Condom Your Cowboy - Mixed Reviews

The Condom Your Cowboy campaign runs during Stampede, promoting safer sex during this infamously sexy time. Condom Your Cowboy gets condom packs on the street, in bars, and on party buses, putting safer sex front and centre. After seeing all the great work everyone did on this year’s campaign, I was excited to see a photo (above) of the Condom Your Cowboy condom packs on Instagram. 

The comment thread for this photo was disheartening, to say the least. Words like “gross” have been used in relation to sex far too often, leaving folks too ashamed to talk about how to stay safe. Comparing fee condoms to strategies for facilitating cheating is just plain depressing. These comments paint a picture of the stigma condoms still carry. It’s fascinating to see how people my own age (mid to early 20’s) are still influenced by sex-negativity.  

So, do we agree with the old adage that any press is good press? Should we view this social media conversation as a success? This Instagram photo shows that we are getting out in the community and sparking discussions! What do you think we, as a sexual health agency, can do to better promote safe sex during Stampede?  Has our attitude towards condoms and sexuality really improved?

(Condom Your Cowboy is a partnership project with the Calgary Coalition on HIV/AIDS)

This blog article was written by Samantha McCarthy’s, AIDS Calgary Shift Case Worker and Condom Your Cowboy project member.

Happy Penis Condom?

Gearing up for a sexy time? Making the most of those last few Stampede parties? Don’t forget to Condom Your Cowboy this Stampede!

Fact: condoms are the single best protection we have against unplanned pregnancy and STI transmission, including HIV. Condoms come in all shapes and sizes! Condoms are made for men or women, latex or polyurethane, ribbed, studded, flavoured (oh my!), glow-in-the-dark, extra-small or extra-large. St- Patrick’s Day themed? Yes please!

For every penis in the world, there is a condom that will fit it. Even if you have statistically anomalous sized genitals, you can get custom sized male condoms here, so everybody can have a well fitting condom. Using the “that condom won’t fit my junk,” just doesn’t hold true friend.

But (here comes the but) even though we know that using a condom can protect ourselves and our partners, we still don’t roll one down every time we have sex. Why not?

Depending on who you’re asking, that list can be extensive. According to the Gates’ Foundation, it’s pretty straightforward: it just doesn’t feel as good.

“The primary drawback from the male perspective is that condoms decrease pleasure as compared to no condom, creating a trade-off that many men find unacceptable, particularly given that the decisions about use must be made just prior to intercourse.”

Gotcha. So in that moment right before you’re about to achieve intercourse (i.e. the moment that condom needs to get on), you’re probably not thinking totally rationally. This leads us to the question of the day: how do we get more condoms on more penises!?

According to the Gates’ Foundation, it’s to make penises happier in condoms! There’s $100,000 USD grant to develop a male condom that “significantly preserves or enhances pleasure.” And if it’s good, there’s up to $1M in other funding to make that happy-penis condom. It will be interesting to see what ideas folks come up with.

Until we see that condom breakthrough (pardon the pun), I’m afraid we’ll have to rely on the usual methods of protection. Do you have a favorite? Share your tips on how you rock the condom!

References:
 Grand Challenges in Global Health, (2013). Develop the Next Generation of Condom. Retrieved from: www.grandchallenges.org/Explorations/Topics/Pages/NextGeneration CondomRound11.aspx
 Centre for Disease Control (CDC), (2013). Condoms & STDs: Fact Sheet for Public Health Personnel. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/condomeffectiveness/latex.htm

Valentine’s Day is the Day of Love

Valentine’s Day is the day of love. 2013 Valentine’s Day is also Calgary’s Fifth Annual Valentine's Day Women's Memorial March for Murdered and Missing Women (Press-Release: Calgary Memorial March, 2013)

 

The Memorial March is in recognition of the disproportionate numbers of Aboriginal women who have never been found or have been murdered.

 

Alberta has the second highest cases of murdered and missing Aboriginal woman in Canada. Most of those are murder cases. (Native Women’s Association of Canada, 2012)

HIV

Aboriginal woman not only have high numbers of murder and kidnap, but they are disproportionately high at being diagnosed with HIV.

 

Statistically, Aboriginal woman are being diagnosed in the advanced stages of HIV which may lead to the AIDS label. They are being diagnosed at younger ages than their non-native counterparts. Majority of HIV diagnoses are from IDU use (Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network, 2011) or through heterosexual intercourse. (Emily Bridges, 2007)

Why such high numbers?

These statistics are an indicator of how Canadian society treats Aboriginal woman. Aboriginal woman are more likely to experience: “poverty & low socioeconomic status; gender-based violence; historical trauma; biological susceptibility; gender imbalance & inequities; colonial depiction of Aboriginal Women; racism; stigma; discrimination and sexism; unresolved trauma related to sexual abuse; social exclusion; unequal opportunities for education; and unequal opportunities for access to healthcare.” (Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network, 2011)

 How does this tie together?

Aboriginal woman may have difficulty accessing or trusting health care providers which delays testing and treatment. Condom negotiation becomes difficult for those who are in abusive relationships. They may have a lack of education and/or access to education about HIV and diseases. Attending distant social/ceremonial gathers increase unprotected sexual contact. (Emily Bridges, 2007)

 As woman…how do we help ourselves?

Conversations of healthy sexual decision, by parents, is proven to delay first sexual experience and increase the use of contraceptives when engaging in sex.

Self-efficacy (the measure of one's own ability to complete tasks and reach goals) helps develop healthy boundaries.

Being academically focused.

Having a positive native identity and belonging has a very strong effect with good sexual health.

Valentine’s Day

Aboriginal woman in Canada face a very hard road, and to have our hardships recognized on such a beautiful day is very appropriate. It’s giving back to the woman who went on before us and showing ourselves and others that, yes, we are human and, yes, we deserve the right to be loved and respected. Recognizing murdered and kidnapped Aboriginal woman is essential to our healing. We also need to protect ourselves, not only physically, but sexually.

