Students at Whittier College don’t need Obamacare to obtain contraceptives. They can get them for free, now that the prestigious college has installed the highest number of condom dispensers (15) of any college campus.
The liberal arts college of roughly 1,700 students will have access to a sizable amount of condoms: 40,000.
Other universities, including UCLA, have condom dispensers – just not fifteen. Lori Mizuno, director of public health for the AIDS Healthcare Foundation said, “This was an unusual level of support because Whittier is such a small school.”
The dispensers cost about $200 each. They were designated for the campus thanks in part to efforts by a 20-year-old junior and sociology major, Bobbi Marie Mendoza. She said it was uncomfortable having to wake resident advisers late at night for condoms. Bobbi believes that, “Sex is very personal, so this will be less embarrassing and no shame to it.”
The condoms, which are labeled “love” and “Icon,” will be provided by Condom Nation, a mobile public health campaign sponsored by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. Tony Marshall, program manager for Condom Nation, said he will be supporting Whittier College’s commitment to safe sex by making sure the dispensers are always well stocked. “We never want them to run out,” he said. “The college is making it easier for students to be safe. It’s awareness.”