Halloween bingo event to give away sexy prizes, education
SAMANTHA SAMSON, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
The RRCSA is holding Sexy Bingo Night to see how students react to talking about sex. THE PROJECTOR/Emily Enns
Candy won’t be the only thing giving students a buzz this Halloween.
To gauge how willing students are to talk about sex, the RRC Students’ Association (RRCSA) is setting up Sexy Bingo Night.
“It’s more of a light-hearted event. You might get a shot glass that’s in the shape of a penis,” said RRCSA president Benjamin McDonald. “It’s designed to be a funny thing.”
And an informative one.
The idea came up when the RRCSA was planning their events in July, McDonald said. They decided on the themed night after they heard other post-secondary schools have tried it. They also took student survey results into account.
The RRCSA has asked students over the years what events they would like to see that they haven’t yet. The Projector was only given a portion of the survey results, which revealed a slight increase of students asking for awareness events about sex or drugs.
“Not in terms of high school for practicing safe sex or being ready, but to take it to that next level where we know you’re already doing things,” McDonald said. “We looked at things like risky behaviours that people get into or making sure that people aren’t being victimized. We want to make sure there’s awareness out there so people know.”
Sexy Bingo Night is new to RRC and doesn’t involve sexy Halloween costumes. According to RRCSA programming, the event is near Halloween simply because it was a free date in the schedule.
“We know that people are having sex, so we’re looking at opening up a dialogue and seeing what people are comfortable with,” said McDonald. “Is it something that we want to fully engage in and make an awareness week, or is it something that people want to keep as private, something they don’t want to discuss at all?”
Students are discussing it, according to RRC counsellor Chad Smith. He said students chat with him and other counsellors about their sexual identities, feeling pressured to have sex and trying to define sexual assault when it happens to them. If Sexy Bingo Night can do anything, he said, it’s bring the topic out in the open.
INFOGRAPHIC BY VANESSA OGIBOWSKI
“Depending on how it’s structured and how it’s done, it can be a great way to provide some education, to provide some knowledge in a fun way,” said Smith. “With the toys, it allows people to have some fun, to stretch their comfort level.”
But both Sexy Bingo Night and the campaign will have to be done in the right way.
“Are we making sure the questions are inclusive? Are we including all sexualities, all gender identities?” asked Smith. “Or is it done with a mainstream, heterosexual lens? In which case, I’d probably say it’s done wrong.”
According to the RRCSA, the night will be focused around information on sexual consent, STIs, breast and prostate cancer awareness and LGBTTQ inclusivity. The event is on Oct. 28 in The Cave and will be from 4 to 6 p.m.
An emcee will be hosting the event and prizes include “sexy toys” and coupons to sex shops according to McDonald. The RRCSA will also be giving out leftover gift bags from the first week of school that include condoms and KY jelly.
Students say…
CORINNA BOLLEGRAF,
EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANT
It’s a weird name for it. And what’s
sexy about bingo? I’d play bingo for
candy, maybe.
NICOLE EPP,
EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANT
When I hear bingo, I think of old people,
not sexiness. If I saw the sign, I wouldn’t say ‘count me in.’
MARK VARGAS,
DIGITAL MEDIA DESIGN
If there were costumes, it’s relevant
to Halloween. Maybe I’d go to it but
it seems like something weird to go
alone to.
Edit Oct. 26 10:25 a.m. – altered for CP style
