Photo by Dainis Graveris on SexualAlpha
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and many of us will be thinking about how we want to spend a special day meant for love with our partners. Many of you will be looking to buy flowers, chocolates, special date experiences, or just to set the perfect romantic ambiance in the bedroom; but at $15 for a box of Trojans, some college students might be choosing to forgo a romantic meal for safe sex or vice versa. The good news is, there’s plenty of places around UH Manoa and on Oahu where condoms can be accessed for free.
For those of you living in the dorms, the Planned Parenthood student action group Planned Parenthood Generation Action has just launched an exciting condom campaign in partnership with ASUH and Student Housing. As of last semester, clear condom dispensers have been installed in all the public bathrooms on the first floor of each dorm building (which in the future will be filled to the brim with condoms that are free to student residents.) However, as a result of COVID-19 distancing requirements, they cannot be filled yet. Instead, scan the QR code on the dispenser to request a number of them to be delivered to your mailbox. The service is timely and anonymous, and incredibly easy to access with your phone. You can also request free pamphlets about safe sex practices as well as information about where you can be tested for STIs or COVID-19! This program is a pilot program so if you want to see it stay, make sure to take advantage of it as soon as you can. You can find the QR code on the dispensers, on flyers, and also on Generation Action’s Instagram (@genacthi). Don’t forget: It’s free!
Unfortunately, this service is only available to students living in student housing, but if you live in the area of the university, there’s plenty of other ways to access free condoms at UH Manoa. Free condoms can be found at Hawaii Food Vault as well as the LGBTQ+ Center and the Women’s Center located in QLC. Additionally, when students come back to campus you can always keep a lookout for Planned Parenthood pink at the campus center. Generation Action always keeps condoms on their table that you can stop by and pick up for free!
Don’t live near campus? Don’t fret! There are a few more places around the island where you can access free condoms. You can always come by the Planned Parenthood Clinic located at South Beretania St. where condoms are kept out to grab for free. The Health, Harm, and Reduction Center on Ala Moana Blvd is also a reliable spot to find free condoms in Honolulu. Outside of Honolulu, the options are a bit more limited, but another place you can check out is the Leeward Community College Student Health Center and Leeward Waianae Moku, which can be accessed by the public and also has condoms available for free.
Live on Maui or Big Island? Here are a few places you can check:
- Planned Parenthood Clinic, Maui
- The University of Hawaii at Hilo Pride Club
- Hawaii Island HIV/AIDS Foundation
- The University of Hawaii at Hilo Women/LGBTQ+ Center
Although the list of places you can go is small, the list is ever-growing. If you’re in a position to, please consider donating condoms to local charities to help members of the public in need who may not have access to the University. Please consider making use of the free condoms options available to you this Valentine’s Day!
Remember: Don’t get lei’d without protection, and Happy Valentine’s Day!