Sex on Campus: The Condom Breakthrough

A new survey claims that young people are more sexually active and practicing safe sex. But is it true in the campus hookup scene?

On Thursday October 14^th, The Center for Sexual Health Promotion released a study claiming, among other things, that not just sex, but safe sex, is on the rise.

There are many discrepancies regarding exactly what (or who) is the catalyst for increased sexual activity among teens today. Depending on the argument, designated catalysts (or rather, culprits) range from a decline in church-going to an increase in accessible, promiscuous television programs. Arguably, the most prevalent argument attributes increased sexual activity to increased sexual education.  To put it simply: the more kids hear about sex, the more they’re going to want to do it.

Regardless of which theory you prescribe to, we can all agree that this generation is more sexually active.  The good news is, nation-wide sex ed programs seem to be working at least in one respect: kids really are using protection.

“Health and Wellness Centers” on college campuses across the country not only provide free condoms, but cheap birth control, as well as distribute safe sex pamphlets en masse.  And kids are listening.

During last year’s swine flu panic, friends joked that the Health and Wellness Center was actually being used as something other than a condom dispenser:

“The only other time I’d ever been in there was to grab a hand-full of condoms,” claimed a male friend, to which a girlfriend responded, “… yeah, or to refill my birth control prescription.”  Presumably, if kids are stacking up on condoms and birth control, kids are using condoms and birth control.

An undeniable stigma is attached to those friends who admit to having unprotected sex.

“[Having unprotected sex] is kind of like smoking,” claims a college senior, “you won’t be ostracized by your friends, but you’ll definitely be judged. It’s just like… why?”

Not only are young adults practicing safe sex, they’re getting tested.  I have no statistical evidence to prove this, but most people I know have been tested at least once.  Why?  The general sentiment seems to be because it’s easy and cheap and… why not?

So, while my generation has undeniably “upped the ante” for frivolous, morally questionable sexual behavior, at least one thing can be said in our defense: we’re being responsibly irresponsible.