benford helps bridge the gap between the Brazos County community and the wellness of its citizens by engaging, supporting, advocating and educating the community on health wellness, disparities and inequities. As health equity coordinator, Benford said many members of African American and Hispanic communities often can’t afford health care, and if they can, it’s a tough decision on whom to trust. “In turn, it means that the children probably are not getting those shots. They’re not getting wellness checkups,” Benford said. “Mom and Dad are not getting the check ups that they need regularly — mammograms, prostate cancer, things of that nature — because they can’t afford it. They’re less likely to go to an educational class to learn about diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity, because what if they tell them to buy medicine, but they don’t have the resources or the funds to? They just seem to let their health go last. They’re focusing on trying to put a roof over their head and food on the table, not health issues.” Benford said the BCHD Advocacy Group

provides education and support for sexual healthcare by teaching young people about different sexually transmitted infections and informing them how to have safe sex, as well as providing them with condoms. Benford said BCHD can direct patients to other resources such as pregnancy support in the community. Additionally, if BCHD cannot provide a service in house, they work with nonprofit agencies to which patients can go for guidance on where to go for affordable assistance. Dr. Tiffany Skaggs, chief medical officer of A&M’s Student Health Services, or SHS, said there are many facets of racism in medical en-

“My baby should not be at an exponentially higher risk for dying than someone else’s because of our skin color.” LIASKO MCKEYER, PH.D. PROFESSOR, SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH

vironments, and SHS is working to make its treatment center welcoming for all students. “We are really careful not to have any racially divisive symbols hanging up, and we are trying to at least provide some concordance between the healthcare staff race distribution and the student race distribution,” Skaggs said. “We try to use inclusive language, and we try to alert people of their implicit biases. A lot of times, just in the culture of medicine, especially in the south, we may see a person of color and not treat their pain as aggressively as someone else. Here we try to really think about it with each patient and try to acknowledge it.” Skaggs said SHS staff is aware racial concordance helps with communication between patients and their providers, and it is working to narrow that gap. “Student Health Services wants to be accessible for everyone, low-cost and friendly,” Skaggs said. “We’re good at what we do, and I think we’re good people. The reason why we’re here is because we want to help students. A lot of us are Aggies, and a lot of us got into healthcare when we were students here, so we want to give back to the university, no matter who you are.”

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 20

Experimentation to identification

Melanie McBride— THE BATTALION

The sexual experiences college students have take on different dynamics as these students transition into the workplace, which is largely due to the drastic change in environment they face.

From wild parties to suit jackets, sex is ever-changing, particularly in transition from academic to professional life By Ryan Faulkner @ryanfaulk03

hange is inevitable, especially in one’s sex life. College students experience sex in a wild and vigorous environment, full of twists and turns that most thought

were unimaginable. What they don’t realize is during those four years, give or take, students are just beginning a lifelong journey that never truly ends. Licensed professional counselor associate, Jason Anthony Adams, M.A., said the context of sexual activity in high school is essential in understanding the changes in trends as people move into a college lifestyle and beyond. “There’s a relatively low number of experimentation before college, but then that number nearly doubles by the end of their freshman year at a university,” Adams said. But even with the number of college students engaging in sexual behavior for the first time, another group — though technically the

minority — still exists. For context, based on statistics on a national level, over 13,500 Texas A&M students have not yet had sex. Susan Milstein, clinical assistant professor in A&M’s College of Education and Human Development, said this is because of unfounded beliefs or overly perpetuated exaggerations. Milstein, who focuses her expertise in the field of human sexuality, said the topic of sex no longer properly encapsulates the statistics it is meant to represent. “The funny thing is: everyone kind of assumes that there’s a hookup culture in the college generation, and that’s just not the case,” Milstein said. “The research over the years is showing that [current-]generation college

students aren’t going out and hooking up like crazy.” Instead, many begin a period of “experimentation,” or a time in which an individual begins exploring their sexuality. As with any other topic related to sex, there is no one-sizefits-all descriptor that fully encompasses experimentation. Instead, this stage can include moving from oral sex to full intercourse for the first time, exploring situations with members of the same sex or actively researching different topics on the internet, among other possibilities. Even so, this free-for-all can still carry negative implications, supply chain management junior Ian “Moose” Hankhouse said. This is