 The Memorial March takes place Thursday, February 14, at 6 p.m. at Scarboro United Church, 134 Scarboro Ave. S.W., Calgary, Alberta.

 

Bibliography

Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network. (2011). FACT Sheet: Aboriginal Woman and Girls. Vancouver: Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network.

History. (n.d.). Valentine's Day. Retrieved February 13, 2013, from The History Channel Website: http://www.history.com/topics/valentines-day

Native Women’s Association of Canada. (2012). Fact Sheet: Missing and Murdered Aboriginal Women and Girls in Alberta. Ohsweken: Native Women's Association of Canada.

Press-Release: Calgary Memorial March. (2013, February 12). Retrieved February 13, 2013, from Marketwire: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/calgary-march-for-murdered-and-missing-women-set-for-february-14-1755905.htm

 

 

No Glove, No Movie?

Last week, in a near-unanimous 9–1 vote, Los Angeles City Council members voted in a new city ordinance which requires adult film actors to wear condoms while performing in films.

This news came as a victory to Michael Weinstein, president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, which has been the driving force in bringing this issue forward. The foundation has been aggressively seeking changes in an effort to protect the occupational health and safety of workers in the adult film industry. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation collected over 60,000 signatures of support from local residents, which allowed the law to be approved by council without being put to a special city vote. The new law requires mandatory condom use by performers in order to be granted a filming permit in Los Angeles. Porn producers who do not comply with the regulations will be required to pay a fee and the rule will be enforced by surprise inspections of filming sites.

The ruling is expected to have a significant impact on the multi-billion dollar porn industry concentrated in this area: It is estimated that 90% of all legally distributed pornographic films made in the United States are either filmed or produced by studios based in the San Fernando Valley. The San Fernando Valley has often been referred to as “Porn Valley” and nearly 2/3 of the area is under the jurisdiction of the City of Los Angeles.

In a response to the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and the deaths of prominent adult film actors such as John Holmes, the Adult Industry Medical Health Care Foundation created a system for regular testing among performers. Adult film industry actors are currently tested for HIV, Chlamydia, and Gonorrhea every 30 days, and Hepatitis, Syphilis, and the Herpes Simplex Virus annually. Many critics argue that this approach to testing is not sufficient as it does not offer any real protection against infection, only the ability to learn of a diagnosis quickly.
The American adult film industry has been hit with a number of small outbreaks of HIV among adult film actors since the inception of the regular testing policies. The majority of these outbreaks began with a single male actor and resulted in several of their female partners also testing positive. While HIV transmission has been relatively low among adult film performers, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are on the rise. Untreated STIs can lead to a substantially increased risk of contracting HIV during unprotected sexual contact with an HIV+ partner.

Statistics from the Los Angeles Country Department of Public Health illustrated a sharp increase in the number of sexually transmitted infections experienced by adult film actors during the years 2000-2008. In the period of April 2004 – March 2008, there were a reported 2,847 STIs among 1,884 adult film performers in Los Angeles County. Women represented 70% of these cases, with 15% having experienced 4 or more infections within a 12 month period. The overrepresentation of women is largely thought to be the result of the high female-to-male ratio of performers in the industry, and the physical susceptibility of women for contracting various kinds of infections through riskier and prolonged sexual activities.

Critics and representatives of the Adult Film Industry feel that mandatory condom use will have a significant impact on the profitability of their films. They report that viewers of adult entertainment will find condoms to be a disruption of the fantasies that these films aim to create. In an interview last Wednesday with the New York Daily News, veteran adult film actor Ron Jeremy stated: "Performers don't mind wearing rubbers, but viewers don't want to see it. It ruins the fantasy". Others challenge the new requirements by stating that condom use in the industry should be the choice of consenting adults and not an issue for the government.
Where should we draw the line between an employer’s duty to ensure occupational health and safety and the government’s involvement in consenting sexual activities? Does condom use diminish the fantasy of adult films, or is their use a powerful reinforcement of safer-sex social norms? The answers to these questions remain to be seen as industry executives are faced with the decision to comply with the new rules or set up operations in another jurisdiction.


http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2012/01/21/HIV_Advocate_Pushes_Mandated_Condom_Use_in_Porn/
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/ron-jeremy-exclusive-condom-law-a-wrap-porn-industry-a-article-1.1008562?localLinksEnabled=false
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/01/condoms-porn-aids-la-county.html
http://articles.latimes.com/2012/jan/18/local/la-me-0118-porn-condoms-20120118
https://s3.amazonaws.com/s3.documentcloud.org/documents/262811/col-porn-ladph-study.pdf

Different Colors

This article was written by AIDS Calgary’s Outreach worker

Have you ever noticed that condoms come in different colours, flavours, textures, and materials? Consider the plethora of shapes, sizes, as well as other enhancements such as lubricants, spermicides and so on. Not to forget existence of female condoms and dental dams. Condom manufacturers are not stopping there either. It is reported that durex will be launching condoms with a Viagra® -like substance to curb condom induced erectile dysfunction (Huffington Post, 2011). With so many options, there is surely a condom for everyone. Like many other things in life, we need to give a couple a whirl before deciding on which styles work best to protect from numerous infections including HIV; as well as keeping our lives fun and interesting.

Condoms have not always come in an array of shapes and sizes. In fact, people from generations before us did not have as many options as people in contemporary society do. There is evidence to suggest the first protective sheaths were developed as early as 100-BC. (Avert, 2011). Debate on which civilization developed the concept is still out there. Historians, anthropologists and health scientists have witnessed condom-like material from ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and some parts of Asia. Early condoms were made out of linen, silk paper, shells and other materials. Rather difficult to imagine what that would have been like eh?

