Student groups host ‘Condom Casino’

On Tuesday night, the O’Hara Ballroom filled with music, dance, chatter and free condoms.

The Campus Women’s Organization sponsored Condom Casino, an event that about 200 Pitt students and about 10 campus organizations attended, including the Title IX Office, Hillel, Healthy U and SHARE. Amid musical performances, students meandered from table to table, learning about the prevalence of rape at college and pledging their opposition to sexual assault by signing Healthy U’s paper chain.

When students walked in the door, organizers handed them a “passport.” Once they got a stamp by every station, the organizers put the student’s name into a raffle for a chance to win a variety of items that promote safe sex, like vagina shaped lollipops and Vagina Monologue T-shirts, promoting the upcoming CWO production.

“This event provides a comprehensive sex education for students on campus and is an opportunity to have a lot of fun,” Suzy Hinkle, CWO president and senior chemical engineering student, said.

At the event, some groups, like the Hillel Jewish University, set up educational tables. Hillel’s table sought to teach students about Judaism as it relates to sex. At other tables, students played poker and other card games, using condoms as chips.

By using condoms as poker chips, CWO and the other organizations hoped to promote safe, healthy sex in order to protect students from harm.

While students wandered from table to table, the a capella group Songburghs performed for the crowd. Following their performance, student dance group Controlled Chaos sang a medley of songs meant to empower women and promote self-confidence.