SexSignals performers present at the Loading Dock. Photo by Jennifer Friese/The Dakota Student.

“The Real Life Funny Sort-Of-Improv Show About Dating And Other Stuff” was held in the Loading Dock Wednesday night.

Better known as SexSignals, the show was a fun way to promote sexual assault awareness.

The audience may have been small, with about 40 students in attendance, but the message was huge.

Differing from traditional prevention programs, SexSignals incorporated humor and improvisation to educate students on dating, sex and the core issue of consent.

The dynamic duo on stage, Jack and Lindsey, were entertaining from start to finish. They kept the audience engaged while encouraging students to participate in the performance by asking the audience questions and giving students stop cards to hold up when they feel the character had gone too far in their skit. After everyone in the audience had raised a stop card, they made the point that the word stop only goes so far as the person is willing to respect it.

This made their message on factors that can lead to sexual assault that much stronger.

The performance educated the audience on how to recognize rape in all of its forms while also challenging them to re-evaluate a culture that tends to shame victims.

The production encouraged the audience to stand up against victim blaming and gave tips on what you can do in a tough situation that included stepping in when you see creepy behavior in public.

“You cannot get consent from someone who has been drinking” and “Sexual assault isn’t a consequence of drinking too much” were two of the take-home messages of the night.

They went above and beyond to entertain and bring awareness to truly help the audience.

Jack and Lindsey informed students where they can go for help and counseling if they had been through a similar situation as the performance portrayed. They also gave information on the many counseling services at McCannel Hall and a hotline number that can be reached day or night if help is needed.

SexSignals is a show that delivers laughs and knowledge; a combination that can be difficult, but that was easy for SexSignals to get across. The show turned a normally bleak topic into something that engaged students while also teaching an important lesson.

Ashley Carlson is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. She can be reached at [email protected].