By Rob Siewert
Sex. It’s part of everyone’s life, whether you’re having it, wishing you were having it or actively avoiding it. You are reading this today because your parents had it. Really. Sex is all around us on campus. People are talking about sex in the Den (Thursdays especially), thinking about sex when they should be studying or having sex in lightly-traveled nooks and crannies around the university. But there is a lot of misinformation floating around campus about sex and sexual practices. Our job, and pleasure, is to provide a source of information and entertainment that students can check from week to week in the Gauntlet. We want to explore what sorts of sexual services are available to you on campus, what kinds of sexual practices are fun and safe and which are better left to the professionals.
In this introductory article, we want to provide some information about your campus. Whether you are a frosh straight out of high school or a well-weathered U of C student, there are places on campus that safely and confidentially provide advice, tips and even some of the hardware essential for love-making. We aren’t saying you can buy fluffy handcuffs at the Stör, but rubbers and energy drinks can’t hurt. There are a variety of services available to students at the university, and most of them are free, or of little to no cost. These services can be simple, like the jar of free condoms on the Mac Hall information counter, or more involved, like talking to a professional from the counseling centre and STI tests from the campus health centre. Sex can seem scary and overwhelming at times, but there are dozens of educated, trained personnel to help you make sense of it.
Queers on Campus: (ucalgary.ca/~qcampus/)
MSC 279Q located in the club space behind the Stör.
The campus can be a big scary place, and Queers on Campus is there to provide LGBTQ students a comfortable environment, information and events. They also educate all members of the campus community about queer issues.
Sexual Harassment Office
Phone: 403-220-4086. Located on the second floor of the Math Sciences Building, Rooms 261 and 263.
While sex between consenting partners can be a ton of fun, if someone crosses the line and makes you feel uncomfortable or threatened, the sexual harassment office is there to help you resolve the issue.
Calgary Sexual Health Center
Phone: 403-283-5580. Located at 304, 301-14th Street NW.
While this is not on campus, it is available to everyone and offers STI tests, birth control and information for all your sexual health needs.
Safe Walk
Call 403-220-5333 (24 hours a day/seven days a week, 365 days a year).
Safe Walk can help alleviate those fears when walking around campus at night, like the fear of running into your ex, or possibly a bear. Essentially, Safe Walk gives students the ability to feel safe when going around campus.
Counseling Centre, SU Wellness Centre
Room 370, MacEwan Student Centre.
Sometimes you just need someone to talk to. Someone outside of your situation that can deliver advice, hope and put that hop back in your step. These folks are trained to make you feel a little less overwhelmed and guide you towards the help you need, sexual or not.
So have fun out there and enjoy safe sex on campus. With the right information, babies may be avoided. That burning itching sensation when you pee, too.
If any readers have questions, comments or topics they think we should examine, feel free to email us at [email protected].