Useful if caught with plants down

As Valentine’s Day draws near, Eta Sigma Gamma has created a unique approach to encourage students to have safe sex.

“We are making condom flowers as a great, fun way to open up communication about condom usage for students who are sexually active,” said Sarah Swirsky, Eta Sigma Gamma president.

Swirsky, a senior community health education major, said the professional, co-ed fraternity — whose objectives are to promote the teaching, research and service of health education — will be selling paper-mâché condom flowers to spread the word about condom usage.

Each flower will have an interesting fact about condoms or a saying like, “consent is sexy,” on the leaves, and two condoms hidden within the blooming tissue-paper petals.

“You can show your partner that you care by protecting them,” Swirsky said. “And (the flowers are) cute!”

This is the second year Eta Sigma Gamma has sold the condom flowers on campus for Valentine’s Day, and they also sell them for Sweetest Day. The group has a “condom flower-making party” every October and February before the holidays.

“There was a study done by a graduate student in our department, and she found that only 30 percent of Kent State students use condoms regularly, of the sexually active students,” Swirsky said. “We would like to increase that statistic.”

Eta Sigma Gamma will be selling the condom flowers from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. today in the Student Center.

The flowers can be purchased individually for $1, or six for $5 or 12 for $9. Swirsky said $1 for two condoms is pretty cheap, and the proceeds are put toward the organization’s future health education programs.

Megan Osgood, a junior health and physical education major and Eta Sigma Gamma member, said the fraternity will hand out educational packets with the flowers to offer people more information about safe sex.

Swirsky emphasized that you don’t have to have a sweetheart to buy one. She said the condom flowers are simply a fun way to promote the use of condoms.

“It’s pure education,” Swirsky said. “It’s tips from other students on how to protect yourself and stay safe, while having fun.”

Contact greek life reporter Heather Thomas at [email protected].