Editor’s note: Simone Alcindor, Journal Contributor, originally published this article. https://thesuffolkjournal.com/50327/news/ppga-partners-with-sae-and-tka-to-educate-about-sex-ed-and-raise-money-for-charities/
What happens when you hook a pair of frat guys up to a period pain simulator? Suffolk students found out all while learning about women’s health and sex ed Dec. 4 in Sargent Hall’s Keches Room at “Are You Tougher Than a Frat Guy?” hosted by Suffolk’s Planned Parenthood Generation Action chapter in collaboration with fraternities Tau Kappa Epsilon and Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
The event was created by Suffolk Planned Parenthood Generation Action club President Lindsay Salek and Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity member Santiago Del Rio Ipuz, inspired by TikToks of men being hooked up to period pain simulators. Salek described the goal of the event as building community across campus, and particularly connecting men to Planned Parenthood, which she noted has been a struggle for the group.
For the event, Somedays, a Canadian-based company that specializes in pain relief for people with endometriosis, provided the period pain simulator. As part of the partnership, representative and host of the podcast “The Chronic Chronicles” Lexy Halloran gave a presentation prior to the fraternities’ competition about menstrual conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome. The presentation was informational not only for the details about the disorders, but also a deeper dive into the systemic problems surrounding them, such as a lack of scientific attention that leads to an overall lack of understanding and treatment for those who experience chronic pain related to menstruation.
That was not the only place where advocacy could be found at the event, as Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity and SAE each sold concessions to donate to charity. For TKE, they sold hot chocolate to raise money for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, a partnership that was founded by TKE member Danny Thomas. SAE sold soda, donuts and candy to raise money for Movember, an organization that provides grants to support men’s health.
When asked about who they thought would win, the audience overwhelmingly favored TKE. When TKE chapter President Braydon Walorz was asked about his team’s chances, he simply responded, “We’re going to win.”
Meanwhile, SAE President Alex Fontaine was more apprehensive about the team’s chances.
“I’m a little nervous, I’ve seen videos online of people doing it, like ex-military and cops and they did not handle it well,” said Fontaine.
The event included plenty of theatrics, with each frat member who participated having a walk-up song, such as “SICKO MODE” by Travis Scott. Salek and PPGA archivist Molly Sinden kept score and provided commentary while incentives chair Kennedy Crerie asked trivia questions across various categories related to sexual education, ranging from menstrual disorders to sexually transmitted infections.
Halloran, who also ran the period pain simulator, described the pain simulated levels as she increased them. The machine was on a scale of one to 10, with a four being the equivalent of a typical period cramp and an eight being equivalent to a typical cramp for someone with endometriosis.
A participant from each frat faced off one-on-one, gaining points from answering trivia questions correctly based on the level of the period pain simulator they were at.
Halloran also asked participants questions about how they were handling the simulator, and how they felt they would be able to handle basic tasks while experiencing such pain. All of the contestants stated that they almost certainly could not do as much while experiencing period pain.
In the first matchup, TKE member Will Van Dyke and SAE member Scott Jacobsen emphasized this, saying “all of them [the levels of the simulator] are bad.”
TKE reigned victorious, leading over SAE throughout the event by a wide margin, save for a dramatic final matchup between the presidents of the two chapters, where SAE’s Fontaine nearly retook the lead as TKE’s Walorz experienced a period of brain fog.
Nearly all participants went to a 10 on the period pain simulator, despite many of them clearly being in pain. Most attributed this to the peer pressure of being in front of an audience and in a competition, with both fraternities cheering heavily for their brothers.
“Peer pressure is a menace,” said Johan Arias, a freshman TKE member.
All participants expressed how trying the simulator gave them a new perspective on how bad period pain can be, describing the newfound respect they had for women experiencing chronic period pain.
“I don’t know how you do it on a daily basis or a monthly basis,” said Donny Wright, a sophomore TKE member. “I definitely think you have to be more understanding of women on their period and understand what they’re going through, because that stuff, it’s a serious thing.”
