Condom catwalk

Members of the audience lip-synced Jennifer Lopez’s “Get on the Floor” as they waited for the second annual Condom Fashion Show to start Wednesday.

The lights went black, and a man strutted from behind the red curtain onto the runway with only fake ivy covering his hips. The green spiraled down his left leg to his strappy black heel. Gold glitter sparkled from his bare chest and lips.

Puck was running the show.

“‘Where fantasy meets reality, fantasy awaits’ is the theme of our show,” coordinator Israel Rodriguez said.

Six models dressed in multicolored outfits made of non-lubricated latex condoms took the stage. Each designer was given 500 condoms to work with for the Condom Fashion Show, but could ask for more if needed, Rodriguez said.

The designers were a combination of community members and IU students. On the designs, condoms were loose, rolled up or still in the packages in some cases.

“We had an amazing turnout last year,” coordinator Patrick Battani said. “There is more publicity this year, a huge buzz.”

The Condom Fashion Show, sponsored by Illumenate, took the same amount of work and planning as a theatrical event, coordinator Jim Armstrong said.

“Illumenate is the only MPowerment project in Indiana,” Rodriguez said. “It is a national project instilling education around safe sex.”

Illumenate’s MPowerment project is geared toward gay and bisexual men ages 18 to 29. The main goal is to bring together a community of young gay and bisexual men while educating them on safe sex practices.

The group has passed out more than 50,000 condoms in the three years they have been an organization. This event alone took 10,000 condoms, which were paid for through a grant from the Indiana State Department of Health, Battani said.

“The idea is to make people more comfortable being around and using condoms,” Battani said. “This is a safer sex event.”

Rodriguez said part of safer sex and the prevention of HIV/AIDS is making sure people know how to use condoms.

“There are a lot of different kinds of condoms, and it is all personal preference,” Rodriguez said. “The biggest problem with condom usage is that people don’t know how.”

Illumenate used to be funded fully by the Department of State’s Health Department, but because of funding priorities, they had to discontinue fully funding the organization.

Even without funding, Illumenate members said they thought it was important to continue into their third year.

“We are so happy to be involved and be creating a community,” Rodriguez said. “We want people to find a community. We want them to know where to get tested and how to be safe.”

Illumenate used to be under Positive Link at the IU Health Center Bloomington but is now under Community Action AIDS Group. Students who want to join the organization or any of the brother organizations should check out the Facebook page, come to group meetings or events, Armstrong said.

“Illumenate exists to help and support you,” Rodriguez said. “We are building a community and bringing something unique to IU.”

Although the fashion show was for fun, Illumenate also used the event for educational purposes.

“Our main goal is to say do what you want, but keep it safe, sane and consensual,” Battani said.