UMD’s Annual Condom Fashion Show Highlights Sex Positivity
Students gathered on Wednesday, April 10, to watch UMD's Condom Fashion Show, an annual event that emphasizes sex positivity and sex awareness. Image credit: Joy Saha for The Campus Trainer
The smell of savory popcorn and latex filled the air in Stamp’s Grand Ballroom. In the center of the room was a large screen and a black runway sprinkled with stray condom packets and blue makeshift condom balloons. The floor around the runway was littered with colorful, flavored, glow-in-the-dark and intense pleasure condoms. Tables placed near the entrance of the room featured sex games for students to take part in.
But these weren’t kinky sexual games. Rather, they were trivia games that allowed students to test their knowledge and learn more about safe sex practices. As students frolicked around the room, snacking on popcorn and taking part in games, it was clear that one thing was on their minds: sex.
The Condom Fashion Show, which took place on April 10th, is an annual event organized by Global Protection ONE Condoms, the Office of Multicultural Involvement & Community Advocacy, the University Health Center and Sex Week at Maryland. A total of seven student organizations took part in this judged fashion competition that challenged them to create unique outfits made entirely out of un-lubed condoms.
“The [Condom Fashion Show] is connected to world youth HIV/AIDS day. The purpose [of the show] is sex positivity and safer sex education,” said Billy Kennedy, a sexual health peer educator at the University Health Center and a senior government and politics major.
This year, student organizations, such as Triota, the Peer Leaders, Eta Sigma Gamma, SHAC, the Sexual Health Peers, the Mental Health Peers and GMAP Lab, took part in the competition. The judges for this year’s show were David McBride, the director of the University Health Center; Gerald De Leon, the prevention & outreach coordinator at Safe Shore D.C. Children’s Advocacy Center, and Sika Wheeler, the coordinator of the LGBT Equity Center at this university.
Prior to the fashion show, McBride informed students about the various sexual health services available at the health center and shared a fun fact to get everyone curious about sex.
“Did you know that [zip code] 20742 has the highest rate of chlamydia in the state of Maryland?” McBride asked.
20742 is the zip code for Prince George’s County. Audience members responded back with astounded “wows!”, laughter and shocked faces.
Once the show began, the ballroom became lively with cheers and whistles. Audience members yelled words of encouragement as their peers strutted down the runway.
Triota’s design featured a shawl made entirely out of pink and royal blue condoms, while GMAP Lab’s model wore a dress adorned with different shades of pink condoms, along with pink condom earrings and a pink condom arm cuff.
A model representing Triota struts down the runway in a shawl made out of light pink and royal blue condoms. Image credit: Joy Saha for The Campus Trainer
In addition to the aesthetics, Kennedy said that each design carried a hidden educational meaning. Kennedy is a member of the Sexual Health Peers, who focused their design on the sexualization of black women.
Gislaine Hoyah, a senior community health major and chapter president of Eta Sigma Gamma, helped design the dress for her organization. She mentioned that the design process was a team effort that took place during their general body meetings.
“We were looking online – Pinterest, things like that – and we found some movement pieces that we were interested in that other people had done. So, from there we were like, 'Okay well let’s start from the ground,'” Hoyah said.
Hoyah said that throughout the design process, she and her team ran into quite a few challenges.
“We first tried to use hot glue and stuff was falling off. So we were like, 'Okay, we have to revamp the process using different types of materials and clothing,'” Hoyah said. “We just experimented a lot and decided also to paint and try different techniques with [the dress]."
Unlike the other designs, which featured bright shades of pink, orange and blue, Eta Sigma Gamma’s dress emphasized earthy tones like yellow, brown and forest green. Their model wore a yellow bodice and a loose skirt made out of dark green condoms.
Julie Le, a junior community health major, walks down the runway for Eta Sigma Gamma wearing a “jungle chic” dress that features earthy tones and lots of green condoms. Image credit: Joy Saha for The Campus Trainer
Hoyah described the final design as “jungle chic." She and her team members wanted the dress to be “very health education focused” while also drawing inspiration from “the wild side of women and men interested in sex positivity.”
Toward the end of the show, audience members feasted on popcorn and pizza as models strutted down the runaway during the final walk. Then, the judges announced the two winners for the night: Sexual Health Peers and GMAP Lab tied for first place. Their designs were not only a favorite amongst the judges, but a crowd favorite as well, as indicated by their applause and cheers.
