Teresa White has no problem standing in front of a crowd with a fake penis in her hand and a condom in her mouth.
She did it Monday night as she recounted a discussion with a prostitute about how to quickly slip a condom onto an unwilling customer before oral sex. When she put the red condom onto the head of the penis with her lips, students laughed as the message became clear.
“You’ve got to get creative with your safe sex,” she said.
White, 42, held nothing back as she discussed HIV/AIDS education and prevention at Pride Student Union’s first meeting of the semester.
She has been working for the community for eight years as a regional minority AIDS coordinator for the Florida Department of Health, educating those who will listen and getting as many people tested as possible.
Whether it was discussing proper use of a female condom in a male anus or joking that safe anal sex is one of the best orgasms people can have, she made it clear that straightforward dialogue is important when educating people.
Whitney Blake, the union’s vice president of outreach, said the discussion had a great turnout and reception.
“I think everyone reacted in a very positive way,” she said.
White engaged the attendees with several provocative talking points and confronted them with questions. She asked whether there should be a national database with names of people living with HIV/AIDS and whether people would want to get tested at nightclubs and pool parties.
She also made an appeal to students to volunteer and give creative input.
“I guarantee you — your stories and your ideas will reach the Bureau of HIV/AIDS,” she said.
Afterward, UF sophomore Ricky Carter said he appreciated White’s frank manner.
“I think she has a very good approach to what she does,” he said.
