Editorial
It’s easy to examine the state of sex education for college students and find it incredibly patronizing.
Sex educators, public awareness campaigns and numerous ads on campus all display a condescending undertone that says, “”You’re just kids, and really, you don’t know how to have safe sex.””
And as annoying as such sentiments are, it’s becoming clear that students on campus deserve every part of the treatment.
According to recent national and local surveys, a high percentage of sexually active students are making flat-out stupid decisions.
Despite years of indoctrination on the practice of responsible, safe sex, students at the UA are misusing condoms.
Most alarming: 58 percent of the males surveyed at the UA reported waiting until after sexual intercourse had begun to put on a condom.
While it appears students are talking about condom use before engaging in sexual activity, the incidents of condom failure during intercourse is greater on this campus than the national average.
It’s clear that while sexual educators have been on message, students haven’t been paying attention.
Responsible, intelligent students on this campus know that putting a condom on after beginning intercourse doesn’t decrease the transmission of diseases, nor does it eliminate the possibility of pregnancy.
The best way to ensure that the chances of pregnancy and STD transmission are greatly diminished is to wear a condom from start to finish. It’s simple, safe and exactly what Campus Health Service sex educators have been saying for years.
Students aren’t invincible. Condoms can break, and they’re not foolproof or failsafe.
Sexual educators, using recent surveys as evidence, say that college students are unprepared for dealing with decisions regarding sexual activity.
Some of that blame may lie with high school sexual education and its lack of responsible awareness, but the blame cannot end there.
Ignorance is no excuse in the classroom, and it definitely shouldn’t be one in the bedroom.
There are an incredible number of resources available on campus for students to learn about safe sex, and those resources need to be utilized.
Sex isn’t an embarrassing topic or one restricted to only the pillow. The risks involved and the consequences necessitate frank, mature and open conversations.
Students must take control and become more responsible with their use of condoms, as it’s the only way students will decrease the immense risk they currently take.
And maybe, when students begin to act responsibly, the patronizing attitude they currently receive from the adult community will finally be shed.
Opinions are determined by the Wildcat opinions board and written by one of its members. They are Nina Conrad, Lori Foley, Caitlin Hall, Michael Huston, Ryan Johnson, Aaron Mackey and Tim Runestad.