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because the large number of students experimenting with each other can create unhealthy expectations among people with different experiences. “I feel like there is a moderate pressure as a college student to be sexually active,” Hankhouse said. “When you come into such a large student body ... you will likely hear about people hooking up at parties, on Tinder or making out at Northgate, and sex is more widely and openly discussed. For those who weren’t sexually active in high school, this may lead to feelings of being behind.” The atmosphere greatly changes after graduation, as the sex environment on a college campus is vastly different from that of a workplace. In most graduates’ jobs, they will be surrounded by people of all different ages and economic success levels, creating a new dynamic altogether. The newfound presence of a steady income heightens these feelings, Milstein said. This financial freedom allows people to begin spending more money on alcohol at bars, gas to visit partners or contraceptives and sex toys for a more intense sexual experience. In this way, the experimentation stage takes on

a new meaning entirely, she said. As a result, there becomes a disconnect between sex during college and sex after graduation. Milstein said this discrepancy directly correlates with the fact that most college students have yet to find their full “identity” in the bedroom, which is something which continues to develop across an individual’s entire life. “If I were to ask an 18-year-old what they’re looking for in a partner, they’re usually going to give a whole list of physical characteristics,” Milstein said. “But as people get older, they begin basing their preferences on what they’ve learned and what they’ve been through. Every experience we have starts to shape our next experience.” Having experienced this phenomenon himself, Hankhouse said spending five semesters in college has been enough for him to begin reevaluating his sex life. “A high school boy’s view on sex is most likely self-centered and inaccurate,” Hankhouse said. “I came into college having an idea of what I liked and was comfortable with, but this has evolved as I have engaged

Pride Community Center BUILDING COMMUNITY, PROVIDING SUPPORT, AND RAISING AWARENESS IN THE BRAZOS VALLEY WE CURRENTLY OFFER... Sexuality Support Group Gender Affirming Support Group LGBTQ+ Youth Support Group Safe Space Social Gatherings

and explored with more partners. I would say that my views of sex have evolved.” According to a study conducted in 2016 using data from the U.S. Census, over 20 percent of American adults have engaged in “consensual non-monogamy” at some point in their lives. However, as they further mature and develop in their relationships after college, most elect to move toward a permanent, one-partner system. Once this occurs, people begin branching out even further beyond what they tried in college, Adams said. “Usually, when people are in a monogamous relationship, they’re more inclined to participate in sexual activities or to do things sexually they would not normally consider,” Adams said. Surprisingly, Milstein said, the change after college actually leads people to have more sex than they otherwise would. “What we found is that people in committed relationships actually have more sex than single folks,” Milstein said. “The sexual satisfaction changes, but people tend to have more sex when they’re focused solely on one partner.”

Hankhouse, though, is not surprised by this statistic, as it falls in line with how he has come to view sex in a post-college landscape. “While sex can be just physical, I still view it as a very intimate act that does change the nature of a relationship,” Hankhouse said. “I am of the belief that we never wholly stop sexually evolving as you try new things and continue to grow and age with your partner.” So, the issue of differences in sexual activity between college students and working adults is entirely multifaceted, Milstein said. She also said the overarching topic of sex is complex, and experimentation and exploration takes place across a different timeline for everyone. Regardless of struggles, Milstein said it is important for college students to take their sexual relationships one step at a time, while keeping in mind the dynamic will likely evolve further after graduation. “You can graduate college before your brain is even fully developed,” Milstein said. “In college relationships, you’re going to fumble everything because everything is horribly awkward, everything is hard to do and everything is weird. But it gets better — different, but better.”

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THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 22

Exploring sexuality in queer orientations Experts, members of LGBTQ+ community describe sexual, social changes when adjusting to college life, new identities By Aubrey Vogel @aubrey_vogel

ollege is typically the first time many students have complete responsibility for themselves. They become responsible for deciding what they eat, where they live and oftentimes with whom they are sexually active. Texas A&M LGBTQ+ Pride Center coordinator Frances Jackson said college is a time of change for all students, but especially students in the LGBTQ+ community who are able to explore identities they may not have been able to before. “Coming to college is a time for all students to challenge religion, political [views], all of their belief systems [that they grew up with],” Jackson said. “Oftentimes, [this is the] first time away from home, away from the set structure they’ve had for 18-plus years, and so it allows them to explore all parts of their identity.” Pride Community Center treasurer Rick Burgess said in an email to The Battalion that upon leaving home, many students try to find