Europe experienced a surge in new syphilis infections around the 1500’s that helped put condoms on the map. Gabrielle Fallopius is credited for publishing the first article confirming the protective properties of linen condoms. It was also around this time that they discovered proper use of condoms could indeed prevent pregnancy (Avert, 2011). One could argue the first condom enhancements took place at this time as well. Scientists learned dipping condoms in some chemicals could kill sperm- this further enhanced the protective characteristics of condoms. By the late 1700’s hand made condoms thrived. Some pharmacies took the initiative to raise condom awareness through advertisements and handbills.

Condoms of the rubber sort did not emerge till about the 1800’s, Goodyear and his partner- yes the tire guys; developed a process that could turn rubber into a stretchy elastic substance (lovepanky, 2011). This made it easy for manufactures to make condoms using a hand dipping process. Rubber cement condoms however aged quickly and were known to break. So in 1919 Frederick Killian decided to try latex instead of rubber. This actually worked well. In addition to making them stronger, he was able to rid them of the strong, unpleasant rubber scent. Creature comforts we take for granted today such as lubricant were added to condoms in by 1957 by durex (Avert, 2011).

Since then condom enhancements have occurred left-right and center. Examples include the introduction of female condoms in 1992 (Avert, 2011). It is also around the same time color and flavor was added to the mix. Other materials such as polyurethane for individuals with allergies or different preference were launched. It should be stressed however that not all condoms protect against HIV and some STI’s. Be sure to carefully read the label and contact a sexual health center or AIDS service organization should you have any doubts, questions and or concerns. If everything checks out; let the sparks fly!

References
‘Viagra Condom’ Durex CSD500 Coming to Europe. (2011, August 5). Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/09/viagra-condom-durex-csd500-_n_859640.html

Condoms: Effectiveness, History and Availability. (2011). Retrieved October 3, 2011, from http://www.avert.org/condoms.htm

Facts About Condoms. (2011) Retrieved October 3, 2011 from http://www.lovepanky.com/sensual-tease/sizzle/facts-about-condoms

The Psychology of Do or Don’t I....

This article was created by ACAA's Project Manager of Bow Valley. To learn more about the programs and services ACAA offers in Bow Valley visit http://www.aidscalgary.org/supportservices/bowvalley.cfm or contact info@aidscalgary.org.

Every day we make choices and decisions that involve a certain amount of risk, how we decide in each circumstance depends on both external and internal factors. Add other people to our decision making process and it gets even more complicated, at least it does for most people.

In our prevention efforts at AIDS Calgary I think it would be safe to say that we are all working towards preventing the spread of HIV and other STIs and a big piece of that work is around education and promoting condom use.

We share the process of how HIV and other STIs are transmitted, we talk about the risk involved and in our efforts to move more people towards using condoms and we also look to indentify the barriers that get in the way of people using them.

We acknowledge that there are many circumstances that contribute to a person’s decision not to use protection, but for this conversation I want to address the decision to have unsafe sex when a person does have all the facts, knows all the risks and has access to condoms.

There is likely no definite answer here, especially when we’re talking about investigating choices and decisions, but there may be evidence of how complicated our minds and choices really are.

I believe the complexity to how we each make decisions everyday travels down a path of both conscious and unconscious choices. There are many people who knowingly take the risk of getting HIV or other STIs through having unsafe sex, which raises a couple of questions for me.

Is there a moment when the person has a thought, impulse or even a conversation that they should wear protection but yet they still continue forward with having unprotected sex?

If they do then my next question is… what is it that overrides those thoughts?

Think about it, does a person with all the facts and access to condoms actually consciously say to themselves “I am choosing to have unprotected sex right now”?

I am interested to understand and identify if there is indeed an internal struggle with our decision making processes. If there is an internal conflict right before a person engages in sex, then I would suggest that understanding this dynamic is one of greatest barriers once education on all the facts is presented.

When I stand up in front of a group to provide education on HIV and STIs I am always curious to ask the question, “What are the reasons why you think people don’t wear condoms?” Some people will answer from personal experience and others from an outside perspective.

Each group will come up with different reasons such as:
They were too intoxicated
Shows a sign of lack of trust if you wear a condom
There are no condoms in the vicinity
Financially cannot afford to buy condoms
Doesn’t feel as good
You know the person well enough
Laziness

These are just a few of the examples that I hear during my presentations and for me they represent answers to more questions. It’s the tip of the ice berg when it comes to how we make our individual choices, especially when it comes to the psychology of do I or don’t I put this condom on.

It is a lot easier to have a discussion about condoms before having sex but that conversation can be tricky and sometimes uncomfortable. Generally speaking it’s not a talk that many of us prepare for, so that in itself can build the momentum towards experiencing such a conversation as embarrassing or if left unspoken creating that elephant in the room.

How will the other person respond, will they get insulted? Will I ruin the mood? And what are the chances this person has HIV or an STI? These are just some examples that I have heard when talking with very honest people about their internal struggles of deciding to bring the topic up or not.

I knew a young man that used to have multiple partners when he was younger and most of the time it was with strangers. He was extremely intelligent, knew the facts of how HIV and STIs were transmitted and often had a condom in his pocket when he was engaging in sex, yet he almost never used it.

Once when we were talking about why he had condoms in his pocket and why it was that he never used them. He replied with “I don’t know, I know better but when I get to that moment my attitude changes. It’s as if I don’t care in that moment and then spend the entire next day worrying about the consequences.”

At the end of the day we are all adults who have the right to choose the kind of sex we want to experience. I believe that self awareness is good for all of us and each of us thinks, acts and responds differently. With a better understanding of ourselves we can better support our decisions.

Why has syphilis made headlines lately?

The cases of syphilis in Alberta have dramatically increased since 2000. There were 267 known cases of syphilis in 2009 compared to only 15 in 2000. “In Alberta in 2009, there have been seven confirmed cases of infants born with congenital syphilis; another six infants remain under investigation. By contrast, in 2009 there has been one case of congenital syphilis reported in one other Canadian province” (Alberta Health and Wellness, Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health, p. 1, 2010).

