Over 100 students participated in Students Advocating for Gender Equality’s Sex Toy Bingo event, the first of its kind at Coastal Carolina University.
SAGE’s University-approved event in H. Alford Ballroom went on for five rounds from 7-9 p.m. on Oct. 25. Admission to the event was only $1 for a chance to get their hands on one of the five grand prizes which included a range of sex toys purchased from Spencer’s.
In total, SAGE raised $145 in admissions.
Iszabella Hrivnak, junior history major and president of SAGE, said she wanted a new event that hasn’t been done before. The organization anticipated anywhere from 75 to 85 students, but Hrivnak said she knew people would show up.
“I was really shocked because the initial thing was, we had done events before like tabling out on Prince Lawn on and everything. Those don’t really get traction,” Hrivnak said. “But, because of social media and everyone posting about it just being like, ‘what is this?’ and the craze of it.”
Flyers and social media posts confused many students, according to Hrivnak. However, she has heard nothing but positive feedback about the bingo night. During the approval process, she was not questioned as to why SAGE was putting on the event.
Sophomore exercise and sport science major Erika Lawson was the first-round winner of the night, who heard about the event through Snapchat. The room erupted with cheering and clapping as she went to claim her prize.
“I thought it was funny and I was like, ‘let me just go as a joke,’” Lawson said, “and then I ended up winning.”
Brandon Houser, senior communication major, came out of the bingo night empty-handed, but said he had a good time.
“Something about bingo just gets your blood pumping,” he said.
Lawson and Houser said they would both attend similar events in the future, but Houser said he suggests for the organization to have a wider variety of sex toys.
In the future, Hrivnak said she has hopes of teaming up with the LiveWell Office or Student Health Services to create more educational opportunities like this one.
“People are out having sex every day,” Hrivnak said. “It’s important that these people are getting safe, important information, rather than just getting sex toys that they pay $1 for if they want.”
