Fact vs. Fiction: How gender roles affect sex and relationship baggage: A closer look at the collegiate perspective

We all have had that burning thought about what the opposite gender really thinks about from day-to-day at some point or another. The Battle of the Sexes program hosted by the Kappa Lambda chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. and the Mu Omicron chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. helped put some old wives tales to rest and quenched the true desire to delve into the thought process of men and women in regards to sex, stereotypes, and share perspectives on relationships and hygiene practices that may or may not increase a person’s libido. The organizations sought to explicitly bring what is talked and laughed about behind closed doors in the forefront of the community. These very issues are most affecting our population in the realm of sexually transmitted diseases and dying at an alarming rate, African American students between the age of 18 and 24.

While facilitators explained the first icebreaker, private chatter increased and participation decreased. Syreeta Hargrove, vice president of DST, and Baselius, Chris Akpobiyeri shouted slang terms for intercourse and gentiles, some were quite “surprised by their openness to their dialogue,” said Michael Roper, sophomore in mathematics. The short lived first exercise actually demonstrated a valid point, that although young adults tend to speak freely about sexual activity during private, one-on-one chats they get quite timid when discussing the issues in front of their peers in an open forum-styled discussion. So are we really learning anything? “63 percent of all sexually transmitted disease (STD) cases occur among people less than 25 years of age,” according to LeadershipU.com, an organization committed to youth outreach, education and advocacy.

Next, facilitators asked the audience about relationships, such as what kind of partner interests them and why there is a perceived lack of commitment form modern partnerships. Arsenio Harlem, a senior in business management-finance said, simply “meet a brother half way” in response to a comment criticizing women for choosing “thugs” as boyfriends and not giving educated, hardworking men a chance at a relationship. Tyrone Cannon, a senior in electrical engineering followed with “Keep your standards up, women nowadays need to look for quality when selecting a partner.” To balance the discussion, women were then asked, “Is chivalry dead?” as some women were confused, the term was then explained and hands rose quickly. “It is not dead necessarily,” said Victoria Cramer, a sophomore in first year college, “it depends purely on how they treat their mothers!” A follow up question then asked, “Would you compare men to dogs?” Meaghan Lynch, a sophomore in psychology was first to answer, stating “Yes especially when screaming ‘Oh baby’, I am definitely not talking to him!” In some ways you can conclude that both genders have equally offensive perceptions of the other when the behavior or approach of that individual lacks character and tact.

At the programs end, Akpobiyeri gave some quick tips on how to increase your sexual relationship with your partner, practice safe habits during intercourse and create pleasant genital aroma by exercising regularly, eating select foods that don’t effect the imbalance of body pH, and using soaps and cleansers that are fragrance free, to create a good body odor. This event held true to its intended purpose by exposing the truth about infectious diseases and statistical data to support their claims, gave great feedback by forwarding resource materials to audience members, and encouraging safe and effective ways to enjoy intercourse, create healthy, lasting relationships all while revealing the male and female perspectives of the spectrum.