Cover Photo: Dirty Sodas Event, UNB Sex Week 2026. Photo Credit: Tiffany Parker
Leading up to Valentines Day, the University of New Brunswick Student Union (UNBSU) turned to focus on sexual education. Throughout the week from Monday, February 9th to Thursday, February 12th, 2026, the UNBSU hosted “Sex Week,” a series of events and games promoting safe sex.
Sex Week began on Monday February, 9th, where the SU hosted “Sexy Plinko.” There, the eventrunners requested players drop a peg into the plinko box, where they could win a prize of a vibrator, lube, or a condom based on the row the peg landed in.
UNB students Sabrina Perli (a 4th-year economy major), Monica Boutot (a 5th-year business major), and Olivia Vance (a 4th-biology major), ran the event. The girls voiced their concern and their opinion on sexual education.
Monica explained:
“We keep seeing ads about how STIs are on the rise, there are certain STIs we don’t test at the health centre … We’re trying to spread education and protect our students, so we offer protection.”
The girls also hoped to impart the importance of choice onto readers. Sabrina expressed how the goal is to make students:
“Feel comfortable with the choice they make or don’t make, and that the Student Union is a place to offer support.”
On Tuesday, February 10th the SU hosted “Sexy Trivia” located in The Cellar in the Student Union Building (SUB). This was a fun night with the goal of quizzing students on their prior knowledge about safe sex, while educating those less aware. Fredericton’s Women’s Centre, a place dedicated to making women in New Brunswick feel safe and offer health and social services, helped host the evening.
Wednesday, February 11th followed with two events. The first was “Dirty Sodas” from 2:30– 4:30 p.m. on floor 1 of the SUB. At this event, they provided alcoholic drinks as well as another Plinko board. However, Dirty Sodas had different prizes, like stickers and pamphlets on safe sex. The SU hosted Dirty Sodas in partnership with the Reproductive Justice Society, dedicated towards educating students about being proactive about sexual health and reproduction.
Afterwards, from 6:30–8:00 p.m., the SU hosted “Sexy Toy Bingo” in the Ballroom at the SUB. This event was the most anticipated as all seats were filled, extra people trying to play as well. This was a regular game of BINGO with sex toys as the prizes. The toys were surprisingly hidden behind a curtain; however the eventrunners explained it was for the personal protection of the winners. Whether or not this goes against the idea of normalizing the use of sex toys is up for debate.
The last event of Sex Week was Crafting Consent, where event goers made pins and learned about sexual assault awareness. Here you could design or choose an existing pin or bookmark to take home. The individuals running this event, including Sexual Violence Prevention New Brunswick, offered support and resources meant to educate young students about sexual violence and prevention, as well as encourage students to use support lines and chat services.
Courtney DeMerchant and Megan Gaudant explain the importance of sexual violence prevention and education.
Courney expressed their goal is to:
“Letting folks know about the resources on campus and to change the culture of consent.”
The girls further explained the different resources they provide as Courtney described the “Bystander Prevention Training”:
“It’s online and in person called the seats of change, and it’s to trauma inform students on campus on how to intervene and sexual violence in any form.”
Ultimately Megan expressed the importance of ensuring: “Did they say yes?”
Sexual education and normalization is important for young adults, as it prevents traumatic experiences and wards off shame. UNB is continuously working towards a brighter future, as the SU and resources offer help for those struggling.
If you’re interested, the school will host Sex Week leading up to Valentines again next year. Sexual Violence New Brunswick and UNB are also hosting a training session titled “Seeds of Change: Bystander Intervention Training” on Thursday, March 12, 1–3 p.m. in the Harriet Irving Library Innovation Hub (also available online).
For more information, visit https://svnb.ca/en/courses/.
