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Pimpology

Lecture series teaches students how to sustain healthy relationships

September 22, 2006
Education freshman Chloe Houghton, left, and James Madison College freshman Samantha Norton flash the "Hot" sign in response to a projected photograph of an African women with a lip plate. The two girls were participating in a game about multicultural body images, in which participants chose between "Hot" or "Not," during the Residance Hall Association's Pimpology event called "The Score."

Mattresses lined the floor of Wonders Hall Kiva on Thursday night as part of a program teaching students about maintaining healthy sexual relationships.

"Pimpology: It's About the Relationship," a program initiated by Case Hall resident mentor Evan Fowler-Guzzardo, is designed to teach students how to carry on healthy, meaningful relationships — including sexual ones.

"It's about the relationship between you and your significant other, you and your roommate and even how you understand yourself," Fowler-Guzzardo said.

Using the word "pimp" in the event's title puzzled some students who attended, but Fowler-Guzzardo said the reason for it was simple.

"I chose the name Pimpology because I wanted to show that being a player or being a pimp isn't constructive to the kinds of relationships that are so meaningful in college. Beyond that, I think it's a catchy name that people are interested in."

The event was broken into four parts: The Catalyst helped students understand who they are before they enter into a relationship. The Hookup focused on starting meaningful relationships and touched on the issue of sexual health.

Thursday's event was The Score, in which the focus shifted from relationships to sex, featuring the different approaches to sex — from abstinence to safe sex. The centerpiece of the hour-long event featured student volunteers acting out various sexual positions with names like "The Diamond" and "The Up, Up and Away."

The Binge and the Break, which features information about drinking, is the final part of the event and will be held at 7 p.m. on Sept. 28, in Wonders Hall Kiva.

Danielle Krasman, kinesiology senior, said she participated in the event because she felt raising sexual awareness was important.

"In a country where sex is so taboo, I thought it was a good thing to come and show that, hey, we all know that a lot of us are having sex, so why not explore the fun things that we can do about it and advocate safe sex as well," Krasman said.

Some, like psychology sophomore and student volunteer Lisa Buch, simply agreed with the idea behind the event.

"I thought I wanted to help out because I think it's good what they're doing," Buch said.

The program started in summer 2005 and ran through the fall in Case Hall with more than 100 students in attendance for two of the four sessions.

Fowler-Guzzardo said he hopes to expand the program across campus soon. West Circle will be hosting a fresh round of "Pimpology" seminars next month, and the program may be heading out to the eastern part of campus next semester.

"I'm really excited with how many people this has affected," Fowler-Guzzardo said. "Obviously, people are enjoying the program."

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