Issue 15, Volume 138

THEVERMONTCYNIC Issue 15 - Volume 138 | December 7, 2021 | vtcynic.com

ILLUSTRATIONS BY IZZY PIPA

STIs on campus

Sexual violence prevention

Bushes are better

Sex spots on campus

BTV’s newest sex shop

UVM sex educator discusses prevalence and stigma of STIs on campus.

SGA’s first sexual assault prevention training sparks student concerns.

Opinion columnist reclaims power over her pubes by putting down the razor.

Students reveal the weirdest places they’ve had sex on UVM’s campus.

A look into a local sex store prioritizing inclusivity and hollistic pleasure.

NEWS PAGE 2

NEWS PAGE 3

OPINION PAGE 4

PHOTO PAGE 7

FEATURES PAGE 8

NEWS

2

STI stigmas persist for LGBTQ+ folks Eliza Barker Cynic News Reporter

While sexually transmitted infections are a prevalent reality on college campuses, the issue is often shrouded in stigma, said Jenna Emerson, health and sexuality educator at the Center for Health and Wellbeing.

A lot of STIs can be managed early, though they can become dangerous when left untreated, Emerson said. Members of the LGBTQ+ community face greater blame for contracting an STI than straight identifying people, which can result in queer folks’ avoidance of medical care.

“What we want is to destigmatize any testing and we want it open and available to all,” said Sharon Glezen, a physician at the Center for Health and Wellbeing. “I think that there are disparities in people in different communities feeling comfortable accessing appropriate sexual healthcare.”

One of the biggest issues contributing to misinformation and stigma stems from sex education in high schools, which often promotes fearbased learning, Emerson said.

Margot Wladyslawski, a queer identifying first-year, said sexual education at her Catholic high school was focused on abstinence, with some information about STIs and sexually transmitted

disease transmission. “[My high school sex education was] really bad,” Wladysawski said. “I say this as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, from what I’m seeing and what I’ve experienced, like, I think there definitely is a stigma.”

Elizabeth Cook, a bisexual identifying junior from Kentucky, said her high school sex education was very heteronormative and not at all informative.

Henry Crawford, a heterosexual identifying firstyear from Vermont, said his sexual education was extensive in middle school, but far less comprehensive in high school. “[There is a] stigma around being infectious because of who you love and who you have sex with,” Emerson said.

“Nonbinary, gendernoncomforming and trans men and women already have a lot of mistrust with medical institutions.”

Student Health Services has a handful of queer providers, but she also advises queer students to visit the Prism Center for additional resources, Emerson said.

The most common STI tested for at Student Health Services is HPV, followed by chlamydia, Glezen said.

“We have different ways that people can access STI testing,” Glezen said. “You can submit

a questionnaire to a nurse and if you meet criteria for being essentially low risk, then [the nurse] can order lab testing without even a clinician visit.”

Someone who is high risk might have a partner who has an STI, while someone who is low risk is just testing for additional security, she said.

Emerson said she also distributes safer sex supplies and provide education to students through various initiatives, such as the safer sex goodie bag, which contains a variety of supplies, from lube to dental dams. She plans to expand these offerings soon, possibly next semester.

Living Well, a program of the Center for Health and Wellbeing, will begin offering care packages to students who received a positive herpes test result with affirmations, stickers and resource cards, Emerson said.

After a diagnosis, the most important step is selfcompassion, Emerson said.

“You will find love if you want, you will have pleasurable sex if you want, you will have sexual partners if you want,” Emerson said. “It might just look a little different.”

Students can access STI testing at the Center for Health and Wellbeing by scheduling an appointment through MyWellbeing, according to their website.

Photo Illustration by ALLIE BODELLE A condom from Living Well in the Davis Center pictured with school supplies Dec. 3.

Prism Center, a safe space for LGBTQ+ students Lucille Whittier Cynic News Reporter

Nestled on the bottom floor of Living/Learning Building C are a cozy pair of living rooms complete with sofas, food and games.

This space is the Prism Center, a safe home base for UVM’s LGBTQ+ students to learn about identity and find community, said Kate Jerman, director of the Prism Center.