The Alberta government has responded with an edgy online campaign; http://plentyofsyph.com/ which includes a website, Twitter and YouTube channel. They have also launched several primetime commercials addressing syphilis, utilizing the online dating theme. PlentyofSyph.com is a fictitious dating site that is complete with a variety of member profiles and videos (all played by actors and actresses) of individuals dealing with different stages of syphilis infection. Via the videos and profiles, members discuss their syphilis stages and symptoms in very graphic terms. As visitors peruse the profiles they learn tidbits about syphilis signs and symptoms. Within a profile, a visitor can read about the person’s syphilis stage and if they click on the contact button, they are linked to the “help/info” section. The “help/info” button is also on the top corner of the site and when clicked takes the visitor to the section that provides concise information on syphilis symptoms, prevention, testing and treatment. “Membership” is revoked when an individual is treated and cured of the disease.

So what is syphilis?
Syphilis is a bacterial infection that is sexually transmitted. It can be transmitted via oral, vaginal, anal intercourse, sharing of sex toys or other sexual activities. Syphilis can also be transmitted from an infected mother transmitted to her unborn child.

Syphilis is curable, but if left untreated can cause long-term health problems such as mental illness, blindness, deafness, heart disease or even death. Having an active case of syphilis can also increase your risk of becoming infected with other STI’s such as HIV.

Untreated syphilis progresses through four stages:

Primary Stage
During the primary stage of syphilis infection, a painless sore or ulcer appears at the point where the bacteria has entered the body; usually the genital area, anus, or throat. This sore may also be found in unconventional areas like on the hands, etc. Because the sore is painless, many people may not know the sore is there, specifically if it is in an area where it is not easily visible. (Health Canada, 2006)

Secondary Stage
In the secondary stage of syphilis, generally the painless sore will go away, and symptoms such as the following may occur:
• Patchy hair loss
• A rash on the soles of the feet, the palms of the hands or elsewhere on the body
• Fever
• Swollen glands
• Muscle and joint pain (Health Canada, 2006)

Latent Stage
The latent stage of syphilis begins when there are no more symptoms of secondary syphilis. At this point, the bacteria are still present in the body, with no apparent symptoms at all. During the first portion of this stage known as “early latent”, the individual is still highly Infectious. Later on in this stage, the individual will move into the “late latent” stage, where the chance of transmission becomes very low. If untreated in latent syphilis, the infection may progress to what’s known as “tertiary syphilis”.

Tertiary Stage
Without treatment this infection may progress to tertiary or “late” syphilis. During this stage, the bacteria will damage the eyes, brain, nervous system, heart, joints, and most of the rest of the body. It may take years or even decades from the point of infection for syphilis to progress to this stage” (AIDS Calgary).

“Late syphilis can result in mental illness, blindness, deafness, memory loss or other neurological problems, heart disease, and death. Late neurosyphilis (brain or spinal cord damage) is one of the most severe signs of this stage.” (NIAID, 2009)

Syphilis Prevention Strategies
1. “Be aware that your inhibitions are lowered when you have been drinking or taking drugs. - Even when sober it can be easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment. The Bottom line: Always be prepared. Buy your condoms and lube now.

2. Don’t think that you can tell who has syphilis just by looking at them. Anyone can get syphilis and there may be no visible signs that someone is infected.

3. Pay attention to your body. Check for sores or rashes. Often syphilis goes unnoticed because the symptoms are similar to other infections or people just don’t notice their symptoms.

4. Get tested. The earlier syphilis is diagnosed, the easier it is to treat it. “Infectious syphilis is completely treatable with antibiotics (generally penicillin), and is much easier to treat early on…Aside from a family doctor, you can also get tested at the Calgary STI Clinic, Safeworks or a Family Planning Clinic.” (AIDS Calgary starting September, 2011).

The good news is that it’s easy to reduce your risk of contracting syphilis. There are many safer sex tools such as condoms, dental dams and gloves, which you can use to reduce your risk of contracting the infection or any other STI’s.

What do you think?
The “Plenty of Syph” website is very interactive with the ability to review varied make believe“profiles” of men and women from various backgrounds and sexual orientations. As of June 29, 2011, the campaign’s YouTube channel; http://www.youtube.com/user/plentyofsyph has had over 40,000 upload views. In addition to all of the media attention, the campaign has also garnered a great deal of controversy given the provocative nature of its content.

But the campaign has also endured some criticism. The Calgary Herald recently reported that the Vancouver based dating site PlentyofFish.com has some contention with the mock site’s name similarity and services (Calgary Herald, Real dating website sore over Alberta syphilis campaign, 2011). There have also been rumours that this campaign could insinuate that only individuals who engage in online dating are at risk for contracting syphilis. Whether you find the campaign intriguing or offensive, it’s certainly achieved increased syphilis awareness and hopefully instigated safer sex practices and encouraged testing. Check it out and tell us what you think.

Sources

1. Health Canada, (2006). Syphilis. Retrieved June 29, 2011, from It's Your Health Web site: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/diseases-maladies/Syphilis-eng.php

2. NIAID, (2009). Syphilis. Retrieved June 28, 2011, from Understanding Web site: http://www3.niaid.nih.gov/topics/Syphilis/understanding/symptoms.htm

3. Alberta Health and Wellness, Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (2010). The Syphilis Outbreak in Alberta http://www.health.alberta.ca/documents/STI-Syphilis-Report-2010.pdf

4. AIDS Calgary, retrieved June 28, 2011 from: http://lookwhatsback.com/

5.The Calgary Herald, Real dating website sore over Alberta syphilis campaign, Bryce Forbes. June 15, 2011. http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/Real+dating+website+sore+over+Alberta+syphilis+campaign/4948180/story.html

The fight is still on

Recently released 2009 Alberta HIV statistics show the reversal of a five-year trend. Rates of new HIV infections declined from the previous year. New infections decreased from 232 in 2008 to 219 in 2009, a decrease of 6%. Nationally, new infections declined by 8% in the same time frame.

