CAMPUS: Consent Week offers fun, educational events
By Alexia Aleman
Bridge Staff Podcaster
Published Tuesday, March 26, 2024
The TAMIU Title IX and Civil Rights Compliance Office offered Consent Week. Throughout the week, events were held across campus to bring awareness and educate students about consent.
Events promoted healthy relationships from Feb. 5 to 8, consent and roles as bystanders.
Like Spirit Week, Consent Week was Barbie-themed. Barbie Cares About Consent, Ken-sent Cab, Healthy Relationship Barbie and Bystander Barbie were the names of some of the events held throughout the week.
Two unidentified students pose for a photo during the This Barbie Cares About Consent portion of Consent Week in February at the Student Center.
“The whole goal is to educate people more and more about the importance of consent, and getting consent, and how to identify it,” Director of Title IX and Civil Rights Larissa Cortez said. “It is to ensure our campus is educated about this concept enough to prevent these high-risk behaviors from happening.”
The events were creative and educational for students. Students were informed while doing something fun.
Monday held Barbie Cares About Consent. Students were able to take a free shirt and take pictures with a Barbie backdrop while also learning and pledging consent. On Tuesday, students were able to catch a ride to class in the Ken-sent Cab while being informed of consent.
Wednesday’s event allowed students to create vision boards with supplies provided by Title IX, and they were able to discuss what a healthy relationship looks like.
Lastly on Thursday, Bystander Barbie was held. It was a Green Dot Training.
“[Events] like these are really great for those people who don’t have those resources or are questioning whether they’re OK,” student Natalia Ramirez, who was in attendance at the Healthy Relationship Barbie event, said. “It is important to have a week like this that is dedicated to [reminding] people that consent is important, no matter how big or small.”
Cortez said she and her team worked hard and creatively to provide students and staff an educated and fun environment to learn about consent.
“[Consent Week] is about educating on basic concepts, like where to report to, what we do and where you could go for help,” Cortez said. “We want to make our office approachable, and make sure people feel comfortable coming to us.”