Students founded the Prism Center in 1999 after advocating for a safe space for the campus’ LGBTQ+ community, Jerman said. “[The campus] was not a physically safe environment for LGBT people [at the time],” Jerman said. “We weren’t talking about queer and trans identities.

The language that was being used wasn’t inclusive.”

Although the public had an awareness of gay, lesbian and straight identities, other identities lacked normalization, she said. This was particularly true for transgender students.

“We have a strong foundation and I just want to encourage people to do better,” Jerman said.

There are spaces on campus that lack safe, gender-inclusive bathrooms, and some professors refuse to use students’ correct

pronouns, Jerman said.

“Students shouldn’t have to ask for [change], the University should already just be a great place for them to succeed,” Jerman said.

The Prism Center is working with Residential Life to create more gender-inclusive housing, Jerman said.

After a long push, the Prism Center changed locations to a bigger and more accessible space, she said. They have also recently advocated for more gender-inclusive living and restrooms, and adherence to correct names and pronouns.

In addition to serving as a safe space, the Prism Center provides a food nook, queer library, computer lab and emergency fund, said Alex Hazzard, the Prism Center’s student empowerment coordinator.

They are also working on providing a clothing closet, and prior to the pandemic, provided drop-ins from Student Health Services, he said.

Living Well in the Davis Center is also available for help with mental health, mindfulness, sex and sexuality education, according to the Living Well web page.

“I feel safer [at the Prism Center] than other parts of the campus,” first-year Bella Gaffney said. “I didn’t really

know a ton about it until I got here, but I’m glad I do now.”

Jerman is a great resource for any student in need of support, junior Kai Fisher said. “[Jerman] was trying to help me with financial aid and she also gave me other resources for the Mosaic Center,” Fisher said.

The Prism Center partners with the Mosaic Center for Students of Color and the Women and Gender Equity Center to achieve an intersectional space for students, Hazzard said.

The Mosaic Center works to support the holistic development of BIPOC students and help students achieve their personal, cultural and academic goals, according to the Mosaic Center web page.

The Center strives to connect the UVM community through explorations of intersectional identities, and create a diverse and equitable learning environment, according to the Women and Gender Equity Center’s web page.

The Prism Center normally hosts several events over the semester, although there have been fewer due to COVID-19, Jerman said. The Prism Center also regularly hosts affinity spaces.

An affinity space is defined as a safe space for people who share similar identities,

ELAINA SEPEDE/ The Vermont Cynic A chair with a pride flag pillow sits in Student Longue B in the Prism Center Nov. 3. The Prism Center is located in Living/Learning Building C.

thoughts or beliefs to connect, share and learn from one another, according to a Jan. 24, 2020 @bewelluvm Instagram post.

“There’s some sort of affinity space happening every week,” Hazzard said. “So students know that there’s always someplace that they can go and find community.”

The Prism Center offers affinity spaces for queer and trans BIPOC students, as well as students who identify as disabled, Jerman said.

The Prism Center is a place for students without support systems to get help they might not be able to anywhere else, Fisher said. It is a space for everyone, regardless of identity.

“Not just LGBTQ+ folks or queer trans folks, but black and brown folks or folks who are disabled [...] need that sort of extra support,” Hazzard said.

“The roots of higher education are steeped in white supremacy, [they’re] not places that were built for the people who are attending them these days.”

Jerman said she considers the Prism Center a place for anyone to learn about gender and sexuality, and encourages everyone to engage.

“I want every queer and trans student on campus, no matter where they are in their journey [...] or understanding where they are in this moment to know they are loved and celebrated here,” Jerman said.

NEWS

3

SGA’s training sparks student concerns Halsey McLaen Cynic News Reporter

SGA’s first-ever sexual assault prevention training for clubs on Nov. 16 generated significant discussion and frustrations, said Lina Balcom, interim director of Student Life.

The training, led by guest speaker from Momentum Counseling Caitlyn Rose Clark, was scheduled to include an introductory speech, Q&A and workshopping session, Balcom said. The Q&A continued past its planned conclusion and Clark did not provide the prevention tools she promised during the session.

Balcom believes many students expected this training to address specific issues and offer ClubSigners more power to respond to sexual violence, she said.

