Articles

What Are the Orgs Up To: The Sexual Health Vending Machine

By Madeleine Cerone

December 6, 2023

This past Wednesday, The Center for Intersectional Feminism (CIF) and Planned Parenthood hosted a launch party for the new Sexual Health Vending Machine that is located in the Annex. This event celebrated over a year's worth of work by Planned Parenthood and CIF, along with help from the Health Center and Administrative Services, in securing this machine and getting it ready for use.

This vending machine carries everything from condoms to Plan B, all available for use by Hamilton College students. The machine is located in the Tolles Pavilion, which is quiet during student rush hours and conveniently located in the middle of campus. Condoms, both internal and external, are free through this machine and Plan B costs a mere $10, making it a financially accessible option for students. Although students access these products using their HillCard, minimal personal information is collected and all of it is kept confidential. To top it all off, this machine is available all day after 6 in the morning on weekdays and after 9 in the morning on weekends: hours that can’t be beat by the Health Center or the Campus Store. 

“Increased access to sexual healthcare has, for a long time, been a necessity on our campus,” Claire and Willa, co-chairs of Planned Parenthood, mentioned. “But since it revolves around sex and contraception, it is hardly talked about publicly.” The nature of this new vending machine makes the notion of sex and sexual health products much more normalized, and it has raised conversation about contraception and sexual healthcare amongst our campus community. At the DMC, we believe that social change stems from conversations like these. Similarly, programs like the Sexual Health Vending Machine are steps towards a more open cultural view on issues like sexual health education and healthcare accessibility. 

However, launching this machine was not easy for CIF and the Planned Parenthood chapter here at Hamilton. Members of the Planned Parenthood chapter shared that there were many logistical setbacks and difficult conversations before the machine was ready to go. Location, manner of payment, and administrative barriers were just a few of the choices and challenges these students faced. Willa commented that the work is not over yet, as this student run project continues to traverse new territory. 

Thank you to Planned Parenthood, the Center of Intersectional Feminism, the Health Center, and Hamilton Administrative Services for providing this service to Hamilton students!