When new stats are released, the numbers will inevitably contain both good and bad news. Seeing a decline, even a small decline, is always good news for those in the field of HIV prevention. Every possible new infection that can be avoided is a success.

In addition to the decline of total new infections, another piece of good news for Alberta in 2009 is that new infections attributed to IDU (injection drug use) have been steadily declining since 2000, a credit to successful harm reduction-based needle exchange programs.

The bad news is the groups that are hit especially hard by HIV. It might surprise you to learn that in Alberta, heterosexual sex is the method of transmission for nearly half of all new HIV infections. In 2009, heterosexual sex accounted for 46.8% of new infections. The majority of those impacted by heterosexual transmission are women (particularly women from Aboriginal populations or countries where HIV is considered endemic).

The MSM (men who have sex with men) population also continues to be over-represented, accounting for 34.5% of all new infections in 2009. For men, MSM continues to be the exposure category that accounts for the most new infections, 50% of all new infections in men in 2009. The total number of men contracting HIV in the MSM exposure category increased by 10% from 2008 (68 to 75 new infections), and 40% from 2006 (53 to 75 new infections). Despite the decline in new infections, these numbers show us that the real numbers of MSM contracting HIV are still increasing.

So even with the decline in new infections, the fight is still on here in Alberta! AIDS Calgary has made a few changes over the past year to better address the spread of HIV in certain communities. Our HEAT program (which is specific to gay men/MSM) has been bumped up to a full-time program. HEAT outreach is happening on a weekly basis: online, through social media sites and live at a bar near you! We have also launched our African Communities Project to start working with those African communities in Calgary that are most in need of our education, prevention and support services.

We also know one of the best ways to address the spread of HIV is through testing. Evidence shows that early detection can reduce the risk of transmitting HIV to others. The number of HIV tests in Alberta has been increasing since 2005 but there is still work to be done to make testing a more routine part of medical care for all Albertans.

A focus on promoting testing and reaching out to those populations that are experiencing high rates of new infections will continue to be priority items for AIDS Calgary in 2011.

Of Popes and Condoms

The HIV world has been stirred up once again by a comment from the Pope about condom use. Reactions have been mixed as organizations and individuals try to figure out the exact meaning of the Pope’s latest comments.

On November 23rd, a book-length interview with Pope Benedict XVI titled, “Light of the World: The Pope, the Church and the Signs of the Times”, was released. Somewhere in the middle of this 250 page tome the Pope touches on condom use, saying:

“There may be a basis in the case of some individuals, as perhaps when a male prostitute uses a condom, where this can be a first step in the direction of a moralisation, a first assumption of responsibility, on the way toward recovering an awareness that not everything is allowed and that one cannot do whatever one wants.”

The Pope goes on to say that condoms aren’t “really the way to deal with the evil of HIV infection” and that the Catholic Church doesn’t regard condoms as a “real or moral solution”. But many have interpreted the Pope’s comments as the first step towards recognizing that using a condom to prevent the spread of HIV would be the lesser of two evils.

The Catholic Church has remained firm on their stance against artificial contraception in general and also the use of condoms in particular (both for preventing pregnancy and the spread of HIV). Given this unwavering position, many AIDS service organizations responded to the Pope’s latest comments with optimism. UNAIDS even went so far as to “welcome Pope Benedict’s support to HIV prevention”.

Meanwhile, the Vatican and many church officials have been cautioning people against reading too much into the Pope’s comment. The Pope was not, in fact, changing church doctrine or even necessarily going so far as to “justify” condom use. All papal statements are apparently not created equal.

So the question remains, is this a first step towards the Catholic Church recognizing the critical role that condoms can play in preventing the spread of HIV? And if it is, might that step be so small as to be considered completely ineffectual?

What do you think about the Pope’s recent comments? Do you think that this is a step towards the Catholic Church changing it’s stance on condom use in a broader range of cases with the goal of stemming the spread of HIV?


Sources
Donadio, Rachel. “Pope’s Comments on Condoms Sow Confusion.” New York Times. November 22, 2010. http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/23/world/europe/23pope.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss&pagewanted=print. Retrieved November 24, 2010.
Kenny, Peter and Sandri, Luigi. “UNAIDS says Pope’s condom move makes HIV cooperation easier.” The Christian Century. November 23, 2010. http://www.christiancentury.org/article/2010-11/unaids-says-popes-condom-move-makes-hiv-cooperation-easier. Retrieved November 24, 2010
UNAIDS welcomes Pope Benedict’s support to HIV prevention. UNAIDS Press Release. November 20, 2010. http://unaidstoday.org/?p=1662. Retrieved November 24, 2010.

Youth and Condoms

Finding the right balance between trust and vulnerability can be a challenge when stepping into relationships. For youth just beginning to navigate the waters of relationships it can be an even bigger challenge. Every sub-culture has their own set of relationship rules, and youth are no different. You have probably heard of the 3-day call rule or 10 minute text rule. And once a relationship has moved past these initial stages there are still more rules!

Making the choice to become exclusive and monogamous is a step many youth take in a relationship. This monogamy is often followed by the 3 month rule. The 3 month rule means many couples will stop using condoms once they have been sexually exclusive for three months.

But who makes up all these rules? What are they actually based on? Why do some people feel safe giving up condoms after three months of exclusivity? There are two reasons that we frequently hear from the community:

1. I am not at risk. If you assume you are not at risk, why bother? But how do you define risk? Is it enough that you do not engage in sharing needles or have male-to-male anal sex? It is not uncommon for individuals to assume that HIV transmission only occurs in certain populations; populations they may not necessarily identify with. Of course, the best bet is to actually know your risks.
   
