Jack Englund spent “an hour or two” working on his costume for Dr. Phillips High School’s Spirit Week. When Character Day came on Tuesday, the high school senior put the costume on in the parking lot and proudly marched into school.
But before Englund made it to his first-period class, he was sent to the administration office, where he was told to take it off.
Englund had dressed up as the Trojan Man — a representative hero of Trojan brand condoms — complete with a fake condom in its packaging.
In an interview with MTV, Englund said he wore the homemade Trojan Man costume to “make a point about safe sex.” A few of his friends became pregnant and one contracted an STI from unprotected sex, he explained, and he wanted to raise awareness of the contraceptive.
Diego Rodriguez, attorney for Orange County Public Schools, said in a statement to The Huffington Post that the school’s Code of Conduct restricts students from wearing clothes “which display or suggest sexual … wording/graphics.”
“Any student that participates in spirit events is encouraged to dress up but they are also specifically told to abide by the Student Code of Conduct,” Rodriguez added.
But others, like the Advocates for Youth, a group dedicated to informing students about reproductive and sexual health, say Englund’s efforts to raise awareness “should be applauded.”
Ariel Cerrud, director of Advocates for Youth’s Great American Condom Campaign told HuffPost that he would tell Englund to “continue doing what he’s doing.” Stunts like Englund’s get people talking, he explained, and engage young people in positive conversation on condoms and safe sex.
“It’s good to see young people front and center in condom awareness,” Cerrud said.
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