“I feel just as powerless as I did before as a ClubSigner after this training,” said senior Eric Coughlin, president of UVM Beekeepers. “I want to be able to say the UVM Beekeeping Club has a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault and misconduct, [… but can’t] until there’s major adjustments in the University’s administration and policies.”

Clark is a coach for Momentum Consulting, a company offering human performance training, according to their website. She’s listed as specializing in masculine and feminine dynamics, but her LinkedIn mentions no training in sexual assault or other qualifications. Clark is a survivor herself, said senior Natalie Johnson, Outing Club president.

Clark will record the training tools workshop she skipped over and to send to SGA which will then distribute the videos to ClubSigners before winter break, said junior Ann Wong, chair of the SGA club affairs committee.

When Clark opened up the floor for questions, many students asked UVM-specific questions Clark was not adequately prepared to address, Balcom said.

“The things students wanted to ask her were very legitimate and important,” Balcom said. “[But] there was no way she was going to be able to provide them the information they were asking for.”

Clark prioritized the Q&A so students could start conversations about their issues and brainstorm, Wong said.

Clark did research to prepare for the training, but no amount could have gotten her to understand what UVM was truly like until speaking to students directly affected, Wong said.

The training came in response to the UVM Title IX Advisory Committee’s May 2021 demands, which called for required annual sexual violence training for all clubs, Wong said. SGA required two representatives from each club to attend, one of whom had to be an officer.

“She was very committed to the cause of preventing sexual violence, [but ...] I felt [Clark’s presentation] was misguided,” Coughlin said. “I could tell in the second half [Clark] knew she had the wrong presentation for the issues UVM faced.”

In the midst of the discussion,

Screenshot from Momentum Consulting

Balcom stepped in to offer herself as a resource for UVM-specific concerns, Balcom said.

“There was information I could share that could make a positive impact and help students understand what resources did exist for them and give them an answer that felt more satisfying than the speaker [could],” Balcom said.

Clark’s speech entailed ways survivors could hold themselves accountable and handle themselves in the aftermath of sexual assault, drawing on Clark’s own experiences as a survivor, Johnson said.

“When we were looking for our speaker, our main goal [was addressing] ways we can be proactive when looking at sexual

assault rather than reactive,” Wong said.

Coughlin thought the information was useful and meaningful, but he would have liked for it to go to an audience wider than club leaders, he said.

Many ClubSigners feel limited in their ability to address sexual violence within their club, Balcom said. They cannot remove a member for sexual misconduct unless the member is found responsible through the Center for Student Conduct or a Title IX hearing, which does not always happen in assault incidents.

Balcom said she believes there are other options clubs can pursue beyond removing a member, such as restorative circles.

Balcom said she welcomes

feedback on the training and the issue of sexual violence within clubs. While the event’s discussion was marked by frustration, many students have expressed satisfaction with the training to her.

“You’re never going to satisfy everyone, and we did the best we could with the resources we had,” Wong said. “Reflecting back on it, we definitely are seeing areas we can improve.”

SGA will be holding mandatory sexual violence prevention training for clubs each semester for the foreseeable future, Wong said. For future trainings SGA plans to include more diverse speakers and perspectives.

UVM selects finalists for violence prevention role Cate Rowlins Cynic News Reporter

The student advisory council interviewed the finalists considered for the role of Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Coordinator last week, according to a Nov. 29 email from UVM. In response to thousands of students condemning UVM for its lacking support for survivors, the University created a council July 29, consisting of three students and three faculty members to advise Erica Caloeiro, interim vice provost for student affairs and Dean of Students David Nestor on who to hire, Caloiero said.

After months of searching for student applicants and recommendations, Caloiero selected medical student Elise Prehoda, junior Caroline Noonan and junior SGA senator Maddie Henson, as the student representatives for the advising council at the end of August, Prehoda said.

“When positions have a lot of interface with students, it’s important to have students represented on search committees,” Caloiero said. “It comes from a place of knowing personally how important this

position is to many students.”

All three students reviewed applications and resumes of candidates for the new position, looking for qualities they felt would represent the demands and wants of the UVM student population, and reported them back to the administration council for review.

“The recommendations that we made were taken to invite the finalists interviewees based on our input and now we’re in the finalist interview process,” said Prehoda, a survivor herself. “I could not be more happy with the final three that we selected.”

