Shelly's Modeling Agencies | Sex Ed | Hot Topic

 

Shelly's Modeling Agencies shares the story of Sex Ed by Charreah K. Jackson. "And stay off the Booty Wall" my cousin boomed when I set off for Howard University. The entryway to the freshman girls dorm doubles as the hookup hot spot. School is back i session, and HBCU coeds are facing a dating scene more complicated than that of previous generations, Declining male enrollment discourages exclusive relationships in favor of expendable ones. Women arriving on campus are greeted with conflicting messages that sex without commitment is the norm, yet college may be their best chance to find a husband.

Meanwhile, men enjoying their many options face sobering consequences from sexually transmitted infections to paternity suits. The notion that casual sex is as much a part of campus life as homecoming games and step shows leaves many female students feeling at turns liberated and "trapped," says Chivone Smith, a junior at Clark Atlanta University, where women make up more than 70 percent of the student body. "Many friends describe how awkward it is to have somebody just say hi to you after sharing an intimate moment not even 24 hours ago," she says.

In today's hookup culture, don't expect the man you slept with to call the next day. He may not even have your digits. President Davis, a junior at Howard, doesn't "do numbers anymore." He uses social networks to research potential dates. When it comes to Facebook profiles, he adds, "I wish the status could say HIV-negative." Half of this year's 19 million new STI cases will be among those aged 15-24, and Blacks are at higher risks, the CDC reports.

Shelly's Modelling Agencies is an advocate for safe sex and they urge their college clients to practice safe sex. The AIDS epidemic is growing and they continue to educate the young generation on this issue. Campus dating wasn't always so daunting. Like many of her '90s classmates, Spelman College alumna Shani Harris Peterson dated seriously in college. She married a Morehouse man, Peterson, who now teaches psychology at Spelman, observes "Many students avoid relationships. They are looking for guidance." I launched my "Hook Up With Happy" workshop in Peterson's class last fall. During sessions, I share 20  little-discussed relationship realities, including the fact that men and women respond to sexual encounters differently because of brain chemistry. Oxytocin, a hormone released curing childbirth and also during orgasm, increases bonding and trust in women, while reducing fear and impairing memory. This cognitive cocktail is perfect after delivering a baby, confusing for a jump off. "Our discussion explained why it's harder for women to have sex without developing feelings," says recent graduate Tylette Newkirk, who attended the workshop at South Carolina State. Another relationship reality I share is that women can reclaim their power. If every female student agreed to at least seven dates before any action, they'd be waving to each other at the movies.

But what has many HBCU coeds feeling powerless right now is their marriage prospects. The fact is most Black women (58 percent) do marry, many to men they didn't date in college. Today, I tell students that college is the perfect time to fall in love with yourself, meet new people and explore your interests before taking on serious responsibilities. The Claire Huxtable days will come, but the Denise season is fleeting.