Written by Ema Gramnjak, Translated by Iwan Thomas
Sexual Health and Guidance Campaign (or SHAG week) took place from 14th to 18th of November, with at least one event taking place on each day. I was overjoyed when I saw the announcements for it and went to as many events as possible. I am someone who makes sure to educate myself on everything sexual, whether it's identities, preferences, kinks, and safety. So, I love that our Student Union is this open-minded and progressive, giving the students a space to get over any embarrassments or insecurities in a comfortable environment. The journalist in me had to have a chat with the SU president, Aisleen Sturrock (she/they), who is majorly responsible for making the campaign what it is.
How SHAG week came about
First thing I asked Aisleen was about how SHAG week happened. She said that developing SHAG was one of the policies in her election campaign. She surveyed students around campus on what they felt like they lacked in their previous sexual education and what they were interested to learn more about. ‘I wanted to make this campaign week based on what students wanted and had asked for,’ she said.
‘The campaign had 4 main goals. To have sexual health services accessible for students when they need or want them. To help in developing sexual confidence and a positive attitude towards sex. To educate about how to have pleasurable and safe sex - if they are wanting to participate in it, particularly relating to STI’s and kink protection. Lastly, to be a trans, non-binary and LGBQUIA+ inclusive campaign.’
Expectations
This was a massive task the president set for herself, so I had to ask how she hoped it would go: ‘I expected that some people would attend some of the sessions, but nothing compared to the support and engagement we actually received. I remember for the Clitorarty workshop having to quickly find another table and more space for people to sit as we received double what I was expecting.’
Aisleen was very vocal about her astonishment to the turnouts. I remember sitting in the Picturehouse, waiting for the Kink workshop to begin, and the president stepped up first to give a little opening speech and schedule. She was beaming and flustered at the same time, you could just tell it made her proud to see such a response to the campaign. She goes on to say she heard people talking positively about SHAG week afterwards, and how much that would make her day.
The aftermath
Finally, I asked Aisleen about the outcome of the campaign, student responses and, most importantly, would SHAG week become an annual event. She said the responses were mostly positive and that students really liked the events that took place. There was, of course, some negative feedback too. However, those criticisms were taken forward as points to improve on, to enhance the campaign in the future. Aisleen went on to tell me about a particular anecdote: ‘I had a student come to me after the Clitorarty workshop thanking the union for putting on this session. They told me that they had never really learnt the full anatomy of a vulva and a vagina, and they had felt very ill-informed about their own body. The sexy quiz was also a big eye opener as there were many questions that students were unaware of the answers to.’ Unfortunately, this is the reality for a lot more people that we realise.
Regarding what the future holds for the SHAG campaign, the president had this to say: ‘I would honestly love for the union to do this again next year, and the year after that. I want this because I know we can continue to develop it and reach a wider variety of students each year. It will be going to Senedd, where members will be able to vote for and against this happening.’ Fingers crossed.
I have said it before, and I’ll say it again, I loved SHAG week. The events were fun, the people were relaxed and engaged, and the message behind it is something that personally, I 100% stand behind. If you’d like more details on the events that took place during SHAG week, please go read the sister piece to this article, ‘How I got to spin on a pole, again’.
'Let's Talk About Sex, Baby!' – Aisleen, Llywydd yr UM ar ddatblygiad wythnos SHAG
Cynhaliwyd Ymgyrch Iechyd ac Arweiniad Rhywiol (neu wythnos SHAG) rhwng y 14eg a’r 18fed o Dachwedd, gydag o leiaf un digwyddiad yn cael ei gynnal bob dydd. Roeddwn i wrth fy modd pan welais y cyhoeddiadau amdano ac es i gymaint o’r digwyddiadau â phosibl. Rwy'n rhywun sy'n sicrhau fy mod yn addysgu fy hun ar bopeth rhywiol, boed yn hunaniaeth, hoffterau, cinciau, a diogelwch. Felly, rwyf wrth fy modd bod ein Hundeb Myfyrwyr mor flaengar ac agored â hyn, gan roi lle i fyfyrwyr oresgyn unrhyw embaras neu ansicrwydd mewn amgylchedd cyfforddus. Roedd yn rhaid i'r newyddiadurwr ynof gael sgwrs gyda llywydd UM, Aisleen Sturrock (hi/nhw), sy'n bennaf gyfrifol am wneud yr ymgyrch yr hyn ydyw.
Sut daeth wythnos SHAG i fod
Y peth cyntaf a ofynnais i Aisleen oedd sut y digwyddodd wythnos SHAG. Dywedodd hi bod datblygu SHAG yn un o'r polisïau yn ei hymgyrch etholiadol. Cynhaliodd arolwg o fyfyrwyr o amgylch y campws ar yr hyn yr oeddent yn teimlo nad oedd ganddynt yn eu haddysg rywiol flaenorol a'r hyn yr oedd ganddynt ddiddordeb i ddysgu mwy amdano. ‘Roeddwn i eisiau gwneud yr wythnos ymgyrchu hon yn seiliedig ar yr hyn yr oedd myfyrwyr ei eisiau ac wedi gofyn amdano,’ meddai.