out who they are as individuals when leaving their parent’s reign. “There is nothing magical about college that suddenly makes you explore your sexuality. That is something that people typically already have a clue about, and they are finally at a point to where they can be themselves,” Burgess said in the email. “For LGBTQ+ people that had to hide who they are, college may be the first opportunity that they have to be their true selves.” For students who have not yet come out to their family or friends, Burgess said they should make sure they feel safe and prepare the message they will share. Burgess said often, the conversation will go better than an individual expects, though sometimes people may say something mean or unintentionally hurtful. “Expect the people [you] are coming out to to have a lot of questions. You don’t have to answer all of the questions yourself, but it’s good to have resources for further discussions,” Burgess said. “Keep in mind that while you’ve had time to reconcile these things for yourself, your friends or family might have never thought about these things before.” Assistant professor in the Department of Health and Kinesiology Christopher Owens said in an email to The Battalion because there is stigma surrounding the LGBTQ+ culture, some individuals may feel the need to be on a hook-up app, which may be the only place they can meet people with similar sexualities.

“Some LGBTQ+ people, especially those who live in nonurban and rural spaces, do not have an LGBTQ+ community center; LGBTQ+ bar or club; or LGBTQ+ social groups to meet people. In addition, some LGBTQ+ people might be on hook-up apps because their local environment is unaccepting of the LGBTQ+ community,” Owens said. “There might be physical, emotional and social repercussions from showing physical displays of affection, such as violence, slurs and negative friend interactions.” Burgess said students who are not out to their friends may feel pressure to hide their sexuality, impacting their mental health. Burgess said those who are not out are less likely to participate in hook-ups than those who are out. “Those that are having to be discreet are probably less likely to be participating in hook-ups than those that are out for privacy and self-preservation reasons,” Burgess said. “Being closeted itself doesn’t make you more or less likely to seek out hookups, but it does limit your ability to form healthy relationships of all types.” Jackson said though A&M has a negative reputation regarding acceptance of the LGBTQ+ community in the past, they believe A&M has made strides. The community has seen representation with the addition of the Pride Center as well as various student organizations, and supportive bills in the Student Senate. “The student organizations have grown

in the past five years. When I got here, there were four, and we now have nine on the [Pride Center] website,” Jackson said. “We’ve seen growth in student organizations, so [we are in the process of] building a [larger] community of support here on campus.” Jackson said there are a variety of ways for students who identify themselves as members of the LGBTQ+ community to find support, including visiting the center, joining LGBTQ+ friendly student organizations and even finding allies and community members on campus with stickers the center provides. “One of the really cool things with our stickers [is] by taking [a] rainbow cake or rainbow pride flags and putting it on your water bottle or your laptop or wherever you choose to display it, it shows there are a lot more folks [who are] accepting and welcoming,” Jackson said. “[Someone] may see [the sticker], may strike up a conversation in the library [or] the MSC. It is a nonverbal way that folks can show, ‘Hey, I’m a member’ or, ‘I’m supportive of members’ and LGBTQ folks start to [form] their family sporadically.” Burgess said the center offers various support groups for individuals in the community. “We have a gender affirming support group, which is really for anybody that is questioning their gender and needing a group to talk about [their thoughts],” Burgess said. “We’ve got our sexuality [and] a feminist support group, [which is] a mix of gay, lesbian and bi[sexual] folks that come together, and we talk about sex.”

Melanie McBride — THE BATTALION

THE BATTALION MAROON LIFE 23

Unsubscribing from stigma

Pilar Ibarra — THE BATTALION

OnlyFans, the subscription-based social media platform, has quickly gained traction among the Aggie community, with some students turning to the outlet for a source of income and empowerment.