The three candidates include Elliot Ruggles, Emily Smith and Anna Hand.

The University encouraged students to attend and provide online feedback for the presentations given by the three final candidates, according to the Nov. 29 email.

After the presentation by each candidate, students received an online feedback form where they shared their thoughts and feelings about each contender.

Ruggles presented his goals and qualifications in their Microsoft Teams presentation on Wednesday, Dec. 1 and Smith presented hers on Friday, Dec. 3,

according to the email.

Hand will present to the community on Dec. 9 from noon to 12:45 p.m. on Microsoft Teams, according to a Dec. 1 email. Her presentation was delayed from its originally scheduled date. Hand’s presentation was originally scheduled to occur on Thursday Dec. 2, according to the Nov. 29 email.

Among the advisory council with students are UVM faculty members Joseph Russell, assistant dean of students for retention, Kelly Thorne, director of Catamount sport psychology and counseling, and Genell Mikkalson, nurse-midwife and clinical assistant professor, Henson stated in a Dec. 5 email.

The students work closely with Russell, Thorne and Mikkalson, who encourage the students to voice their opinions and feelings to one another about candidate selection, Henson said.

However, after meeting most of the recent demands, this effort to improve sexual assault prevention and support is still just the beginning, Caloiero said.

“I think that we will see evolution but we will see it as a process of community,” Caloiero said. “There is broad recognition that this is work that will remain

MAC MANSFIELD PARISI/ The Vermont Cynic

Elliot Ruggles, sexual harassment and assault resources and education advocate at Brown University, gives a virtual presentation Dec. 1. ongoing and we will see changes over time, near term and long term.”

The students on the council urge other students to involve themselves in the selection to fully bring about crucial change to the campus community, Henson said.

Henson said she invites the student body to hold the administration accountable for their behaviors, utilize the

resources available and further reinforce that their voices and feedback need to be heard.

The council will continue to evaluate the three candidates for the next few weeks and the selected candidate is projected to be chosen around Jan. 18, 2022, the start of the new semester, Henson said.

OPINION

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Stop shaving and rock the bush ABBY KAISER

Vivian Finck Opinion Columnist

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EXECUTIVE Editor-in-Chief Kate Vanni editorinchief@vtcynic.com Managing Editor Greta Rohrer newsroom@vtcynic.com

OPERATIONS Operations Manager Emma Chute operations@vtcynic.com

EDITORS Copy Chief Dalton Doyle copy@vtcynic.com Culture Sophia Venturo cynicculture@gmail.com Features Liz Roote cynicfeatures@gmail.com News Ella Rueshen news@vtcynic.com Sports Matthew Rosenberg sports@vtcynic.com Opinion Emily Johnston opinion@vtcynic.com Podcasts Paige Fisher vtcynicpodcasts@gmail.com Layout Ellie Scott layout@vtcynic.com Illustrations Izzy Pipa cynicillustrations@gmail.com Photo Eric Scharf Tyler Nachilly photo@vtcynic.com

A

fter years of shame and embarrassment I held towards my body hair, I finally discovered a sense of liberation when I put down the razor at 20 years old.

Prior to my decision to rock the bush, I reserved time before going out to shave every inch of my body — a demanding and laborious task consisting of contorting my body in all different shapes and directions to ensure complete hair removal.

I realized my shaving tied directly to an anticipation of sexual encounters, quite quickly after beginning college.

Because of this, sex felt demanding rather than erotic, which inherently made it less exciting to participate in.

Now, sex doesn’t feel like something I have to plan in advance, and it is much less performative.

My mind feels more in sync with my body, allowing me to enjoy the moment and not expend energy attempting to manage my appearance.

The bush symbolizes my sexual autonomy and desirability as an individual more than a smooth, babylike body.

Gaining popularity in the ‘70s, the bush symbolizes the encompassment of feminine power and a personal rejection of patriarchal idealism, according to a May 14 Vogue article.

Keeping pubic hair was a way for women to reject the previous generations’ beliefs regarding bodily autonomy, according to an

Page Designers Maddy Thorner, Abby Carroll, Eli Davis, Sabrina Orazietti Copy Editors Lauren Bentley, Maya Pound

ADVISING Interim Adviser Inquaries email cynic@uvm.edu

believing presence of hair itself is inherently dirty.