‘Roedd gan yr ymgyrch 4 prif nod. Cael gwasanaethau iechyd rhywiol yn hygyrch i fyfyrwyr pan fydd eu hangen arnynt neu pan fyddant eu heisiau. Helpu datblygu hyder rhywiol ac agwedd gadarnhaol at ryw. Addysgu sut i gael rhyw pleserus a diogel - os ydynt am gymryd rhan ynddo, yn enwedig mewn perthynas â heintiau a drosglwyddir yn rhywiol a diogelwch cinc. Yn olaf, i fod yn ymgyrch gynhwysol i bobl drawsrhyweddol, anneuaidd a LDHTC+.'
Disgwyliadau
Roedd hon yn dasg enfawr a osododd y llywydd iddi hi ei hun, felly bu’n rhaid imi ofyn sut roedd hi’n gobeithio y byddai’n mynd: ‘Roeddwn i’n disgwyl y byddai rhai pobl yn mynychu rhai o’r sesiynau, ond dim byd o’i gymharu â’r gefnogaeth a’r niferoedd a gawsom mewn gwirionedd. Rwy’n cofio gorfod dod o hyd i fwrdd arall yn gyflym a mwy o le i bobl eistedd ar gyfer gweithdy Clitorarty wrth i ni dderbyn dwbl y niferoedd oeddwn yn ei ddisgwyl.’
Roedd Aisleen yn uchel ei llais am ei syndod i'r nifer a ddaeth. Yr wyf yn cofio eistedd yn y Picturehouse, yn aros i'r gweithdy Kink gychwyn, a'r llywydd yn camu i'r adwy yn gyntaf i draddodi ychydig o araith agoriadol ac amserlen. Roedd hi'n wên i gyd ac wedi’i chynhyrfu ar yr un pryd, fe allech chi ddweud ei bod hi'n falch o weld ymateb o'r fath i'r ymgyrch. Mae'n mynd ymlaen i ddweud iddi glywed pobl yn siarad yn bositif am SHAG wythnos wedyn, a sut bod hynny'n cadarnhau y llwyddiant.
The aftermath
Yn olaf, gofynnais i Aisleen am ganlyniad yr ymgyrch, ymatebion myfyrwyr ac, yn bwysicaf oll, a fyddai wythnos SHAG yn dod yn ddigwyddiad blynyddol. Dywedodd fod yr ymatebion yn bositif ar y cyfan a bod myfyrwyr yn hoff iawn o'r digwyddiadau a gynhaliwyd. Wrth gwrs, cafwyd rhywfaint o adborth negyddol hefyd. Fodd bynnag, aethpwyd â’r beirniadaethau hynny ymlaen fel pwyntiau i’w gwella, er mwyn gwella’r ymgyrch yn y dyfodol. Aeth Aisleen ymlaen i ddweud wrthyf am hanesyn penodol: ‘Roedd myfyriwr wedi dod ataf ar ôl y gweithdy Clitorarty yn diolch i’r undeb am gynnal y sesiwn hon. Dywedasant wrthyf nad oeddent erioed wedi dysgu anatomeg llawn y fwlfa a’r gwain, a'u bod wedi teimlo'n anwybodus iawn am eu corff eu hunain. Roedd y cwis rhywiol hefyd yn agoriad llygad mawr gan fod llawer o gwestiynau nad oedd myfyrwyr yn ymwybodol o’r atebion iddynt.’ Yn anffodus, dyma’r realiti i lawer mwy o bobl nag yr ydym yn sylweddoli.
Ynglŷn a dyfodol yr ymgyrch SHAG, dyma oedd gan y llywydd i’w ddweud: ‘Byddwn i wrth fy modd pe bai’r undeb yn gwneud hyn eto’r flwyddyn nesaf, a’r flwyddyn ar ôl hynny. Rwyf eisiau hyn oherwydd rwy'n gwybod y gallwn barhau i'w ddatblygu a chyrraedd amrywiaeth ehangach o fyfyrwyr bob blwyddyn. Bydd yn mynd i’r Senedd, lle bydd aelodau’n gallu pleidleisio o blaid ac yn erbyn i hyn ddigwydd.’ Croesi bysedd.
Rwyf wedi ei ddweud o'r blaen, a byddaf yn ei ddweud eto, roeddwn i'n caru wythnos SHAG. Roedd y digwyddiadau'n hwyl, roedd y bobl wedi ymlacio ac yn ymgysylltu, ac mae'r neges y tu ôl iddo yn rhywbeth dwi 100% yn sefyll ar ei hôl hi yn bersonol. Os hoffech ragor o fanylion am y digwyddiadau a ddigwyddodd yn ystod wythnos SHAG, ewch i ddarllen y ddarn chwaer i’r erthygl hon, ‘How I got to spin on a pole, again’.