‘Sex Week UNC Charlotte’ not funded by tax dollars

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A UNC Charlotte student organization is raising some eyebrows for an upcoming event they’re hosting. It’s called “Sex Week UNC Charlotte” and the group said they want to educate people about sex.

Some people in the community want to know if taxpayer money is funding this.

Sex Week looks to stimulate conversations about sex, gender, consent and sexual health on campus.

Last year, 400 students attended events on campus for the week. But some, are wondering, whose paying for it?

“People will dismiss us and the events that we do as being immature or perverted,” said Alex Caviness, one of the Sex Week Co-Founders.

With eye-popping event names like, “Go Screw Yourself,” “Cookies and Condoms” and “His and Herpes,” the founders of sex week UNCC, said they’ve had a few people “hot and bothered” and questioning their mission.

“A lot of the arguments are that we are using tax dollarS, which we are not,” said co-founder, Elissa Miller.

The student organization receives grants from the student government association. Representatives from the SGA told Channel 9 every student organization can apply for the funding, which comes directly from student activity fees.

“If you didn’t get the education you needed in sex ed, now’s the time for us to come talk about it and address it," said Miller.

Sex Week, now in its third year at UNC, joins schools like the University of Tennesee, Ohio State and Harvard. It promotes an intimate week meant to spark discussions to help better educate students about their bodies, safety, consent and their sexual health.

“Our age group is more likely to have STDS, STIs or unintended pregnancy and I think a lot of that is from a lack of information and then fear about asking for it and then not knowing where to go and not having those resources,” said Miller.

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The organization said it is trying to remove the stigma around sex education.

“Sex education in a lot of areas is lacking and isn’t covering a lot of things,” said Miller.

With events like a lingerie party, hosted by an author, looks to promote body positivity, a drag show celebrating gender identity inclusion, and a panel about sex and religion featuring clergy members of different faiths.

“The different people who can come to the events can inform the dialogue,” said Caviness

Also, sex week isn’t a university event either, which is another question organizers said they get. It’s a student event, put on by students for students, paid for by students.

Sex week starts February, right after Valentine’s Day.

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