Sexual Information Center Collection

The Sexual Information Center (SIC) at Oberlin College was founded in 1976. From its inception, it was a student organization, staffed by trained Oberlin students and located in Wilder Hall. Originally created to provide peer-led sexual health resources, its core services included short-term counseling, referrals to medical and psychological care, and the dissemination of educational materials concerning birth control, sexually transmitted infections, and broader topics of sexual health and wellness. SIC also held information workshops in dormitories and across campus, and maintained consistent weekly office hours. In 1977, SIC became part of an informal “Intercouncil” with other campus groups, including the Oberlin College Gay Union, Women’s Resource Center, and Campus Ministry. The Intercouncil focused broadly on sexuality, gender, and sexual health education.

By 1979, SIC’s offerings had expanded to include a Winter Term course and an Experimental College (EXCO) class. Its community outreach grew through dorm “raps” and seminars. Around this time, the Contraceptive Co-op was established by Zvi Fraser in response to high costs of birth control. Initially run through the Oberlin Student Cooperative Association (OSCA) and supported by Dean of Students George Langeler, the Co-op partnered with Interchange, a wholesaler, to order contraceptives such as spermicidal creams, foams, and sponges. After a successful trial run, the Co-op transitioned from OSCA to SIC in spring 1980 to broaden access beyond co-op members, though OSCA continued to support it financially.

In September of 1989, the Contraceptive Co-op officially disengaged from OSCA due to tax status concerns and was renamed the Sexual Health Care Co-op. Now an independently chartered and college-funded group, it expanded its inventory to include a broader range of sexual health products, such as condoms, lubricants, dental dams, and gynecological tools like specula. By 1990, the Co-op operated out of the SIC office and was staffed by SIC counselors, though it remained administratively independent.

Throughout the 1990s, the SIC continued to serve as a hub for peer education and support, providing referrals to local and national health services, free pamphlets, and a lending library. Its services included free peer counseling, informational “Toolbox” workshops in dorms and co-ops, and a consistent presence in student health advocacy. The SIC was managed by members selected annually and led by co-coordinators and a treasurer. It was funded by the Student Finance Committee (later the Student Senate). Its hours and services remained robust through the decade, adapting to the evolving needs of the student body.

By 2019, SIC had further expanded to address reproductive justice and support services, increasing access to emergency contraceptives and transportation for medical care. That year, it began collaborating with Vagisil for emergency contraceptive distribution and housed the Oberlin Doula Collective, founded in 2018 by Elana Rosenberg, which provided volunteer support for students undergoing abortions. The organization also formalized its non-hierarchical structure, emphasizing collective decision-making and maintaining its longstanding location in Wilder Hall.