Ask Anything—Anonymously—at Student Health Services’ Sex in the Dark Event
The sexpert panel includes pleasure educators and SHS staff. Photo by Maddie Malhotra
Ask Anything—Anonymously—at Student Health Services’ Sex in the Dark Event
In a safe space, expert panel will talk with students about safe sex
If you’re feeling “in the dark” about sex, sexual health, and relationships, BU Student Health Services (SHS) is here to help.
SHS is hosting its annual Condom Fairy’s Sex in the Dark live event Tuesday night to answer students’ questions about sexual health and relationships. This in-person forum invites a panel of “sexperts” to answer questions submitted anonymously by students, so that attendees can get all the information they need without being nervous about being identified.
This year’s edition of Sex in the Dark takes place in the Howard Thurman Center for Common Ground from 6 to 8 pm. The event will also include face-painting, raffle prizes, friendship bracelet making, and free safer sex supplies. Students can register for the event here and submit their questions in advance. Questions will not be associated with your name or BU email when you submit.
“It’s a fun event with good vibes, good giveaways, and you can learn something, too,” says Sarah Voorhees (SPH‘13), assistant director of substance use, recovery & sexual wellbeing at SHS.
Voorhees says the event is open to all students. Last year’s Sex in the Dark drew more than 200 attendees.
“We want Sex in the Dark to be a welcoming place for all students—and that also includes students who aren’t currently sexually active,” Voorhees says. “It’s such a great opportunity to learn more about sexuality, sexual health, and for folks to reflect on what’s important to them.”
The event will have two parts. The first hour is the “Sex-ploration Fair,” with tables featuring different campus and community resources, including BU’s Condom Fairy, a relationship “check-in” booth, and IUD information.
After the fair, a panel discussion will take place with the lights off, illuminated only by neon light sticks. This year’s panelist of “sexperts” include pleasure educator Cecilia Villero (aka Goddess Ceilia), Jessica Tjong, a nurse practitioner at SHS, Kathryn Elaine, a pleasure educator and owner of House of Bawdry, and Nathan Brewer, director of BU’s Survivor Advocacy, Response & Prevention (SARP).
“I love Sex in the Dark as an event, and I think it’s a sentiment many students who have attended agree with,” Brewer says. “Far too often students come to college under-prepared for sexual and relationship health. High-quality, comprehensive, sex-positive sex education is very rare before college. This event gives students a chance to fill in the gaps left by this lack of education.”
The event was created in partnership with several groups on campus, including the BU Greek Life Sexual Assault Prevention Committee, the BU LGBTQIA+ Student Resource Center, BU Students for Reproductive Freedom, and more.
“I always encourage all of my friends to go,” says Paula Carrillo Aguilar (CAS‘27), a student health ambassador and co-moderator of the panel. “Even as an upperclassman, you learn so much; they talk about a variety of subjects and there is always something new to take away from it.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that 49.8 percent of cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis are among young people ages 15 to 24. Colleges across the country are trying to find ways to educate young people on this topic, but it’s no easy task. “Knowledge is power, so making space for these difficult conversations is always important,” Aguilar says.
At BU, student resources include STI testing through SHS, access to emergency contraceptives, and the Condom Fairy, a BU service where students can request and be sent free safer sex supplies and sexual health information to their on- or off-campus mailboxes.
We want every student to have the information and leave sex in the dark with … resources that they need to support their sexual health and well-being.
“We want every student to leave Sex in the Dark with information, resources that they need to support their sexual health and well-being,” said Voorhees.
Scott Cousins (CAS‘27) has not missed a single Sex in the Dark event since coming to BU.
“I think it’s super awesome to promote sex positivity and have a safe forum to do that where students can ask questions and learn general things without feeling ashamed or weird,” he says.