However, a Journal of the American Medical Association Dermatology study didn’t find any data to prove this argument.

In fact, pubic hair serves as a natural protective barrier against bacteria, infection and debris, according to the Vox article.

Beyond the protective elements, pubic hair may also increase sexual stimulation, according to the New York Times article.

With a bush causing no negative impact on hygiene and an increase in sexual stimulation, there should not be any judgement for those who choose to keep their pubic hair.

The decision regarding pubic hair removal is an extremely personal one.

I made the decision because I wanted to free myself of societal influence about how my body should look.

I felt more autonomous over my body after making the conscious choice to ditch the razor.

For those interested in experimenting with the au naturale look, but don’t want to give up complete control down there, invest in tools such as trimmers to help manage and maintain the area.

I encourage everyone to do away with their razors, waxing and lasers and join the movement to reclaim power over their pubes.

Vivian Fink is a sophomore

English major. She beganwriting for the Cynic in fall 2021.

Have sex with whoever you want, whenever Reece Coren

Web Will Guisbond cynicwebeditor@gmail.com Assistant Editors Grace Visco (Opinion), Ella Farrel (Layout), Halsey McLaen (News), Catie Segaloff (Copy)

Aug. 1 Maudern article.

In 2021, the bush signifies the increasing awareness of our bodies as more than sexual objects.

Despite the increasing normalization of body hair, approximately 80% of women between ages 18 and 65 report removing some or all of their pubic hair, according to a Jan. 3 2019 New York Times article.

Culturally, Americans favor the hairless labia, viewing pubic hair as abnormal and functionless.

The idea that hair removal is more hygenic is a common misconception, according to a July 2016 Vox article.

This myth about pubic hair deeply permeates our culture.

When I first began shaving down there, I fell into the trap of

Opinion Columnist

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ollege is a beautiful time.

It’s the crossroad between youth and adulthood. The time when many people truly experiment with sex for the first time.

Students shouldn’t feel pressured to refrain from sex with different partners just because of what other people may think.

This advice is stereotypically easier for those who identify as male than who do not.

Slut shaming is defined by Soraya Chemaly, an activist and writer, as insulting someone for real or assumed sexual behavior, according to a June 2016 Teen Vogue article.

The public should not view female-identifying students as stripped of their innocence for behaving like their male-identifying counterparts.

Society should allow all genders the same sexual freedom as

men, understanding everyone has similar urges and needs.

Sex is nothing to be ashamed about, it’s how each of us got here.

Now is the time to sexually explore, while still practicing safe, consensual sex.

I’m open to having sex with unforseen partners.

Sometimes, what one is looking for has been right in front of them the whole time.

Sex has no inherent meaning.

Its only value is whatever each individual person arbitrarily assigns to it.

Casual sex between friends is great in my experience.

I think it’s important to figure out personal sexual likes and dislikes before potentially making an eternal commitment to one partner.

ANGELIKA HILLIOS

I needed to have bad sex to figure out what great sex is.

Sex should never be a selfish activity. It’s not enjoyable unless all partners are having fun. Sex should involve stimulation for all partners.

Communication is also key. I tell my partners what I like and dislike and I expect the same so we can both enjoy the experience.

In the end, putting the work in to fully stimulate a partner will only make the sex better for everyone involved.

Don’t be ashamed and never forget, it’s cool to be a whore.

Reece Coren is a sophomore public communication major. He began writing for the Cynic in fall 2021.

OPINION

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Audio porn is the best porn experience Gabby Felitto Opinion Columnist

M

ost of the time I’m online, I’m consuming something pornographic, but audio porn is my latest dirty obsession.

Audio porn is adult content that you listen to instead of watch.

It can involve hearing people having sex, listening to steamy stories or participating in a guided, auditory masturbation session, according to a July 14 Cosmopolitan article.

I discovered audio porn on Tumblr.

So many blogs contained audio ranging from couples having sex to audios from NSFW CDs of anime voice actors.

After I stopped using Tumblr, I forgot about it.

When the COVID-19 lockdown began, YouTube reintroduced me to audio porn.

Along with YouTube, I started listening to audios on

RAFAEL SICILIANO

SoundCloud and Reddit.

