The UIS Gender and Sexuality Student Services (GSSS) hosted an event titled, “Redefining Relationships” on Wednesday, April 8^th in the Diversity Center lounge to broach the difficult topic of interpersonal relationships and play some LGBTQ+ trivia to test their new knowledge.

This event was not just about lecturing on how to think of and treat different kinds of relationships but also creating a safe space for questions and new understandings.

“I thought it would be fun to go over terms and things I may not know while gaining information. I also had fun seeing everyone play the Jeopardy game. It was a fun time, and we got to learn from each other,” said Alex Collins.

The presentation given at the event focused on defining asexuality, which is an umbrella term for people who experience little to no sexual attraction. However, asexuality stretches much farther than this one simple definition.

This presentation emphasized that asexuality is a spectrum. Some people may experience attraction only in certain situations, while others may not experience it at all. Attraction is not one-dimensional, and this presentation introduced students to many different forms of attraction, like romantic, emotional, and platonic.

Asexuality was not the only concept explored in redefining relationships. The slideshow introduced the concept of ethical non-monogamous types of relationships, like polyamory and open relationships. Discussing relationship types that are outside the norm offered a new perspective that many students may not have been familiar with.

The presentation noted the importance of understanding that non-monogamous relationships are not about having multiple partners for just the fun of it. Rather, people in these types of relationships do not rely on a singular person to fit all their emotional and physical needs.

Among the students present, there was lot of openness and willingness to set aside prior knowledge and learn things that might differ from past experiences.

“It’s important to gather information on experiences outside your own, and it was a good opportunity to learn about these things and gather information outside what I know,” said Ethan Traver.

After the more serious presentation concluded, a fun round of LGBTQ+ Jeopardy followed, to add a competitive edge where students could keep learning about different communities and different kinds of relationships. This activity brought lots of laughter and energy into the room in a very open and low-pressure setting.

Following the game, many of the students in attendance stayed to further discuss the presentation and jeopardy game while enjoying snacks and each other’s company.

Those interested in connecting with the GSSS or participating in future events can find more information on their UIS Connections page.