Whew! What a great experience. I was exhausted at the end of both days, mostly because I think there was a lot to process. Most the conferences I go to are of the "academic nerd" type, and focus mostly on research. The sex::tech conference was mostly about what people are DOING. I liked that change of pace, but sometimes I struggled with it because I wanted to know if things actually WORKED.
Best overall resource goes to Sexuality and U, based out of Canada. Lots of interactive tools as well as information -- I especially like the contraceptive choice tool, but it's hard to pass up the Sex-Fu Challenge -- who doesn't want to become a Master in that domain? The representatives of Sexuality and U were very open about admitting to the lack of diversity on their site, especially in relation to sexual minority populations. But they are working on it! It was also cool to hear that Advocates for Youth will also be updating their site, adding more interactive features.
One of the big take-away messages for me was that we are all struggling to figure out the best ways to use technology to help youth live safer, happier and fulfilling lives. The emphasis on positivity as opposed to fear was refreshing. And the abundance of youth present at the sessions kept us honest and in-check. If, after all, we claim to want to help these folks, not including them in our discussions is a big mistake. A special thanks to all who attended and extra kudos to those who were brave enough to speak out.
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We at ISIS (Internet Sexuality Information Services) wanted to let you know about a new contest we are running (and Thank you for running the Fresh Focus contest it was amazingly successful!)
The new contest is called In Brief: What if Your Undies had the Last Word… We are asking people to design a pair of underwear that communicates a difficult truth about STDs or that can serve as a conversation starter about safe sex. We are imagining underwear as the last physical thing that separates a person from their partner. It would make a strong statement to have a message there that could remind people to talk with their partner about safe sex practices or that brings up STDs (which are often difficult to do in sexual situations-when you need to the most) in a non-threatening way. And user generated content is a great way for people to start thinking about their underwear and more importantly what is under the underwear.
The start date of the contest is April 3 and runs through May 15. http://www.undiescontest.com
Please feel free to contact me if you have any other questions.
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