This form of porn is by far my favorite. With audio porn, you get a much greater sense of intimacy compared to regular porn — and it’s therapeutic.

While traditional porn comes with audio, I find the dirty talk in these videos repetitive.

Also, the men never really talk as much as the women.

Listening to audio porn of my “significant other” worshiping me helps me feel better when I have a difficult day.

Jenna Emerson, a health and sexuality educator at the Center for Health and Wellbeing, said some prefer audio porn over video porn due to their feelings of comfort.

Sometimes watching sex isn’t very comforting and feels depersonalized, and while many may not feel threatened when watching visual porn, they also might not feel cared for, Emerson said.

People need to feel safe enough in order to get aroused, Emerson said.

“I think something that audio pornography could do is instill that sense of safety.”

Emerson said. “Instill that sense of care that we ultimately do need for arousal.”

The internet provides many different types of audio porn with a selection of the usual scenarios of hot roommates hooking up or relaxing with a significant other.

The options also cater to kinks such as BDSM, Alpha/ Beta/Omega dynamic, monsters and hypnotism.

Audios are typically 1520 minutes long and include aftercare at the end of the sexual acts.

My personal favorite types of audios are the scenario ones where one person is talking, usually a “significant other,” or “bestie to lover.”

In these audios, they’re talking directly to the listener, not another actor.

It’s a little weird at first, but

once the fantasy gets going, it’s hard to hit that pause button. “[Audio porn] is meant to make you cum within like five minutes,” Emerson said.

I love audios that are very loving and comforting as the actor compliments and praises the listener.

It may take some getting used to, but for me, I feel comfortable listening to audio porn and find it much more engaging and intimate than regular porn.

Instead of scrolling through the same old videos online, listen to an audio for a change.

Gabby Felitto is a senior public communication major. She began writing for the Cynic in fall 2018.

The Generational Gab: Sex Positivity With sophomore Emily Taylor

Available to listen on YouTube

6

CULTURE

My brain’s battle with my vagina Cameron Provorny Culture Staff Writer

I

am 20 years old, in my second year of college, and over a year and a half into my relationship.

I lie to the people around me, I lie to myself. I say I’ve had sex before.

My gynecologist was the first person to ever say the word to me. I had never heard of it before. The word wasn’t mentioned once in my sixth grade health class, never in one of those “questions about sex?”

Buzzfeed articles or anywhere else: Vaginismus.

“The body’s automatic reaction to the fear of some or all types of vaginal penetration,” the National Health Service website stated.

I attempted to engage in some form of penetrative sex twice, and as soon as they touched me, even before entering my body, my mind screamed at me, saying I was in pain before anything even really happened.

Each time I tensed up, I told my partner it was okay and I could just help them out instead. The result was almost always losing any sort of sexual desires I previously had.

I thought back to all of my past sexual encounters from the last 20 years of my life. Every

kiss, every touch, every guy or girl.

The first time my gynecologist and I ever talked about the possibility of me having vaginismus, she got quiet and told me she had an important question to ask me: had I ever been sexually assaulted?

Thankfully I could say, “no.” Although I had a few uncomfortable experiences and close calls I am sure almost anyone could relate to.

She sent me to a urogynecologist, a doctor who specializes in the pelvic floor which is a group of muscles found in the base of the pelvis, according to Merriam-Webster.

I didn’t even know those kinds of doctors existed. They called it physical therapy for my vagina. While the doctor was kind and understanding, I was never able to feel comfortable around her.

She told me to buy something called a dilator, which is really just a boring, hard dildo. They come in multiple sizes, you work your way up to the big one.

But I’ve never gotten that far – I quit vagina physical therapy after four sessions.

So when I talk about sex with my friends, I try to believe the words that come out of my mouth. Isn’t the definition of sex subjective? What does sex even mean?

For each person or couple,

MARTHA HARDY

sex can mean something entirely different. Despite differing definitions, it doesn’t make it any less real.

I struggle to talk about it, even to the people I am closest with, and I don’t know when I would even bring up vaginismus. When I am sitting around the table, drunk, laughing about sex positions with funny names, it’s not something I can casually slip into the conversation.

I worry the web of lies will spin to the point of no return, and I’ll have missed my chance to be honest with the people in my life.

