Wrap up something special this Valentine's Day

By Sarah Pittman
The Collegian

Most people look forward to Feb. 14 as a time to snuggle with their sweethearts, exchange flowers and gifts and think about love.

Instead of celebrating Valentine’s Day, health educators such as Michael Gerald observe and promote National Condom Awareness Day, a holiday that raises awareness of the importance of condom use.

“It is a romantic time. It is a great time to talk about responsibility and good decision making,” Gerald, a 20-year-old educator at Planned Parenthood and Fresno State psychology major, said.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Web site, excluding abstinence, latex condoms provide the best protection against STDs and are 89 percent effective in preventing pregnancy.

Gerald said condoms are the cheapest and most accessible form of birth control. “They’re also the most popular,” Gerald added.

Condom Awareness Day falls in the middle of Condom Awareness Week, which is Feb. 11-17. Gerald is coordinating Condom Awareness Week at Planned Parenthood with a variety of events and giveaways.

“Fresno County has one of the highest rates of chlamydia in the state of California. Condom use will reduce the incidents of chlamydia,” Patsy Montgomery, the director of public affairs for the South Valley region for Planned Parenthood, said.

Gerald said one of the ideas behind the awareness week is to unite the educational outreach, which typically takes place on college campuses and other locations around town, with the clinic aspect of Planned Parenthood, where free condoms and other forms of birth control are usually given out.

On Monday, Planned Parenthood is joining forces with Spanish radio station La Kalle 107.9 FM. At a busy intersection in Fresno, there will be an onsite disc jockey and a table will be set up with free condoms and sexual health information.

At the Planned Parenthood sites in Madera and at the Family First clinic at 5727 N. Fresno St., tables will be set up and three-packs of condoms will be handed out.

On Tuesday the Madera site and the site on Fulton Street in downtown Fresno will feature a “condom drive-thru.”

These drive-thru sites will allow people to drive by in their cars and receive a three-pack of strawberry flavored condoms, one flavored lubricant and an information pamphlet on Planned Parenthood. The walk-up table at the Family First clinic will also be available on Tuesday as well.

On Wednesday, soon to be announced, another event will be featured giving out condoms. All events are from 3 to 5 p.m.

At the walk-up clinic and the drive, individuals don’t need to bring anything to get the free condoms.

On regular clinic days, individuals must make an appointment and show their State of California Health Access Program card to receive the free condoms or other services the clinics offer.

During the regular clinic hours at Planned Parenthood, individuals can receive 48 free condoms.

“A big selling point for males is the 48 condoms,” Gerald said. “Not that everybody has sex 48 times a day, but it’s empowering to know you have access to 48 condoms.”

Every Tuesday at Stone Soup, which is located close to the Fresno State campus on Bulldog Lane, Planned Parenthood turns the location into a satellite site from 2 to 5 p.m. During these hours, most of the same services the other clinics offer such as condoms, birth control, the morning after pill and pregnancy and STD testing are available.

“It’s important to promote safe sex on college campuses because there’s a new found independence, being able to make your own choice and decisions. Unfortunately, there’s outside influences such as drugs, alcohol and stress which may lead to impulsive decisions,” Gerald said. “You don’t want a case of chlamydia or pregnancy before your exam on Tuesday.”

Marisol Franco, an 18-year-old freshman, agrees that it’s important to offer condoms on campus.

“I think there’s a lot of college people having sex and you don’t want a lot of college people getting pregnant or getting STDs.”

Mariam Christa, also a freshman, believes condoms should be available on campus because it would be convenient and beneficial to the students who live in the dorms.

Christopher Silva, an 18-year-old undeclared freshman, said there should be condoms available on campus to prevent STDs but that it’s not an issue that affect him personally.

“Me personally, I practice abstinence so it’s not a problem,” Silva said.

On campus, condoms are available at the pharmacy at the student health center. The condoms can be purchased with cash or check for 20 cents each.

At local pharmacies, condoms come in many varieties and are sold in packs of two through 48 between 35 cents each to $3.33 each.

“It’s about taking care of yourself and your reproductive health,” Gerald said.

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