   
2. I trust my partner. This one is sticky because it’s natural to want to trust your sexual partner. In the glow of a new relationship, the idea of cheating seems very far off. Many times people are also uncomfortable openly discussing sex and their sexual history. Talking about safer sex and past safer sex practices is important, no matter how awkward it may be at first. Open lines of communication and respecting your partner are great building blocks of trust.

The most important reason for someone to feel comfortable modifying condom use would actually be: I understand the window period. The window period is the timeframe between the point of infection and the body’s ability to produce enough antibodies to show up on a test. It can take anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months after HIV enters the body to develop enough antibodies to be detected by an HIV test. You can be tested reliably at 3 months after a suspected point of infection. A test at 6 months will produce a result with 99% accuracy. Understanding and following the window period is critical if you have made the decision to engage in sex without condoms!

Another important point for youth just entering into the world of sexual relationships to remember is that condom use is about more than just HIV transmission. Condoms provide protection against a whole host of sexually transmitted infections.

Understanding risk, communicating with your partner and regular testing are key issues for youth engaging in sexual activities. Safer sex practices are not just reserved for the three month rule. They are designed to protect individuals regardless of where they lie on the risk continuum. Choosing to engage in sexual activity is a big step. The next big step is making sure you keep yourself safe and healthy!

Free condoms anyone?

Condoms. We all know what they are and where to get them, right? We’re all willing and able to toss them into our basket on a Saturday afternoon drug store run, right? And if we discover an empty box in our nightstand we are definitely going to put our pants back on and drive out to the store to get some, right?...right?

We know that “condom use is a critical element in a comprehensive, effective and sustainable approach to HIV prevention and treatment.”1 We also know that even in a prosperous city like Calgary, people can’t always afford or even access condoms regularly.

“Condoms must be readily available universally, either free or at low cost, and promoted in ways that help overcome social and personal obstacles to their use. Condom use is more likely when people can access them at no cost or at greatly subsidized prices. Effective condom promotion targets not only the general population, but also people at higher risk of HIV exposure, especially women, young people, sex workers and their clients, injecting drug users and men who have sex with men.”2

The good news is that it’s easy to address both cost and accessibility. All we need to do is give the condoms away for free. This is where agencies like AIDS Calgary can step in to utilize our wide network of distribution channels. We distribute free male condoms, female condoms and dental dams via events, community venues, outreach at other social service agencies, street level outreach and through our office. Our popular wall-mounted condom bins in fixed locations also mean we are able to reach diverse individuals and communities in areas where they are already accessing services and social activities.

Giving away free condoms seems simple, and it is. Grabbing a few from a basket in front of you is just as simple. So go ahead, grab some and keep that nightstand stocked!


Sources:
1. WHO, UNAIDS, UNFPA. Position Statement on Condoms and HIV Prevention, 2004. Retrieved August 31, 2010. http://www.unfpa.org/upload/lib_pub_file/343_filename_Condom_statement.pdf
2. WHO, UNAIDS, UNFPA.

Safer Sex…Fashion?

Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes forced the world to see safer sex when looking her in the eye. Lopes, 1/3 of R&B girl band sensation TLC, brazenly popped out an eyeglass lens and put a latex condom in its place during the early stages of her career.

Safer sex education and awareness is still a pertinent issue, but pamphlets and public service announcements can’t always do the job. One of the biggest hurdles faced by the safer sex movement is the idea of message fatigue. We’ve heard it over and over: Use Condoms! So, how do you get people to keep listening after all these years?

One way is to use a little PR trick called spin. To spin the safer sex lecture into something entertaining, accessible, and one that people will pay attention to, is a coup. Fashion – safer sex fashion – takes a crack at delivering an old message in a new way.

Left Eye’s safer sex fashion statement was novel and commendable and upon researching her I started to wonder how many others had engaged in similar endeavors.

Designers Against AIDS was launched in Belgium in 2004. Their goal is to “raise AIDS awareness in the international media and towards the general public, more specifically towards young people in the industrialised countries using elements from pop culture (music, fashion, design, arts, sports, film, celebrities, etc.)” DAA’s many projects include festivals, a perfume line, and a collaboration with H&M called “Fashion Against AIDS” where celebrities like Cyndi Lauper, Rihanna, Rufus Wainwright, Yoko Ono, Moby, and Dita Von Teese designed T-shirts and other fashion pieces to be sold through the retail giant.
Others make fashion out of safer sex equipment, as it were. For twelve years, Adriana Bertini has “investigated the transformation of condoms into art pieces re-utilizing condoms which haven't been approved by the companies' quality control process.” She “re-defines the condoms' image by breaking taboos and inserting the image in a natural way to every day life.” At a distance, Bertini’s designs look like fun, elegant gowns. It isn’t until closer inspection that you realize prophylactics occupy the space you thought fabric did. Ingenious and thought-provoking? Yes. Breathable? I’m not so sure.

Jeremy Scott channeled his con(tra)ceptual creativity into a project with Proper Attire condoms that benefitted Planned Parenthood. The project reminded him “of how fashion can still make a real statement.” Scott transferred his neon, pop-culture, urban prints to Proper Attire’s condom packaging to make purchasing condoms as exciting as buying couture.

I am anxiously awaiting news of where safer sex fashion will go next. If there’s any star power out there looking for the next big idea, give me a call. I’m happy to swap ideas about Dental Dam pocket squares for men’s suits or the flavoured condom charm bracelet.

This guest post was submitted by Caitlynn Cummings. Caitlynn is a recent Bachelor of Arts grad from the University of Alberta and is embarking on a transatlantic writing escapade in Edinburgh, Scotland where she will take her MSc in Creative Writing in September 2010.

History of the condom

I’ve been watching the TV series Rome recently and all I can say is, “Wow, did they ever like to fuck!” With every second scene featuring a long-haired beauty vigorously riding a well-muscled warrior, I often catch myself wondering how they managed to keep themselves safe from sexually transmitted infections. I mean, they didn’t have condoms back then did they?