Sometimes I think if I get drunk or stoned enough, maybe I’ll be able to relax. Even with half a conscious brain, my body is still screaming the same thing at me: stop.

Vaginismus is about me and me only. It is my personal fight and struggles with my own

body.

Doctors tell me if I try hard enough, I can fix my way of thinking someday.

To me, though, it really doesn’t feel like a question of “when,” but rather a question of “if.”

Cameron Provorny is a sophomore geography major. She began writing for the Cynic in fall 2021

Drag queens empower audience in Winooski Eamon Dunn Culture Staff Writer Joy pulsed in Monkey House, located on 30 Main St. in Winooski, as if from a beating heart as burlesque dancers captured the room.

In honor of Burlington pride month, Monkey House – bar and music venue – hosted “Untapped: a Night of Drag and Burly-Q”on Friday, Sept. 10, according to their website.

Drag queens and burlesque dancers from around Vermont gathered to perform for cheering fans who sat in the red lit room.

Green Mountain Cabaret is a company that orchestrates the performances of drag queens and burlesque dancers around the state.

The cabaret’s owner Karen Stevenson brought a group of around 10 performers to Monkey House.

There’s a lack of dragfriendly venues in Vermont, and while Monkey House has been welcoming to all sorts of performances, it is the artists themselves that create a welcoming atmosphere, Stevenson said.

“It’s the people who are putting on these shows that

are making these spaces safe,” Stevenson said.

The performers read the energy of the crowd and worked in tandem with it.

“You need to define your audience, what do you want them to feel?” Stevenson said.

“Nine times out of 10 I just want them to eat out of the palm of my hand, that’s me personally.”

The real power of the show comes from the group as a whole.

The performers introduce each other as sisters, and some less traditionally kind names, displaying their evident deep love for one another.

All three of the queens who performed, Carmen Gettit, Bethadone Clinique and Amy Lee Celeste all live together, Celeste said.

“We’re best friends. They’re actually boyfriends and then I’m like the third wheel which, you know, it’s the third wheel of a tricycle, it doesn’t work when I’m not there,” Celeste said.

The closeness and inherent support within the group helps them develop their skills as individual performers, sharing inspiration and advice, Celeste said.

“We keep trying to build each other up because there isn’t a

huge drag community,” Celeste said. “We’re very supportive, very loving.”

The show provided a relief from returning fears surrounding COVID-19, Sophomore Kyra Dewey said.

“The energy of the show helped melt away COVID-19 anxieties, it’s been a while since I’ve been able to completely put that out of my mind,” Dewey said.

In between performances set to “Waking up in Vegas” by Katy Perry or “Love Story” by Taylor Swift, the crowd seemed to forget about the conditions of life on Earth.

“The show was powerful,” Dewey said. “The way the performers interacted with the audience was one of the most exciting things to see.”

For young people looking to break into the scene or just experience the joy of drag, the advice from Celeste and Stevenson was resounding: go to every show.

Green Mountain Cabaret performances can be found on the second Friday of every month in Winooski and around the state.

Photo courtesy of Kristen Scott

PHOTO

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Weirdest and wackiest spots students reported having sex on campus The Vermont Cynic posted a Google Survey in the UVM class Facebook groups prompting students to share their weirdest and wackiest sexual experiences and locations on UVM’s campus.

The UVM men’s soccer team conducts an afternoon practice Friday, Dec. 3 on the indoor field.

Survey respondent: L/L Trash Room ERIC SCHARF/The Vermont Cynic The door to the trash room in Living/Learning Building A is propped open.

Survey respondent: racquetball court in Patrick gym MARY MCLELLAN/The Vermont Cynic The racquetball courts in Patrick Gym are empty on Dec. 3.

MARY MCLELLAN/The Vermont Cynic

Survey respondent: On the catamount Photo illustration by Mary McLellan.

The catamount statue sits quietly on the weekends.

Survey respondent: 4th floor of Lafayette Photo illustration by Mary McLellan.

Handprints are seen through a classroom window on the fourth floor of Lafayette Hall.

FEATURE

8

Burlington sex shop prioritizes inclusivity Delaney Roy Features Staff Writer

Earth and Salt, located at 47 Maple St in Burlington, seeks to bridge perceived gaps between the Burlington community, sex positivity and inclusivity.

