It was cupcakes galore on Feb. 11 as Outreach & Advocacy Sexuality Information for Students – or OASIS – celebrated Love Your Body Day with cupcake decorating in the ETSU dining hall.  

From 11 a.m.-2 p.m. students could decorate their own custom cupcake. OASIS also did a giveaway on Instagram with self-care baskets up for grabs. The event allowed the organization an opportunity to interact with students both through social media and face-to-face.  

  • From left: Kate Emmerich and Leah Patton running the booth at the event. (Photograph by Madalyn Miller / East Tennessean)
  • Students Tori Chambers and Brittany Kumpf with the cupcakes they decorated. (Photograph by Madalyn Miller / East Tennessean)

OASIS provides sexuality and relationship education as a way of preventing sexual, relationship and gender violence. Housed in the ETSU Counseling Center, they also provide advocacy and confidential support for students interested in talking about healthy sexuality, healthy relationships, gender identity, LGBTQ+ issues and being victimized in any of these areas. 

The Love Your Body Day event was intended to coincide with Valentine’s Day.  

“We usually try to tie it to around Valentine’s Day,” said Kate Emmerich, OASIS program coordinator. “There’s so much focus about being in a couple and in love with another person, and a lot of people turn to OASIS about how to love and respect yourself.”  

There is also a link to National Eating Disorder Awareness Week at the end of the month.  

“Culturally, there’s a lot of self-comparison and especially on social media the way people filter themselves and post about themselves,” said Emmerich. “It’s like comparing your normal self to everyone’s best, filtered self. That’s why we usually have the event around this time really, to just center attention around owning your body, loving your body.” 

OASIS aims to be inclusive to everyone, and Emmerich said there is much more openness now than in the past, which has been a positive shift. 

“When it comes to issues around body and confidence, there are people who identify differently than a cis-gendered, straight woman who have that experience as well,” said Emmerich. “We very much are inclusive in that way.” 

OASIS encourages students to get involved by helping to set up and run events throughout the year. There are also groups like FemSex, a nationally recognized, semester-long non-credit student workshop, which, despite its name, is all inclusive according to Emmerich. Other events such as Protect your Produce intend to alleviate the stigma and embarrassment often associated with sexual protection.  

“We’re basically giving answers to questions people may have but are afraid to ask,” said Emmerich.  

Emmerich said OASIS is always happy to talk to students and answer any questions they may have.