Florida Tech students filed into Gleason Performing Arts Center to hear Joni Frater and Esther Lastique speak about sex on Sep. 23.
Frater and Lastique, best-selling authors and trained sexologists, began the boot camp with an introduction to their sex ed boot camp.
“We are sexologists,” Frater said. “We study the science of sex. We’ve been interviewed by magazines like Playboy, Maxim, Men’s Health and Cosmo.”
The sexologists began a discussion the Four Main Pillars of Healthy Relationships: Honesty, Respect, Equality, and Responsibility.
“Basically, we’re here to raise the bar on your ability to talk about sex. We are here to protect you against unplanned or unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections,” Esther added.
The conversation started with the question, “How did you learn about relationships and sex?”
The audience offered a few answers: “The internet,” “Friends,” “Siblings,” Parents.”
“Let me ask you,” Frater’s voice grew focused, “How many of you had an informed discussion with an adult you respected who did not just tell you, ‘Don’t do it,’?”
Only a few hands in the audience went up.
“We don’t talk about sex. Many students do not have a frame of reference for understanding or communicating about sex,” Frater continued.
The bootcamp which, in their words, was designed to “include discussions of basic anatomy, sexual responsibility and address Title IX and violence prevention, if and when to be sexual, and safer sex techniques for the 21st century,” did just that.
Here are some words of advice from the sexologists:
UNHEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS
Know your rights. You have the right to be safe. You have the right to set your own priorities, make your own decisions, and grow uniquely as an individual.
If you see dangerous behaviors in relationships around you, step up and step in. Think of everybody as your younger brother or sister and how you would take care of them. You are now part of a much larger extended family. Protect each other.
REMEMBER
Sexual assault is the absence of a sober yes.
SELF-LOVE
Learn to FLY: “First Love Yourself.” Get to know yourself and what brings you pleasure. Loving yourself in the most fundamental love affair you can have & loving yourself will teach everyone around you how to love you better.
PRE-SEX TALK
What do you want to know before sharing your body? Have this conversation.
“R U DTF?” does not classify as a pre-sex talk.
Go get tested with your partner prior to sex.
PROTECTION
Always use protection. Everybody is responsible for bringing the protection.
Protect your protection: don’t leave condoms in a hot car and pay attention to the expiration dates.
GERM WARFARE
Diseases are so rampant and easily spread. That is the scary reality. Please do not become a statistic. We are not teaching brain surgery: always use protection.
TESTING
Get tested every 6 months or when you change partners. Even if you are not sexually active, you should get into the habit of getting tested.
According to Frater and Lastique, “The first important step to practicing safer sex is getting the right information.”
For tips on safer sex visit www.sexedbootcamp.com.
For on-campus resources, visit the Holzer Health Center or contact CAPS.
