Shedding light in the dark

Sex in the Dark let students ask about sex and relationships anonymously

To shed light on uncomfortable and sensitive sexual topics, Vandal Health Education turned the lights out for an anonymous candid conversation Thursday night.

“It’s important all students have access because it’s their body, their safety, their right to know,” said Dawn Amos, a panelist at Sex in the Dark.

Amos, a student at the University of Idaho and secretary for Generation Action, volunteered to be on the panel.

Discussions during Sex in the Dark focused on sexual health and relationships said Julia Keleher, director of the LGBTQA office.

Students in attendance were given glow sticks to wear after the lights were turned off in the Wallace Residence Center basement. Questions were submitted to the panelist through a website students in the audience could access on their phones.

Questions posed to the panelists ranged from the basics of sexual intercourse to sexually transmitted diseases. Panelists, in response, emphasized the importance of communication.

Amos said she thought the event was important because she didn’t have sex education growing up and her parents didn’t teach her anything.Amos said being a part of the panel gave the opportunity to share some of her knowledge about sexual health and relationships with the student who went.

“I’m a huge supporter of sexual education no matter their identity,” Amos said.

Keira Terchowitz, a panelist and vice president of the Generation Action, said she felt her place on the panel was appropriate, given her similar age to many students in the audience, something she said the previous Sex in the Dark panel lacked.

“I feel like a lot of students have questions about sex they may not have the answer too,” Terchowitz said.

For students who were unable to attend, Keleher said the Vandal Health Education website has helpful links and ways for students to anonymously ask questions.

Kali Nelson can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @kalinelson6

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