Students who happened by the Strafford Room on Tuesday afternoon were in for both an informative and scandalous time. S.A.G.E., or Students Advocating Gender Equality’s 2010 Sex Fair featured various student organizations and invited each to share its message on the topic of sexuality.
Advertisements for the fair cautioned potential visitors, “Warning: Sexual Content,” and did not disappoint in its claims.
The event has been held on and off for the past few years and is aimed at bringing together different organizations and their views on healthy sexual relationships. The fair received a fairly large student turnout and had welcomed over 200 visitors just two hours after opening its doors.
S.A.G.E. was founded under the belief that all genders are created equal and that every person has the right to a healthy sexual relationship. The group is also responsible for putting on a production of the “Vagina Monologues” each year at the university.
For those who attended the fair, it was evident that the various organizations did not share the same views. The juxtaposition of the Christian Impact organization next to an organization whose table displayed sex toys created interesting contrast. Across the Strafford Room, a live rope tying bondage demonstration was performed on a member of the NH Seacoast Kink group.
While many groups displayed a liberal stance on sexuality, others maintained either neutral, or conservative stances.
“We don’t necessarily agree with all organizations here and their perspectives,” said Emily Guirguis, member of Christian Impact. “We want to get across the message that sex isn’t a bad thing. In certain contexts it can be beautiful, but in other contexts its consequences can be devastating.”
Shelley Ellis, advisor to the group was excited about Christian Impact’s involvement with the event. “This is huge. Sex is such an important topic for college students, but rarely do they consider God’s opinion.”
The UNH Police Department maintains a neutral stance on the topic.
“One reality that we need to face is that sexuality has a societal dimension. Sexual choices should be made freely and there should be safety in those choices,” said Thomas Coover, Campus Support Officer. “If sexuality produces victims, we are there to safeguard them.”
Other organizations attended the fair primarily for educational purposes. Planned Parenthood participated to inform students about contraception and to encourage students to get tested. SHARPP, which stands for Sexual Health and Rape Prevention Program, was one of the main supporters of the fair and worked to get its message out to the community regarding consent.
“We don’t care how you do it, or who you do it with, as long as you have consent,” said Maggie Wells, Outreach Coordinator for the program.
The most recent Sex Fairs at UNH were held in 2005 and 2006. The event drew mixed reaction and was a subject of controversy on campus. Some members of the community felt that the event was inappropriate and had no place at the university. In a 2006 letter to The New Hampshire, one student commented that the fair was, “[an] example of the commercialization and denigration of sexual intimacy.” He went on to say, “We love to celebrate consensual sex and safe sex, but are deathly afraid to speak of committed sex or sacred sex.”
While the UNH Womyn’s Club is not opposed to premarital sex, it does hold a position against the commercialization of sexuality, specifically regarding pornography. The club describes itself as a feminist support group and received attention earlier this month when it held a rally devoted to destroying media images that objectify women.
“Our goal is to end the sexual degradation of women,” said group member Sam Crane. “We’re just trying to get our message out there.”
Arguably, the most controversial organization that participated in the afternoon’s event was the NH Seacoast Kink Club. Founder of the group, UNH graduate student Courtney Jane, said that she was surprised when invited to the fair. The purpose of her group is to support those who are interested in Kink and to provide an outlet through which like minded people can get together.
“We want to teach people that there are many ways to be sexually active,” she said.
The event culminated in a viewing of the film, “Self Loving: Portrait of a Woman’s Sexuality Seminar.” The film features a sexologist who teaches sexual skills and is aimed at making people more comfortable with their bodies.
“I admit I was a little surprised to walk in and see straight up naked people,” said UNH undergraduate student, Alisha Dimasi, commenting on the film.
“Many people think that we are so radical,” said Carly Souza, co-head of S.A.G.E. “In actuality, we are just aiming towards equality.”
Despite the different opinions of various organizations regarding sexual activity, each group aims at promoting education and gender equality. No matter one’s stance on sexual activity, all can agree that a world with decreased violence and healthier relationships is something in everyone’s best interest.
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