“I’d sooner score free shit than a chick with a STI” – male student, 19.

The Albany Students’ Association celebrated April Fools Day slightly differently this year by encouraging all male students on campus to get tested for Sexually Transmitted Infections. MASH, or Men Advocating for Sexual Health, is a national campaign devised by the Men’s Education Network (M.E.N), a subcommittee of the New Zealand Union of Students Associations, which addresses a number of issues affecting men both in the tertiary sector and in the wider community.

Before the event, Steve-o Freeland, the Men’s Welfare Representative on the ASA, outlined to Satellite the intentions of the MASH campaign: “The purpose of the event is to make male students on campus more aware about sexual health. Sex is fun, but it comes with a price if you’re not checked” said Freeland. National Co-ordinator of M.E.N, Ryan Ward, also spoke to Satellite, stating that one of the major aims of the Men’s Education Network is to “…target the social taboo that getting a (STI) check-up is embarrassing” and that there is “no shame in having an STI”. Ward says that it is predominantly men who carry STIs and who are mainly responsible for the spreading of these infections, although, as he said rather wryly: “it takes two to tango”.

Many male students got into the festivities by sampling sausages and indulging in ‘sexually themed’ games, such as one where participants were asked to eat a banana without using their hands. The winner of this event, Steve Papps, described it as “pretty random, but fun”. Boxes of condoms were the most favoured giveaway on the day, with many males playing the sexual health basketball quiz game in order to score some goodies.

Rawa Karetai, President of the ASA felt that the event went “rather well” and that it was “a good chance for men to get a free sexual health test”. He also enjoyed scoring a free Durex t-shirt and cap.