A recent study has shown that the bulk of college educated women are getting married at a later age, something the UH Women’s Resource Centers finds imperative to discuss.
Beverly McPhail, director of WRC, said the pressure of abstinence should not be put on women, based on the study.
“Women are more likely to have sex before marriage if they are getting married at older ages,” McPhail said.
From 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., every Wednesday, WRC hosts a “Gender Talk” meeting to expose the various paradoxes students navigate through in the current sexual climate.
Public health senior Latasha Micheaux started as a volunteer for WRC in January and has received insightful information from attending.
“The meetings are very helpful in understanding the wants, needs and goals of a woman,” Micheaux said. “I really feel empowered when I come to the meetings. I learn something new every time.”
According to the National Health Report published in March, between 2006 and 2010, for the first time women married at older ages than in previous years.
The “Gender Talk” group said this is important to sexuality because there is still pressure on some women to wait until marriage to become sexually active.
Students also discussed ways in which women may become more confident in their sexuality in a society that labels them as virgins or promiscuous.
“We don’t have a name for women that are sexually confident and assertive. It is as if society is afraid of women’s sexuality,” McPhail said.
Creative writing senior Joy Lester started going to WRC during her freshman year and enjoys the environment.
“I come here to meet other women that are like myself,” Lester said. “It is a safe place where I won’t be judged. So many things have changed during my college career, but my experiences here have not.”
McPhail encourages female students, who wish to learn more about sexuality, to attend future meetings and discuss their opinions regarding it. For her, it’s an open door for them to find self-confidence.
“I hope that the girls who attended today can create a vision of themselves being sexually confident women,” McPhail said.
