Sexual health resources on campus, across Gainesville are available for all
Sophia Scribani claimed that she had little knowledge of sexual health as a child because it was considered taboo in her hometown. Scribani, a 21-year-old health science senior at UF, stated that she joined Planned Parenthood Generation Action during her freshman year to learn about "the actual barriers that women have to face when they’re trying to get reproductive health care."
According to her, she became enthusiastic about the subject quickly. A student-run organization affiliated with Planned Parenthood is Planned Parenthood Generation Action at UF. Through lobbying state and local legislators, the club promotes reproductive justice and provides resources and education for sexual health.
Finding sexual health care shouldn't be one of the surprises that college brings in Florida, where laws and persistent stigma can make conversations about sex seem like illegal activity. Where to go, what to know, and who has your back at UF and Gainesville are all here. Reproductive laws in Florida Roe v. Wade decision of 1973 was overturned by the Supreme Court. establishing a constitutional right to abortion in the Wade decision. After it was overturned, state legislatures were left to make decisions about abortion access. Florida is one of the states with the most restrictive access to birth control.
According to Senate Bill 300, an individual cannot have an abortion within six weeks of the first day of their last menstrual period. Because a fetal heartbeat can be detected around six weeks into a pregnancy, the law is officially known as the "Heartbeat Protection Act." Abortions can be performed on rape or incest victims up to 15 weeks after they become pregnant. However, the person is only eligible for the extension if their documentation includes a police report or restraining order. Two in-person doctor appointments are required by the state for those seeking an abortion. In addition, the state mandates a waiting period of 24 hours between the two appointments. Medical and surgical abortions are subject to the six-week waiting period and waiting period laws. Are you having fun reading? Get The Alligator content delivered to your inbox
. Unless it is a medical emergency, the minor has been court-emancipated, is married, or has been the victim of sexual abuse, an abortion in Florida requires parental consent. The National Abortion Federation has a phone hotline for people who are pregnant beyond six weeks to find the closest abortion center. Traveling outside of your state to get an abortion is completely legal. In 2023, the first option for over-the-counter birth control was approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Opill, the pill, is available without a prescription at grocery, convenience, and drug stores. A monthly supply costs $20.
Campus facilities On the UF campus, some women's restrooms have free menstrual products like tampons and period pads. Services for sexual health are available at the Student Health Care Center on campus. The clinic's medical staff are available to provide students with sex-related counseling. Additionally, there is a Gynecology and Sexual Health Clinic that is staffed by advanced practice registered nurses and gynecological health specialists. The Get Yourself Tested clinic, which collaborates with the Alachua County Health Department to provide UF students with STI tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV, is also housed in the health care center. According to the website, a $15 lab handling fee is assessed for each appointment and is credited "directly to the student's UF account." According to the clinic's website, students should call to schedule an appointment because there are a limited number of slots available.
Sophia Scribani stated that the objective of Planned Parenthood Generation Action is to make people feel at ease discussing sex at general body meetings and outreach events. Scribani stated, "It's about efforts by the community." "It's about peers helping each other out; we want everyone to live their best life and use their reproductive autonomy," the statement reads. A community outreach event called a "condom crawl" was held by the club to promote safe sex. She claimed that Scribani donned a condom costume and distributed condom bags in an effort to de-stigmatize sex. Scribani stated, "Humor goes a long way in communicating the message." "You let your guard down if you see something funny, and you are more open to receiving new information, like ways to deconstruct shame about sex and shame about trying to access reproductive health care," PPGA president at the moment is 21-year-old UF political science and women's studies senior Amanda Hiatt. In 2024, the club started giving out "brown bags," which include Plan B, condoms, and pregnancy tests. Hiatt stated that the club has distributed over 600 bags since then. Levonorgestrel, a hormone used in birth control, is Plan B. If taken within three days of unprotected sex, it is one of many medications that can reduce a person's risk of becoming pregnant by 75% to 89%. According to Hiatt, Planned Parenthood is a resource for all. Hiatt stated, "It's not just a service [for] people facing pregnancy." "There is, in fact, something we can do for everyone." According to its website, Planned Parenthood provides services like STD testing and treatment, vaccinations, mental health services, and gender-affirming care.
The organization provides community, support, and assistance to those in need, according to Hiatt. Hiatt stated, "Being in this chapter has really helped me with that" and "trying to mitigate the fear of everything happening in the world right now." Through presentations and workshops, GatorWell Health Promotion Services, a department for students at UF, provides education and outreach on health and wellness topics such as sex, sexual anatomy and physiology, and pregnancy prevention. Through a partnership with the Alachua County Health Department, it also provides free HIV testing and counseling, as well as male and female condoms, lube, and other barrier methods. GatorWell does not provide blood-based testing because it is not a medical office. Services for HIV and Aids are provided by the Alachua County Health Department. Pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, is a medication used to prevent HIV infection. The department has a PrEP clinic. The assistant director at the moment is 19-year GatorWell employee Samantha Evans. She worked for Planned in an outreach capacity while she was a graduate student. Parenthood and initially worked as a health promotion specialist at GatorWell. She stated that GatorWell's prevention and health promotion is referred to as a primary prevention practice. By promoting sexual health education and safe sex practices to prevent STIs, it addresses concerns at the "front end." Evans stated, "There is no such thing as a dumb question." "It's okay to ask questions about things like this, and there's often a lot of stigma, but if you don't ask, you don't know," the author asserts. She said that on-campus resources like GatorWell host events with the goal of making people feel more at ease talking about taboo subjects like sex and providing a safe place for people to talk and ask questions.
Evans stated that the events assist individuals in making the "most informed, most responsible, and best decisions for themselves." With the aim of promoting mental health, the UF Counseling and Wellness Center offers mental health services to students. Individual and group counseling, as well as couples counseling, are among its counseling services. It also leads outreach and workshops. Students can also call the center's crisis support line at any time, day or night. Situations that are upsetting, like a recent sexual assault, are called emergencies. If a sexual assault needs to be reported, UF’s Title IX Compliance Office, in alignment with federal laws, allows students and faculty to report and resolve incidents of discrimination based on sex or disability or assault.
Victims of crimes like rape and stalking can get emotional support and help filing a police report from the Office of Victim Services. According to its website, all services are provided at no cost and are private. Another hotline that victims of sexual violence can use to get help is the Alachua County Victim Services and Rape Crisis Center. Resources outside of campus The Gainesville Health Center of Planned Parenthood is in a small building off Northwest 13th Street. Birth control, STI testing, and treatment are among the services provided by the center for sexual health. Services for abortion are not provided by the center. Planned Parenthood accepts payments from a variety of insurance plans and offers affordable coverage plans for those who do not have insurance.
On its website, it states, "We will never turn you away if you can't pay." You can schedule an appointment either online or over the phone. According to its website, walk-ins are also welcome. Gainesville's Bread and Roses Women's Health Center is owned by women. Plan B and free pregnancy tests, which are accurate approximately 10 to 14 days after conception, are available at the clinic for $10. The clinic is licensed by Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration. Bread and Roses offers "surgical and medication abortions up to 6 weeks from the last menstrual period," according to its website. Surgical abortions take five to fifteen minutes and are performed in the clinic's office. Two pills are administered during two appointments for medication abortions. According to its website, first appointments cost $250. Other prices vary.
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