By Kayla Samek—Maria Falzone came to Morningside College to present her Sex Rules! to students to educate them on the joys of safe, healthy sex and entertain them with anecdotes of her own sexual experiences. The event was part of Morningside Activities Council’s Week of Love inspired by Valentine’s Day.
Seana O’Reilly, a senior at Morningside, went to Sex Rules! for the first time, even though she had had opportunities to go previous years. She felt it would be awkward to go to a sex talk. After attending, O’Reilly said, “You find yourself laughing because it’s funny, not because you’re uncomfortable.”
Falzone acts like the cool aunt: able to explain sex and relate to students—even guys. Bradley Davis, a sophomore transfer student, thought Falzone was insightful, “she’s a woman but she seems to really understand what guys experience, as well as girls,” said Davis.
Falzone sheds light onto sex to bring it out of the dark to take off the shame and guilt that surrounds it. She shares her personal experiences with sex and sexuality to help college students gain a realistic, healthy, and safe view of sex. She uses humor to make the taboo of sex more approachable, because there are so many stigmas surrounding sex and sexuality.
“Humor is really powerful,” said Falzone, “when you laugh you can say yes.” Falzone “loves coming to the Midwest” and to Morningside. Her first year speaking at Morningside, it was a packed house and has been here for two years since. Falzone encourages students to contact her at maria@sexrules.org and follow her on Twitter, @mariafalzone.
Falzone has been speaking to college students for 18 years and is also the founder of the International Foundation of Comprehensive Sexual Health and Education, which promotes education on sex, sexuality, and relationships so people can be “empowered to make healthy and pleasurable choices” (ifcshe.com). The IFCSHE just qualified for non-profit status, and Falzone hopes to get funding for sex education.
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