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Grads to teach joys of safe sex, facts on AIDS

Forum highlights World AIDS Awareness day

By Phillip Carter

Daily Bruin Staff

Few classes at UCLA actually show students how to practice safe sex, in addition to teaching them why they must.

But a special AIDS presentation to be given at noon on Thursday by three graduate students from the School of Public Policy aims to do just that. Thursday, Dec. 1, is World AIDS day, and the three student organizers say they are targeting UCLA because college students still do not practice safe sex.

"College-aged people tend to be very sexually active, often times having several partners," said Robert Weiss, one of the presentation organizers. "A lot of folks still practice unsafe sex, and still really aren't clear how (HIV) is transmitted, and still stick to the old stereotypes that AIDS is for gays and drug users."

All three of the event's sponsors ­ Weiss, Soryl Markowitz and Charles Quintana ­ are graduate students in the School of Public Policy's department of social welfare. Weiss said the presentation developed as a way to enhance student curricula at UCLA regarding AIDS.

"We didn't feel that students knew as much as they should about HIV and AIDS," he said. "We decided to put out a forum so that people can (become) more educated ­ we thought Thursday was appropriate because it is World AIDS Day."

Organizers warn Bruins against expecting the traditional UCLA big-lecture format -- Thursday's presentation contains a few segments that may shock the average student.

"The (safe-sex educator) should have some props and toys to make it entertaining," Weiss said. "We want people to learn, and even though AIDS is a serious topic, the session doesn't have to be devoid of all humor."

The theme behind Thursday's presentation, sponsors said, is that AIDS affects everyone and chooses its victims indiscriminately.

"We're seeing victims who are increasingly women, men, people of color and all others," Weiss said. "AIDS is spreading so rapidly through our culture that it's something that directly (and) indirectly affects every one of us."

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