You’ve seen writing on a bathroom wall that says things, like “Jenny and Jesse together forever.” But how often do you see writing that gets you thinking about something serious, like a sexually transmitted disease (STD)?

Well, a few weeks ago, I went to a concert at PNC Bank Arts Center only to find that the girls’ bathroom had posters on the stalls with facts about human papillomavirus (HPV). Some strains of HPV can cause genital warts and others are linked to an increased risk of cervical cancer. It was really great to see information about HPV. I read some of the HPV facts and then chose my bathroom stall. On the inside of the stall, there was another, smaller poster with a tip about HPV that read, “Condoms may not fully protect against HPV.” After seeing that, I then noticed the little conversation going on about the poster. Someone had written, “Suck d**k!! It’s safer!!” and then another person wrote “Not really—what about HIV?”

The conversation on the bathroom wall got me thinking, so when I got home I did some research about HPV and condoms. I found out that viruses, such as HPV or herpes, can be spread through skin-to-skin contact. That means that areas that aren’t covered by a condom during sex can leave you at risk. Also, when a condom is used correctly, it can protect you from getting HIV, which is not spread from skin-to-skin contact. In essence, using a condom does reduce your chances of getting infections, so you should always be safe and use one.

So, the next time you are thinking about writing something on a bathroom wall, make sure you know what you’re talking about, especially when it comes to important topics like STDs.

—Colleen Tierney, 17, Staff Writer

With a brand-new season of Jersey Shore rapidly approaching, we’re anticipating raging parties, big hair poufs and… STDs?!

According to a recent article from The New York Post, popular reality television shows, like Jersey Shore and Celebrity Rehab, are really concerned about their cast members getting STDs. In fact, during a roundtable discussion with reality show producers hosted by The Hollywood Reporter, a Jersey Shore producer claimed that they hand out Valtrex, a popular medication for treating herpes, “like M&Ms.”

This isn’t all that surprising, especially considering Pauly D’s wild one-night stands with random strangers. But on TV these hookups are portrayed like carefree, harmless fun, without any potential health risks or dangerous consequences.

Of course, there’s no way to know for sure whether these reality shows really are hotbeds for STDs, unless everyone is tested. But with all the random flings, you would think that there would be some talk of safer sex. Yet safer sex—which is critical for reducing the risk of getting STDs, such as herpes and HIV—is simply glossed over during filming. Rarely do we see Snooki rushing to buy condoms or Mike the Situation getting tested for-or at the very least worrying about—gonorrhea.

But just because we don’t see cast members dealing with itchy red bumps or wondering if they should be tested after last nights escapade doesn’t mean STDs aren’t part of real life. Reality shows would be a lot more “real” if they actually showed the consequences of engaging in risky sex. Hopefully, this season we’ll start hearing more about preventing or treating STDs and less about doing GTLs (gym, tan, laundry).

—Cynthia Lam, 16, Staff Writer

Sex: one of the most talked about, thought about and worried about topics in society. But what does “sex” mean?

In a recent survey conducted by the Guttmacher Institute, only 20 percent of college students felt that oral-genital contact was a form of “sex.” On the other hand, 98 percent agreed that penile-vaginal intercourse was sex, and 78 percent agreed that penile-anal intercourse was sex. Interestingly, the participants in the survey were only half as likely as participants in a similar study conducted in 1991 to consider oral-genital intercourse sex.

We all have our own definitions about what sex is or isn’t, but we can’t make the mistake of thinking oral-genital intercourse is a way to avoid sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). While there is no risk of pregnancy during oral-genital intercourse, there are STDs, including herpes, gonorrhea and HIV, that you can get from oral sex.

Believing that oral sex is not as “serious” as penile-vaginal or penile-anal sex can unfortunately lead to carelessness when it comes to using condoms and dental dams to protect yourself during oral sex. And no matter what you consider sex to be, we can all agree that not protecting yourself is to risk getting an STD. And why not use protection now, so you don’t have to deal with an STD later?

-Melanie Johnson, 17, Staff Writer

Condoms, when used correctly, help prevent unplanned pregnancies, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Condoms can be an important part of practicing safer sex, and here at Sex, Etc. we encourage you to make condoms fun. Sex, Etc. is not the only place promoting condom use; in fact, a whole city is promoting it! New York City’s Health Department gives away more than 40 million free condoms a year. Those free condoms have a package specifically designed for New York City, a black wrapper based on the city’s subway motif.

World AIDS Day is held once a year, every year, on December 1. While HIV/AIDS is a daily reality that needs to be discussed and addressed, this is one particular day when people take extra time to get educated, get tested and remember the over 33 million people worldwide, living with HIV/AIDS.

AIDS-related deaths have been decreasing over the past couple of decades for two very good reasons: knowledge and treatment. Yet, HIV/AIDS still has no cure.

This World AIDS Day, we encourage you to remember that there’s a long way to go in developing a cure for HIV and overcoming the social stigma faced by those living with HIV/AIDS all over the world. And while you’re remembering, you can actually do something by participating in a World AIDS Day event near you. And there are two other things you can do, not just today, but any day:

1) Educate yourself about HIV/AIDS and
2) Get tested.

-Anita Modi, 17, Contributor