Sexversations, a national talk by Kelly Addington and Becca Tieder brought to campus by CSU Program Board, Campus Ministry and Student Counseling Services, provided students with a conversation about consent and the normalization of sex on college campuses and beyond on Monday.
The talk was introduced by Kyle Lierk of Campus Ministry and Sarah Giacomini, Vice President for Programming of CSU.
Lierk noted that this was a good opportunity to learn how to be the change on campus, stating, “we need all of you to give a model for the church…of what an integrated life can look like.”
Advertised as an educational event by its hosts, this talk was designed to provide an open discussion about healthy relationships, boundaries and consent.
“I brought Kelly and Becca to campus because I want students on this campus to be fully educated and fully aware of the world around us,” said Sarah Giacomini, Vice President for Programming of CSU.
“Kelly and Becca are great at what they do and I trusted them to come to Creighton to talk about things that students are afraid to talk about. I wanted them to start the important conversation.”
Addington and Tieder, two middle-aged women who have been best friends since their freshmen years of high school, shared their experience of coping with sexual assault. They recounted the experience from the perspective of the victim and the supporter, highlighting the mental strain on both roles.
The talk was light-hearted, despite its serious nature, and the goal was to have “people leave here more comfortable and confident talking about sex,” according to the speakers. This emphasis on normalizing conversations surrounding sex resonated with students.
“I like how they stressed the level of comfortability of talking about sex; how if you’re a victim or a supporter, it’s okay to come forward,” said Kelsey Johnson, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Senior in the College of Arts and Sciences Julia Humbert felt the talk was important for students to hear.
“It made us think more of changing our actions. Everyone puts the blame on the guy or girl, not the friend. It made you forward think, think more of you changing the situation,” said Humbert.
Addington and Tieder ended the talk by highlighting the resources on Creighton’s campus and in the Omaha community, such as Student Counseling Services and the Center for Women’s Advancement.
The duo has been touring the country since 2003, speaking at over 400 college campuses and reaching over one million students.
CSU hopes to bring more events similar to this in the future.
“CSU Program Board strives to provide all kinds of different programs that are educational and within the Jesuit values. If students show interest in this program, I would be happy to continue the process of doing more programs like it,” said Giacomini.