The brick-and-mortar shop opened its doors in August.

Beth Hankes, owner of Earth and Salt, said selling sex-related products is not about making a profit.

It’s about making sure people have the resources for sexual experiences that benefit them, no matter their identity.

The store sells a variety of products pertaining to sexual health and enjoyment.

They offer books on varied sexual topics, lubricant, an assortment of sex toys and other resources to have positive sexual experiences, according to the Earth and Salt website.

The well-lit store has house plants hanging from the ceiling, armchairs in the corners of the room and lots of open space.

The atmosphere is purposefully warm and inviting to make customers more comfortable as they browse, Hankes said.

“I very much envisioned Earth and Salt as a primarily Burlington-based company,” Hankes said. “I can’t really imagine it anywhere else.”

In a college town benefiting from both American and Canadian tourists, there was no better place to start the business she always wanted to build, Hankes said.

“Looking at other adult stores, I don’t feel like there’s a lot of nuance in them,” Hankes said. “I don’t feel like I can go into a place and get feedback on a situation that I’m in, or get really great recommendations related to the whole range of things that folks go through.”

To find more educational resources, people would have to search the internet, where trustworthy information is hard to find, Hankes said.

The absence of a similar business allowed her to shape the kind of environment she thought would benefit the community most, she said.

“Wherever you are right now, I want to be able to meet you there,” Hankes said. “If you want help, great, if you just want a community, we can do that. Whatever your needs are around physical and interpersonal pleasure, I want to be able to help with that.”

Hankes created Earth and Salt because she wanted to combine her corporate experience with her expertise in art and sensuality, she said.

“I had all of these experiences that were weighing on me, propelling me towards doing something like this,” she said.

“I basically wanted to create the store I couldn’t find when I needed it, and hopefully help some other folks through making this offering.”

Hankes makes sure the shop

carries products created by BIPOC, hires sex educators with varied backgrounds and addresses topics related to race, gender and sexual orientaion, she said.

“There’s a definite social justice component, because BIPOC have been disproportionately kept from accessing pleasure,” she said. “There’s a lot of systemic issues that make it that much harder for BIPOC to have access to and enjoy pleasure.

I want to be really conscious of that and work to turn that around.”

It’s important to focus on the fact that sexual experiences dont just look one way or have a traditional standard, Hankes said.

There are many factors that create someone’s needs and desires.

“Your sex and sexuality are going to be impacted by the environment you’re in, the relationships you’re in, your stress levels, your physical health,” she said.

The store also hosts events with various goals, always led by professionals in the field, Hankes said.

“My hope is that I can really build out a robust series of events that touch on all those different aspects of people’s experience around sex and sexuality, and that people can come and get information that’s really difficult to find other places,” she said.

First-year Victoria Bell said she thinks informed employees and inclusive products are vital for a pleasant shopping experience.

“I think it’s important for the staff to be knowledgeable,” she said. “It definitely should be LGBTQ+ inclusive. That’s a big one.”

Bell said she had a great experience shopping in a store similar to Earth and Salt. She also experienced stores with standoffish employees that were more focused on sexualizing women and selling products.

This shopping experience was uncomfortable and not beneficial to her. “[Earth and Salt] sounds like a perfect sex shop, an ideal sex shop,” she said. “I should go there.”

Earth and Salt is about more than just helping people become better at sex acts, its about helping people become more confident in their own identity and sexuality, Hankes said.

“This isn’t just someone trying to get off, it’s a full body, full life experience,” she said. “I can help people have better lives through what I’m doing and it means a lot to me personally. I missed that at certain points in my life and I’m grateful every day that I can do it.”

Earth and Salt is open Friday through Sunday from noon to 5:00 p.m.

TYLER NACHILLY/The Vermont Cynic Various sex toys are displayed on a shelf in Earth and Salt located off of Maple street Dec. 3.

TYLER NACHILLY/The Vermont Cynic Beth Hankes, the owner of Earth and Salt, stands at the counter of her shop Nov. 3.

TYLER NACHILLY/The Vermont Cynic A rose quartz sex toy sits in a case beneath the counter of Earth and Salt Nov. 3.