Matt Groening once said: “When authorities warn you of the sinfulness of sex, there is an important lesson to be learned. Do not have sex with the authorities.” I think that the creator of “The Simpsons” is on to something. No, I’m not talking about the whole avoiding-sex-with-authorities thing, but the message about having sex with someone who shares your beliefs about sex.

It is impossible to have good sex without communicating your feelings about the act of getting down and dirty. A miscommunication could lead to anger, resentment or contraction of an STI.

Good sex is not just a result of genital size and a few extra thrusts. Sex is only really good when both partners fully consent, practice safe sex and know how to satisfy their partner. These factors are important in any kind of sexual relationship. They can also be applied to couples that do not have intercourse, but instead participate in oral, anal or manual stimulation.

I learned how to have great sex from my training to become a Sex and Relationship (S&R) Intern. The goal of the S&R Interns is to increase awareness of safer sex practices and how to have a fulfilling sexual relationship with a partner. One of the ways the S&R Interns spread the word about how to have great sex is through Sex Affair.

Sex Affair is an annual fair put on by the S&R Interns. This year it will be held today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Women’s Center lawn.

Sex Affair includes a 30-foot “Tunnel of Love,” in which participants walk through and see exhibits featuring everything from sexually transmitted infections to communication skills to sex toys. This is the place to come to if you want to learn how to have better sex. There will be a plethora of information on sex, organizations, performances, a giant dancing penis and a place to get a picture of yourself in a giant vagina.

This year, we are proud to announce that we will have Student Health’s sex expert, Health Educator Carola Alden, in a private room in the Women’s Center. She will be available to answer any confidential questions. You can ask her questions about anything – from asking why it burns when you pee to statistical questions about how many people your age participate in unprotected sex. She will be on hand to help you make an appointment to get tested as well.

The main objective of the fair is to encourage students to practice safer sex. To promote the use of barrier methods for safer sex, the first 500 people that come to Sex Affair will be rewarded with goodie bags stuffed with condoms, lube, instructions on how to use both, plus candy and buttons. There will also be a raffle for gift certificates to fabulous places such as Chilitos, Silvergreens, Blenders, Pita Pit, the UCSB Bookstore, the State Street Adult Bookstore and many more.

So come to the Women’s Center lawn today to learn about how to have great sex, have some fun, and maybe leave with an awesome prize.

Genevieve Bruce is a sophomore women’s studies major and a Sex and Relationship Intern.