Trojan comes to IU

Wearing fuzzy pink pig ears and a rubber snout, the couple hurriedly ripped open the condom wrappers. Trying to beat the record time of 14 seconds, they quickly placed them on the fake bananas.

The activity was one of several exercises in sexual health that took place during the Trojan “Evolve” Bus Tour’s stop in Bloomington.

VIDEO: Trojan Evolve

The tour came to Dunn Meadow on Wednesday, bringing condoms and information to students. The event included a trivia game, relay race and informational videos.

Students could sign a pledge to use a condom each time they have sex and a petition to support increased sexual education.

Freshmen Tommy Perozzi and Jack Diamond noticed the event while riding the campus bus and decided to stop by.

“I came to get free condoms and a good laugh,” Perozzi said. “It was a really good promotion. It was a combination of fun and education.”

Trojan Communications Manager and Sexual Health Educator Kari Kuka said one in four teenage girls has a sexually transmitted infection and stressed the importance of wearing a condom.

“We can’t get into high schools,” Kuka said, “so the best we can do is hopefully start education so that every college student knows the risks of engaging in unprotected sex and why it’s so important to use a condom every time.” 

For correctly answering trivia questions, Trojan representatives gave out free condoms while winners of the relay race received an “Evolve” T-shirt. Other goodies included fake Trojan “Evolve” tattoos and a roommate alert system to hang on the door.

Despite the light-hearted mood, Kuka said the main purpose of the tour is to encourage progress within the collegiate community. Kuka said past tour participants who were surveyed said their attitudes about condom-use and sex education were developing.

“Just hearing students and watching their faces, I know when they leave our site if they’ve talked with me that they’re getting information that they didn’t have before,” she said.

After racing each other in the Evolve relay race, freshmen Ryan Webster and Natalie Viscosi said they enjoyed learning in a fun atmosphere.

“I didn’t know that condoms had an expiration date,” Webster said. “I think it’s good they’re doing this.”

Participants in the relay raced to a small wooden night stand complete with alarm clock and lamp. Opening the drawer, the students grabbed a condom and raced back to the table. After reading the expiration date, users placed it correctly on the banana, removed it slowly and tied it in a knot before throwing it away.

Freshman Zoya Rozycki said the contest made her more aware of reading the expiration date and tying a knot after removing the condom.

The first leg of Trojan’s Evolve Bus Tour began in April, and Kuka said its second leg goes through October. The company will possibly expand it for another year. They hope to reach 60 campuses in six months, she said.

“All of them are very receptive,” Kuka said. “They want this information. They see Trojan, and whether they’re embarrassed when they first walk up or not, they’re still willing to come over and learn about why we’re here.”