Campus & Community

University Hosts Second Annual Sexual Health Awareness Month

Monday, February 5, 2018, By Joyce LaLonde

Syracuse University’s Sexual Health Awareness Month, called Frisky February, is back for the second year. The Office of Health Promotion (OHP), in collaboration with student organizations, University offices and departments, community partners and the OHP Peer Educators Encouraging Healthy Relationships & Sexuality (PEEHRS), seeks to raise awareness and knowledge about different aspects of sexual health throughout the monthlong initiative.

Leading off the month of activities is a movie screening on Feb. 6 and a new dialogue series, Cookies and Consent, beginning Feb. 8. The Cookies and Consent series is held each Thursday in February beginning at 7 p.m. in Tolley 204. Additional events throughout the month include a book club, cooking class, production of “The Vagina Monologues,” the SU Rising candlelight vigil, a sexual health supply packing party and Pride Union’s 16th Annual Drag Show. Complete details are available on the Frisky February webpage.

“Through the activities and programs during sexual health awareness month, we aim to normalize sex and sexuality by talking about it in an open and honest way and providing students with accurate information so that we can increase the sexual health and overall well-being of our community,” says Michelle Goode, OHP health promotion specialist for sexual and relationship violence prevention. “We have wonderful student organizations doing great work around this issue all year long. For this month especially, it is so inspiring to see everyone come together to spotlight this issue and host different events and activities.”

One of those student-led events is the Sexual Health Fair hosted by the Student Association on Friday, Feb. 9, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Schine Student Center atrium. At the fair, on- and off-campus sexual health resources will have interactive tables with games, music and more. Students will also be able to win sexual health prizes.

“Talking about sexual health is so important on a college campus. It’s not necessarily something people are fully exposed to in high school, so we need to create a space where conversation can flow freely around sex and sexual health, which is exactly what Frisky February does,” says Janine Bogris ’18, a student in the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and member of Student Association.

In addition to the events and activities, for the entire month of Frisky February, OHP and Health Services are partnering on a Get Yourself Tested for STIs initiative at Health Services. Students that are tested will receive a Frisky February prize pack. Safer Sex Express, a free resource for SU students to order sexual health supplies, is also offering a special Valentine’s surprise when using the promo code CUPID.

For a complete list of Frisky February events, visit the Office of Health Promotion website. Accommodation requests or questions can be emailed to healthpromotion@syr.edu.