The Pride Alliance (LSESU’s LGBTQ+ society) launches its first SHAG week today, Monday, March 9th. This week is aimed at treating matters of sexual health and sexual practices for LGBTQ+ students.
The initiative came from Amraj Lally, a PhD student in sociology specializing in topics of HIV prevention, and interested in sexual health and wellbeing, and Nathalie Grigorenko, a masters student in the Gender Department who occupies the Sexual Health Officer role in the Pride Alliance committee.
SHAG week will include a series of events ranging from kink workshops to discussions on what good sex is. It will also provide a training session on assertiveness, encouraging non-aggressive communication to empower LGBTQ+ persons.
The events will focus on the sexual experiences of LGBTQ+ members and aim to open the conversation on specific issues deemed important by the organisers. “We’re looking at the idea of what good sex is and how that can help us understand our own lives and be more communicative about these things,” Lally told The Beaver.
Lally and Grigorenko intend to approach issues with neutrality and non-judgmental/non-paternalistic attitudes while promoting sexual education and wellbeing. SHAG Week will invite specialists from the gender department to speak, and a nurse will be on campus on Tuesday, March 10th, providing students with more information on disease testing and allowing them to get tested. “When we’re more open and understanding and communicative about sex in the curriculum, there are better sexual health and better outcomes,” said Lally.
As the panels promise an intense week of discussion, the Pride Alliance committee also guarantees separate safe rooms available to students who wish to approach those discussions in a more calm environment. The ultimate goal is to provide the tools, knowledge and comfort to empower students in their sexuality.
More information on the events can be found at https://www.facebook.com/events/221582865662558/
