College sex writers to be honored

Attention all sex columnists and sexuality beat writers! If you've gotten ribbed all year for your no-subject-is-taboo columns or stories about orgasms and kinky sexual positions, read on.

Now you can get some respect. And money.

The makers of Trojan brand condoms and the National Sexuality Resource Center's Campaign for Sexual Literacy are now accepting entries for the first-ever Trojan Evolve Student Journalism Award.

The grand prize: $2,000 in cash and a trip for two to San Francisco, where the winner will be honored at the 2008 Champions for Sexual Literacy annual dinner. Four additional students will receive honorable mentions and a $500 prize. All winning entries will be published on the Trojan Evolve Web site.

The award is designed to recognize "college journalists who do an exceptional job reporting on sexual health topics in their college print or online media outlet." Students can apply by submitting an article published in 2007 relating to sexual health issues, statistics, products, policy or opinions at www.trojanevolve.com.

Contest entries must focus on sexual health, "the experience of enjoying our sexuality, both emotionally and physically, throughout our lives."

According to the contest rules, "topics may include, but are not limited to, sexual health issues, statistics, products, policy and opinions. Articles should include references to condom use and must be consistent with the Evolve master narrative summary."

"With this award recognition, we hope to support student journalists who strive to articulate the evolving challenges, experiences and perspectives related to sexual health and condom usage in their college community or the greater U.S. population," Jim Daniels, vice president of marketing for Trojan, said in a news release about the contest. "College students are truly in a position to help to shape this nation into a sexually healthy society, and that requires an evolved media discourse about what it actually means to be sexually healthy."

The contest will be judged by a panel of sexual health experts, journalism professionals and Trojan brand representatives.