Aggies on OnlyFans say sex work should not come with stigma, as it can provide income, support for students By Lauren Discher @laurendischer

nlyFans has become an increasingly popular source of income for students in need of some extra cash. Launched in 2016, OnlyFans is a nuanced way of delivering sexual content online, putting the power in the hands of content creators. The platform works by facilitating interactions between users, or fans, who can subscribe to their chosen creators for a monthly fee, which typically ranges from $5 to $20 dollars. Because a staggering amount of college students find themselves in serious financial crises, many Aggies have turned to OnlyFans for extra income. The platform allows people to embrace their own

sexuality, fulfill others’ fantasies and connect on a level that goes far beyond pornography. Even before COVID-19 shutdowns led to her becoming homeless, communication junior Ashlee Hawkins said she found herself in need of money. “I was pretty desperate for ways to make ends meet, and my friends encouraged me to look into sex work, specifically OnlyFans,” Hawkins said. “I’d done some suggestive work with photographers on campus and enjoyed the experience quite a lot, so I knew I was comfortable and confident being perceived in that way. Since I posted that content publicly already, I thought there’d be no harm in making some money off of it.” This comfort led Hawkins to create her account in June of 2019. Though she said she is not in any way ashamed, Hawkins said she tends to keep the existence of her account private, unless she has a reason to share. “Due to the conservative nature of many Texans and the way we were raised, I know that more reactions are likely to be negative,” Hawkins said. “It’s proven beneficial for people to get to know my character and abilities

beyond how I pay my bills before we talk about OnlyFans or anything else in that realm. Any positive reactions tend to be ingenuine, laced with intrigue for OnlyFans or from other sex workers.” Since there is an exclusive nature surrounding OnlyFans, Hawkins said misconceptions about the platform and content creators are common. “I was not expecting to find the inspiring community of women and queer individuals like myself,” Hawkins said. “People often say they wish they could do it because it’d be such an easy way to make extra money. They’re usually surprised when I tell them it’s much harder and [more] time consuming than my hourly-wage job. It’s truly a business.” Like Hawkins, horticultural sciences junior Sarah Cavazos said they became a content creator on OnlyFans because they needed supplemental income. “I work two jobs; I have like six classes; and because of my classes, I don’t have time to work the hours I need to make enough money,” Cavazos said. “I had to resort to other resources. I’ve done similar stuff since before

college, and it’s helped me get by, but I think [OnlyFans] is a better platform because it’s an all-in-one type of thing.” So far, Cavazos said their experience on the platform has been positive, largely due to having good interactions with both creators and subscribers. Cavazos said being online, especially in such a vulnerable way, can be empowering and nerve-wracking at the same time. “Being online in general can be a lot because I’m being perceived by people I don’t know,” Cavazos said. “It can be scary because you never know who’s on the other side of the computer. With OnlyFans, it’s not really people that I’ll ever meet, so in a way, it’s nice that they enjoy what they see.” For psychology senior Dana Ramirez, becoming comfortable performing for the camera was a gradual process. “[At first], I’d get nervous of what people would think or say about me, but once I actually get on camera, I just start gaining more confidence,” Ramirez said. “What I tell myself is they’re paying me, and they already see me, so there’s not really a reason to be afraid. Even if they do say something, I know my worth and value lies outside of what people think about me, so it’s not a big deal.” The reactions she receives when people learn of her OnlyFans account vary, Ramirez said. “People are always shocked,” Ramirez said. “They’ll be like, ‘You go girl. Do your own thing.’ If they’re dudes, they’re usually pretty chill and somewhat supportive, if anything. They might even subscribe. I have lost a friend from it, though. She just wasn’t comfortable with me doing it, and we stopped talking and hanging out.” Ramirez said her perspective is, if she’s going to be objectified and sexualized as a woman in society anyway, she might as well make money from it. To combat the stigma surrounding sex work, Ramirez said education and openness are key. “Honestly, having open conversations about sexual experiences with friends really helps bring things out on the table without judgment,” Ramirez said. “Making a safe space with your close ones where no one is ridiculed or shamed when discussing sex helps normalize talking about sex, as well as sex work. I also think it’s important to remember someone’s worth is not determined by what they do and what people may project as ‘bad.’”

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Maroon Life Let's Talk About Sex

Articles inside

EXPLORING SEXUALITY

ONLYFANS PHENOMENON

RACIAL INEQUITIES IN HEALTHCARE

RELIGION AND SEX

STI HEALTH STIGMAS

HOW TO: SAFE NIGHT OUT

SEXUAL EDUCATION

SEXUALLY INACTIVE

MALE GAZE

CONSENT GUIDE

CONTRACEPTIVE GUIDE