The SHARC Safe Sexpo saw streams of students queuing outside the Day Kaif near the Rhodes Main Library to view the ABCDE exhibition for the HIV/Aids Awareness Week.
The SHARC Safe Sexpo saw streams of students queuing outside the Day Kaif near the Rhodes Main Library to view the ABCDE exhibition for the HIV/Aids Awareness Week.
The exhibition, organised by the Student HIV/Aids Resistance Campaign (Sharc), was modelled on the first five letters of the alphabet: ‘A’ for abstinence, ‘B’ for be faithful, ‘C’ for condomise, ‘D’ for do it yourself, and ‘E’ for educate.
The ‘D’ has undoubtedly caused the most controversy.
"Some people have really enjoyed the overall message and were intrigued enough to touch and ask questions about the vibrators and dildos," said head of Sharc’s Peer Education Programme Claire Marais.
"However, we have also received criticism about advocating the ‘immoral-ness’ of masturbating, in particular from the more religious societies and passersby."
Choices, choices
Marais says the purpose of the sexpo is to get people thinking.
"There are so many different aspects of sex that you need to think about before you have sex, and different people choose different parts of the ABCDE, she said.
Sharc has received positive feedback on their collaboration with the Muslim Students Association on the abstinence section of the sexpo.
"Hopefully, this collaboration will change the image that Sharc only advocates and pushes sex and condoms," said Marais.
"There’s no point wearing blinkers and pretending the other choices don’t exist," said president of the Muslim Students Association Aslam Seedat.
He said that while they are aware of them, they choose abstinence, saying that it is important for Muslim students on campus who abstain from sex to realise it’s not something to be ashamed of.
Creative sex-periences
Sharc’s Safe Sexpo included information posters, dildos, condoms, and a computer-generated safe sex game.
Sharc peer educators were available to provide information and answer questions, were raffling over R600 worth of condoms and lubricants and had sold over 70 raffle tickets within two days.
"Nothing draws people like a bargain," said Marais.
"The competition enables people to see and experience that safer sex doesn’t have to be dull, but can actually spice up one’s sex life."
According to Marais, this echoes the condomise theme, which encourages and promotes the constant and continual use of condoms during sex.
"No matter how controversial the message is, it has made people talk about it in their res’s and dining halls, and that is the most important part of ‘spreading the word’”, said Marais.
The exhibition moved to the Library Quad where it was on display all week.