Step 1: Foreplay
The use of condoms can be traced back as far as 1,000 B.C. when the Egyptians tested the waters using linen sheaths or oiled silk paper as an early form of condoms.

Sometime between 100- 200 A.D. the earliest visual evidence of condom use appeared. Cave paintings found in France suggest the use of condoms. There is also some evidence condoms were used by our frisky friends in the Roman Empire.

Step 2: Slide it on
In the 1500s, a syphilis epidemic led Gabrielle Fallopius to claim invention of a linen-sheath condom. Originally used to protect men against syphilis, it wasn’t initially realized that it could also prevent pregnancy.

It is speculated that in the 1700s the word ‘condom’ was christened when King Charles II’s doctor, whose name was allegedly Condom, invented the handy device to help the king from accidentally planting his seed every which way. However, it’s more likely that it comes from the Latin word for ‘receptacle.’

During Casanova’s reign over romance, people were beginning to ‘slide them on’ as condoms (or ‘English riding coats’ as Casanova called them) were traded and advertised. The use of animal intestines to make condoms began in this period.

Step 3: Lubricate
Things really started to get slick in the 1800s with a revolution in the manufacture of condoms in Europe and the United States. The discovery of vulcanized rubber allowed for faster and cheaper rubber condom production.

‘Dr. Power’s French Preventatives’ was the first printed ad for condoms, published in The New York Times in 1861. Less then a decade later the Cornstock Law made any advertising or mail order of birth control illegal.

Step 4: Stick it in
The 1900s gave way to the thinner latex condom, product expansion, and the very first lubricated condom in 1957, created by Durex.

Along with the sexual revolution of the 60s came the invention of the pill and other birth control methods. At this time condoms started to lose their appeal, contributing to the rise of sexually transmitted infections amongst the free-lovers of the time.

With HIV’s arrival on the scene in the 80s, condom-use regained some swagger, as did condom advocacy, advertisement and sales. The little latex packages were readily available in pubs, bars, grocery stores, and supermarkets – pretty much anywhere you might be reminded of that tingling urge.

The female condom and polyurethane male condom were made available in the early 90s.

Step 5: Spread the love
The availability and variety of condoms today is astounding. Technological advances allow for a more natural sensation with thinner condoms. Condom varieties like ribbed, studded and flavored can actually enhance sex lives.

I know that I, for one, would take a cherry-flavored warming-sensation condom that’s going to tickle me in all the right spots over a pig intestine or strip of leather any day…

So strap on your favorite ‘English Riding Coat’ and feel free to ride. Condoms have you covered!

This article was submitted by Jess Howat. Jess was a practicum student at AIDS Calgary in March. She is currently working towards a Communication Studies degree between SAIT and the University of Calgary.

Woman to woman transmission

Low risk doesn’t mean no risk.

Lesbians and bisexuals are rarely a focus when it comes to HIV infection and safe-sex education. Lesbian sex can be easy to dismiss in the face of other types of higher risk sexual activities. But low risk doesn’t mean no risk and lesbians (or women who have sex with women) do engage in activities that carry some risk for the transmission of HIV and other STI’s.

Although “data on transmission of HIV between women are scarce and incongruent”, there have been reports of suspected cases of woman-to-woman transmission. In 2003, a female-to-female transmission of HIV was officially documented in the online journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases.1

How HIV can be transmitted between women

• HIV can be transmitted when blood (including menstrual blood) or vaginal fluids from an HIV positive individual enters the bloodstream of another adult.
• Sharing of unprotected sex toys can allow for transmission of HIV and other STIs through vaginal fluids.
• Cuts or sores on or in the mouth can be points of transmission during oral sex, whether it is vaginal or anal. Oral sex when the receiver is menstruating also increases risk.
• Cuts on fingers when fingering or fisting can lead to infection. Any tearing or cuts within the vagina or anus increases risk.
• S&M that might lead to bleeding is also high risk. Play-piercing is an example, especially when needles are shared.

Risky activities for women include: oral sex without a barrier (particularly if there are sores or bleeding gums present in the mouth), sharing dildos or vibrators without a barrier, fingering or fisting without a latex glove, sharing needles, and unprotected sex with men.

Safer lesbian sex tips

• Using dental dams for oral sex lowers the risk of infection when giving or receiving oral sex.
• Finger cots or latex gloves can be used to lower risks when fingering or a fisting.
• Lube up. To avoid any tearing or cuts within the vagina or anus, good lubrication is always recommended (water-based lubes are best). It’s also a good idea to keep fingernails neatly trimmed.
• Avoid ingesting vaginal fluids or menstrual blood.
• Use condoms when using dildos or vibrators with your lover. Change condoms when taking turns, and make sure to clean the dildo or vibrator before and after.
• Avoid any S&M that involves blood and use clean unshared needles.

No risk activities for women include: Hugging, massaging (excluding the vagina), masturbating or watching your lover masturbate, phone sex, cyber sex, using dildos or toys without sharing them, dry kissing, tribadism (rubbing bodies together), or anything that doesn’t allow for the exchange of bodily fluids.


Sources:
1. Kwakwa, Helena A. and Ghobrial, M. W. “Female-to-Female Transmission of Human Immunodeficiency Virus”. Clinical Infectious Diseases. Retrieved April 29, 2010. http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/full/10.1086/345462?prevSearch=%2528female%2BHIV%2Btransmission%2529%2BAND%2B%255Bjournal%253A%2Bcid%255D&searchHistoryKey

This article was submitted by Jess Howat. Jess was a practicum student at AIDS Calgary in March. She is currently working towards a Communication Studies degree between SAIT and the University of Calgary.

10 Sexual Health Tips for 2010

1. Get tested – We are lucky to live in a country with free, readily accessible STI testing. Take advantage of it and make STI testing a part of your regular health care routine.
   
   
2. Get treated – If you are diagnosed with an STI that is treatable, follow your doctors treatment instructions. Minimize the risk of passing along an STI to any of your sexual partners.
   
