I remember waking up one morning in March of 2018 to find an article written for The Spectator entitled “The Sex Week Abomination.” As the title suggests, the article was not very supportive of Sex Week as a concept. And to be fair, anything titled “Sex Week” is sure to turn heads and draw criticism from conservative-minded crowds. That article came out nearly two years ago, but I have still heard many people ask why we need Sex Week.

Sex Week is sponsored every year (except for last year) by the Sexual Health Awareness Group to discuss issues surrounding the group’s namesake. No matter your moral beliefs on the subject, it is impossible to get around it: people on this campus have sex. If people are going to do it, it is important that they are informed and healthy. And the reality is that many people on this campus are not properly informed.

I remember a couple of years ago, one of my friends was legitimately surprised when I told him condoms offer protection against STDs. The idea that anyone who is sexually active on this campus could not know that is terrifying. I have heard multiple people say they refuse to use condoms. And there seems to be a near-universal thought that lube is solely meant for anal sex. These are several misconceptions and troubling attitudes present on this campus.

In addition to these concerns, there is a dearth of knowledge about queer sex. Even though sex education in America is severely lacking, officials at least tell you what happens during heterosexual sex. There is little to no discussion of queer sex. And the media is little help — heterosexual sex permeates our screens, whereas queer sex and sexuality is almost nowhere to be seen. When it is seen, it is usually sexualized beyond belief. This leads to queer individuals who are unsure or greatly mistaken about what their sexual experiences should look like.

One of my favorite things about Sex Week is the inclusion of these topics in the programming. It is a welcome change of pace from the typical heteronormative practices.

Issues like the general lack of sex education stem from the fact that sex is a taboo subject. One of the goals of Sex Week is dispelling this taboo and normalizing talking about sex. To call sex, one of the most natural things in the world, an “abomination” is such a regressive attitude and should have no place on a campus of higher learning.

It is important to arm yourself with knowledge about sex so that your experience can be the best it can be.