University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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Growing awareness leads to: Condom consciousness The move is on to put it on. It is thin, relatively inexpensive, often free. It can be transparent or any color of the rainbow, plain or fruit-flavored. And if you are not wearing one you better make sure your partner is. The idea that your first time could be your last time is hardly news. The message is clear that care- free sex can kill. And yet over the course of a year, University of Michigan Health Services runs 1800 checks for chalmydia and 1300 checks for sexually transmit- ted diseases including herpes, genital warts, and blood tests for syphillis and gonorrhea. Easy access to free condoms is not a problem on U-M ' s cam- pus. At health services they are stocked in the gynecology center and the nurse treatment waiting rooms. In residence halls, and fraternity and so- rority houses they are handed out during safer sex presen- tations. And this fall, U-M students found them pasted between the pages of Campus Connection magazine. An ad picturing a guitar and the words Play Smart urged readers to use America ' s most trusted condom to help reduce the risk of spread- ing STDs. On the opposite page a set of instruc- tions explained exactly how to use condoms. Car- ter-Wallace Inc., of TROJAN brand condoms fur- Slumbering on a Saturday is still a favorite pastime for U-M Students. (BEN-REV HISTORICAL LIBRARY) zines on more than 40 campuses across the United States including U-M. Peter Steinberg, of the New York-based public relations firm, Ruder-Finn Inc., which represents Carter- Wallace says, U-M was chosen because of a desire to target campuses in large metropolitan areas or with large enrollments. Advertisements like the one in Campus Con- nection are just one of the efforts being made to further condom awareness. - At safer sex presentations given in residence halls and greek houses, emphasis is placed on the importance of using condoms. Lisa Newman, LSA senior said, Safer sex is about choices. Sex is never completely safe but there are decisions you can make to protect your- self and make it safer. To protect against the spread of STDs, an American name brand latex condom paired with spermicide containing nonoxyl-nine is the best choice to make. Lambskin condoms pro- tect against pregnancy but not STDs because bacteria is able to permeate the lambskin. Polly Paulson, counselor in the Health Service Director ' s Office, said The growing awareness about AIDS and STDs is making some people think about the issues and problems with sex. nished the complimentary condoms in an effort to focus on the need to guard against the spread of Others though have not heard the message and STDs. we need to work at reaching them. The ads containing condoms appeared in maga- Lisa Perczak MICHIGAN LIFE 27

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Sexual Activity Frequent (at least once a week) Abstinent (0-2 times a year) Occasional (6-12 times a year) Often (1-2 times a month) Top: Bobby Milstein demonstrates the right way to put on a condom. (BILL WOOD) Bottom: Safer sex education is a primary goal of U-M Health Serv- ices. (AMY SEINFELD) Opposite: Health Serwices lo- cated on Fletcher Street provides free condoms to U-M students. (AMY SEINFELD) 26 MICHIGAN LIFE

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Linked arm in arm they march: Taking back the night This past year, 1,000 people joined the dem- onstration the largest number of participants in the past 10 years. Walking through the cam- pus and city streets arm linked in arm, the women chanted, Wherever we go, however we dress, ' no ' means no and ' yes ' means yes. For the past 10 years, the Ann Arbor Coali- tion Against Rape has or- ganized ' Take Back the Night, a march against the sexual assault of women. Its par- ticipants line the streets, strengthened by their number and united in their cause. Together they walk to re- gain a sense of confidence and power. According to literature put out by AACAR, Take Back the Night is a demonstration of the pow- er of women working col- lectively. It is a symbol of the fact that women must rely on other women for safe- ty. It ' s ironic because we want to be able to stand on our own, but we have to depend on other women to do so, says Lisa Newman, LSA sen- ior. According to the Federal Bureau of Investiga- tion ' s statistics on sexual assault, one in every three women, and one in every 10 men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetimes. However, in over 99.5 percent of all rapes, men are the ag- gressors. The march has always been peaceful but not without some heckling. When we marched by some of the fraternities, some of the guys were screaming things like, ' hey sexy ' or ' why don ' t you come by for a drink afterwards? ' but we just ignore them. We don ' t give into such ha- rassments anymore, says Nicole Carson, LSA junior. This past year, a group called National Organization for Men demonstrated in oppo- sition to the March. Unfortunately, not many men understand why women march alone. And, the men who do realize why they cannot fall into step be- hind the women, get frustrated. Male supporters are encouraged to stand on the sidelines and demonstrate passively. John Ifcher, Michigan alumnus and past chairman for the men ' s rally, believes men must take responsi- bility for their roles as ag- gressors in sexual assault situations. The men ' s rally is one way of showing their concern. Ifcher, says the men who participated in the rally believe that the march is a time for women. We rallied to sup- port the women in tak- ing back the night..We didn ' t want to take it back for them because we did not want to perpetuate the ' male as protector ' issue. One of the main objec- tives of Take Back the Night is to increase com-munity awareness and responsibility, in hopes of ending rape. The issues of sexual assault and harassment are slowly making their way onto the public agenda. Marching and rallying rein- force the idea that the issues and the victims are real. Take Back the Night was the most empow- ering experience I ' ve had as a woman, said Susan Langnas, LSA junior. The march proj- ects feelings of unity and hope that a change in society ' s attitudes toward rape and assault will occur. Bethany Celmins, an LSA junior, said, After the march, people were dancing and celebrat- ing. It was just a unifying thing at the end- people expressing themselves, crying and laugh- ing. It made me feel very affected. by Stacey Farb Hanging out at the record box. (BENTLEV HISTORICAL LIBRARY) 28 MICHIGAN LIFE