Peers Assisting in Learning about Sex, commonly referred to as PALS, is a student organization focused on educating the Dickinson College community about safe and consensual sex. PALS provides resources for the campus community and holds events every semester such as Pleasurable Sex.
According to PALS President, Ginnah Etah ’19, “I think that as much as we’re open to talking about sex individually, as a campus, a lot of people don’t prioritize doing enough research and sharing accurate information or tips. PALS role is to make sure that we aren’t treating sex as a taboo but can talk about “doing it” safely, responsibly, and with consent. We have a really great time planning discussions and events to make it clear that talking about sex shouldn’t be a fear and talking about sex responsibly shouldn’t be a chore.”
Secretary of PALS, Gab Corti ’19, says, “PALS was my first actual experience with any form of actual sex education and I think a lot of the reason why I continued to show up to meetings and became more involved with the program was due to how the other members of the club made the topic of sex approachable and inclusive. Like a lot of of the material/information that we share could be done in a super clinical way but we intentionally present it in a way that’s relatable to as many people as possible.” Since sex education varies across the country, PALS is the first comprehensive sex education resource many Dickinson College students encounter. Because of this, PALS is an invaluable resource to Dickinson.
As said by Lia Danzig-Teck ’19, “Our modern day culture has made it so that sex is something taboo and unmentionable. PALS is a way to learn about and discuss safe and consensual sex in a space without the fear of being judged. It educates people of the Dickinson community on how to approach sex in a way that is healthy and enjoyable. One of the things that I love about PALS is that it joins like-minded people into a team with a common goal-ensuring that people, should they choose to have sex or engage in sexual activities, go into it as well-informed as possible.”
Make sure to stop by a PALS meeting to learn more about the organization and about how to get involved. Meetings happen on Thursday at 12pm in HUB side room 201!