The Lumberjack



Students Serving The Cal Poly Humboldt Campus and Community Since 1929

Tag: Check-It

  • Sexland promotes enthusiastic consent and validation for all 

    by Lidia Grande-Ruiz

    Originally printed April 26, 2023

    On April 15, Sexland came onto campus. Sexland is an event that focuses on exposure to new ways of thinking about sex and sexuality, while also validating sexual experiences and diversity through a lens of enthusiastic consent. The event is put on every spring semester by the Peer Health Education Program and Check-It. 

    “[The] main goal of Sexland is to create a safe and sexual experience for everyone,” says Shelby Shull, an intern at Peer Health and Education.

    Many different clubs and organizations such as Planned Parenthood, North Coast Rape Crisis Center, Students for Violence Prevention, The Trans Task Force, Women’s Resource Center and Eric Rofes Multiculture Queer Resource Center were present at the event. 

    Each community group at the event had a table where students participated in arts and crafts and got information on resources about contraceptives, free condoms, or information on the community groups resources and how to get involved.

    A booth by Planned Parenthood offered pamphlets on contraceptives, along with free lube and condoms.

    The Eric Rofes Queer Resources Center was there to provide various resources for the queer community, such as where to find gender neutral bathrooms or information about the queer library and how/when to access it.

    “This is a great event to show off trans resources,” said Landon White, Outreach Director for the center. 

    “Our center is all about creating a safe space on campus for queer people,” said Art Wardynski, Volunteer & Resource Director. 

    Some people were shy, but sex positivity was everywhere you looked. Everyone was very welcoming which helped calm down the anxiety nerves. Students were asking questions and getting involved in activities like naming the right body part, what is this sex position, etc. 

    There was a long line for a table where people stood wrapped in bondage ropes. They learned about bondage and how to have fun/experiment like chest ties, heart shaped thighs, etc.

    “It’s a really good opportunity for people to get a comfortable experience,” explains Sierra Cosper, who was running the bondage table. “There are a lot of ways to hurt yourself, so that’s why I am handing out pamphlets for everyone to get more informed”. 

    Winners of the raffle received a variety of prizes–from vibrators to books, rainbow embroidered cum-rags, butt plugs, heart crops, vibrators controlled by your phone, finger flogger, to non sex toy prizes like couples diary, exploring trans and queer identities book, a penis shaped neck pillow and so much more.

    Disclaimer: Alana Hackman works at the Peer Health Education Center and was involved in this event.

  • Check-It celebrates fourth anniversary

    Check-It celebrates fourth anniversary

    Students and staff get to share why they check it.

    Check-It had their fourth anniversary party in the Kate Buchanan room on Feb. 23. There was free food, karaoke and a variety of clubs that performed from 7-8 p.m. The lights-out dance party was from 8:30-10 p.m.

    Mary Sue Savage is the prevention coordinator at Humboldt State. Savage has been here all four years and says this anniversary party has become a tradition.

    “To ‘check it’ means to intervene, to take action when we witness a potential moment of harm, specifically addressing sexual assault, dating violence and stalking,” Savage said.

    Savage checks it for many reasons. She checks it for her family, her community and for her future children.

    “I check it, because I want to live in a world where harm is not the norm. I want to live in a world where we have a consent-centered culture,” Savage said. “It’s really exciting knowing we can use Check-It as a tool to create the culture and the world we all wanna live in.”

    Esmeralda Hurtado is the student coordinator for consent culture. Hurtado checks it, because she wants to continue to spread the knowledge of respecting consent and people’s boundaries.

    A time where Hurtado personally checked it was when she first moved into the HSU dorms.

    “I had just came home from class and I heard a lot of commotion outside. I stopped and I heard screaming and things being thrown,” Hurtado said. “I ran out of the dorm and I knocked and that stopped it. I still felt that something was not okay so I ran and grabbed a [community advocate], and they were able to asses the situation and handle it properly.”

    Bridget Ocampo is a peer health educator with Oh SNAP!

    “I feel like back in high school, we didn’t have much education within that. When I came up here, I became aware that it’s really important,” Ocampo said. “When I personally checked it, [it] was at work. One of [my] coworkers tapped my friend on their rear end, so I confronted them. At the time, my friend was too afraid to tell them anything.”

    Lemia Wells was an attendee at the Check-It anniversary party. Wells came to the event to support the program and those who have been sexually harassed.

    “I check it, because consent is important. If it’s not a for sure consent, then it is an assault,” Wells said. “Last week, I checked a guy who was yelling at a girl. The girl was telling the guy to leave her alone, but he wouldn’t so I told him that it wasn’t necessary. He got frightened and stopped yelling at her.”

    HSU acapella club member Christian Placet was one of the karaoke performers. The acapella club checks it, because it’s important that everyone should feel respected in any situation.

    “There were moments where i’ve been a bystander, where I wished I checked it.” Placet said. “Back in high school, there were a lot of nerds that were picked on and I really should’ve done something.”