Paris has it figured out: Condom vending machines right on the street!!
Condoms. Rubbers. Raincoats. Sheaths. Love Gloves. Prophylactics. Wetsuits. Willie Warmers.
Ah, yes. Con
Paris has it figured out: Condom vending machines right on the street!!
Condoms. Rubbers. Raincoats. Sheaths. Love Gloves. Prophylactics. Wetsuits. Willie Warmers.
Ah, yes. Condoms. February is National Condom Month, and since there is only one day left in the month, I’d better talk about this topic fast!
Condoms, a barrier method of birth control, are just about the only method we have to prevent STI’s and HIV. They also help prevent pregnancy.
Wait. That is not a true statement….
ABSTINENCE is of course the ONLY way to prevent STI’s, HIV, and pregnancy. Period. However, abstinence isn’t being practiced by most of the adult population, whether one is elderly, middle-aged, LGBT, married, single, heterosexual….you name it.
But, since most people end up having sex, we should talk about how to have safer sex to reduce the risk of STIs/HIV/pregnancy. And that would be….condoms.
There are many different kinds of condoms. For simplicity’s sake, I am going to refer to condoms as “male” and “female”. However, I want to make clear that I appreciate that some individuals with penises identify as “female”, and some people with vaginas identify as “male”. (You DID read my last blog, didn’t you??)
Now, let’s get started.
-They protect best against STI’s transmitted via body fluids and not as great against skin-to-skin STI’s (like herpes) because it can’t prevent all skin contact. But it still helps a lot.
-If you use a condom every time and use it correctly every time, then it is 97% effective. Unfortunately, most people don’t use it every time or use it correctly, so it’s 80-90% effective as a general rule. (National Institute of Health (NIH))
-They come in flavors (you know, the oral thing…) and colors, sizes, and textures.
-They are made from different materials. These include:
Latex Rubber: These are the most popular. They help protect against both STI’s/HIV and pregnancy. They are pretty inexpensive – about a buck a piece. However, some people are allergic to latex.
Polyurethane: These protect against both STI’s/HIV and pregnancy. Great for people who are allergic to latex. Not as tight-fitting, so some people like these better.
Sheepskin: Only protects against pregnancy. Because it is made of animal skin, it is porous, therefore those pesky little vir