   
3. Communicate – Have conversations about taboo subjects, create safe places where people feel comfortable talking about health and sexuality, stop hiding your sexual light under a bushel!
   
   
4. Know your limits – Set up a safe partying system with friends, be aware of your risk in situations saturated with alcohol or drugs.
   
   
5. Understand STI’s – The more you know, the better capable you will be of minimizing your risk
   
   
6. Dispel stigma – HIV and other STI’s can isolate people and increase their risk. Do your part by being educated about the facts around HIV and STI’s.
   
   
7. Get involved – Get involved with a local sexual health organization. Volunteers are a vital part of any education and advocacy efforts. You can help to educate the next generation on safer sex practices.
   
   
8. Always be prepared – Stock up on your favorite condoms and lube and keep them close at hand. You just never know when Mr or Ms Right is going to sweep you off your feet.
   
   
9. Take a sex positive approach – Sex isn’t all STI’s and risk, sex is a fun and healthy part of life. It should feel good so don’t forget to enjoy yourself!
   
   
10. Take charge of your own sexual health – the most important thing to remember is that you are in control of your body and mind. Exercise your control. Make healthy choices.

5 Things to do under the Mistletoe

WARNING: These activities are not appropriate for Grandma’s living room.

Are you ready to kick up the heat and do a little more than kissing under the mistletoe with your sweetheart this year? Penetrative and oral sex are certainly options to steam up the holiday season, but they are not the only activities available to you. If you’re so been there done that or are looking for some safer alternatives, check out our top 5 list of low risk sexual activities:

1. Talking Dirty – An excellent option for the couple who can’t be together this holiday season. Talking dirty is a healthy and exciting way to share fantasies and explore situations with a partner. Try working condoms into your fantasy sequence! If you feel awkward about broaching the topic of condom use, this is a non-confrontational and erotic way to get comfortable with it.
   
2. Hand jobs/fingering –Many times, the simplicity of hands is forgotten in the rush to penetration. If no condom is available, don’t take the risk – slow down and use your hands. Allow your partner to guide you in how they would like to be touched.
   
3. Watch each other masturbate – Another great option if distance is a barrier. Just hook up your webcam and you’re ready to go! If you’re already together, even better. After all, who knows how you like it better than you? Show your partner what you like. Watching can be a huge turn on and after being shown your partner may want to dive in and give it a try themselves!
   
4. Toys – Anal beads, vibrators, dildos, the options to stuff your stocking are endless! As long as they are properly cleaned and aren’t being shared between multiple people, toys are a safe and very fun way to play around. If the toys are being used by more than one sexual partner, they can easily be placed inside of a condom. Just make sure to use a new condom each time the toy changes hands.
   
5. Dry Sex – Longing to recapture the holidays of your youth? How about a flashback to your earliest sexual encounters? Drive your partner wild with some fully clothed erotic gyrations. Baby, it might be cold outside but this is sure to get things hot, fast.

If any, or all, of these exercises lead to a delicious exchange of bodily fluids just remember to be safe this holiday season. Don’t drive drunk. Oh, and put on a condom!

This article is co-authored by Leita McInnis-Kucy.

Thinking outside the 'box'

First off, let’s get one thing ‘straight’ – the porn industry has done a horrendous job of portraying lesbian sex, and as a result the general public is misinformed, under-educated and very confused regarding lesbian sex. One thing’s for certain, lesbian lovemaking might just be the most misunderstood type of sex.

By its very definition, lesbian sex involves females interacting in a sexual manner with other women. However, ‘lesbian porn’ is ‘scripted’ and packaged for a male audience, resulting in two very ‘straight’ women acting ‘gay’ to fulfill a male viewer’s idea of “girl-on-girl action.” As one example, the length of the actress’s acrylic-tipped finger nails says more than enough and all I have to say is, ‘ouch!’

In lesbian porn, this misinformation is fueled by the need to reassure the guy at home that he still matters, rather than acknowledging the (unsettling) fact that a girl can get off without a man. Furthermore, this teaches bi-curious females that it is another way to pleasure a man versus seeking pleasure for herself. Mainstream porn lacks the intensity, lust and passion that makes lesbian sex fantastic.

Without creating another version of ‘lesbian sex for dummies,’ I feel the next best thing would be discussing the pleasures of female sexuality expressed through the experiences of intimate women. Sex with my partner is not about penetration (in its many forms) or the number of orgasms that ensue. Lovemaking is a game played within the mind, built on trust, respect and mutual attraction. I think the most integral point to be made about lesbian sex is the integration of the mind, body and soul.

I have found that the most essential element of lesbian sex is the connection shared between two women, being present with and being aware of her desires. Receptivity to touch is anything but passive; it’s energetic in quality; it isn't necessarily about who's doing what to whom. I have found during a sexual act that my lover communicates in many ways, and it’s my job to pay attention to these cues.

Sharing in an intimate act with another woman opens these receptors and brings lovemaking to a whole new level. While engaged with another woman it is important to listen for her physical and audible responses, which will speak to you through pulsations, temperature changes, contractions, and the beautiful release of fluids.

Lesbian sex is an exploration of self, in knowing your own body and desires you will find the right pressure, speed nd sequence that can be shared with another woman. Take your time. Touch her all over. Undress her slowly; appreciate every newly exposed piece of flesh. Kiss her ears, touch her breasts. Nibble her neck. Caress her belly, her inner thighs. Kiss behind her knees. Knead her bum. Slowly suck on her fingers. Get naked and lay your body on top of hers.

There’s so much fun to be had in the bedroom with another woman, penetration and orgasm is only an effect, not the cause.

This guest post was submitted by Charleen McPhail.

Recent medical breakthroughs in the fight against HIV/AIDS

Are microbicides the condom of the future?

Micro…what?
Microbicides are a protective material inserted into the vagina or rectum prior to intercourse. