Condom art contest raises AIDS awareness

“Sex is cleaner with a packaged wiener.” \nThat slogan, featured at Thursday’s “Latexhibition” on campus, was a blunt message, encouraging safe-sex practices and raising awareness for Bloomington Hospital’s Positive Link. The organization helps treat patients with AIDS. \nThe Latexhibition is in its second year and is held to observe World AIDS Day, which is Saturday.\nSponsored by the IU Center for Sexual Health Behavior, the display of erotic latex illustrations lured hundreds to the Indiana Memorial Union’s Dogwood Room. \nThe carnal crafts were all made by the school of Health, Physical Education and Recreation’s F255 Human Sexuality students, said instructor Dayna Fischtein.\nThe three top entries of the contest, with categories of best overall entry, best education entry and best use of latex, were auctioned off, with proceeds benefiting Bloomington Hospital’s Positive Link.\nThree of Fischtein’s students, freshmen Emmalee Luckman, Amber Gyselinck and Ashley Messina, created the winning entry, a purse and pair of heels made entirely from condom wrappers.\n“At the beginning of the year, students were barely touching condoms and uneasy about handling them,” Fischtein said. “By the end of this project, they were handling them without hesitation, which is the whole point of the assignment, to become comfortable with safe-sex practices.”\nIU Center for Sexual Health Behavior Research Coordinator Chris Fisher said the estimated number of condoms and latex products used in the exhibition was between 1,500 to 2,000. \nKinky creations this year included a scene of a hotel room with a Barbie and Ken doll, decorated with dozens of colorful condoms and provocative phrases, including “Don’t be a loner, cover your boner!”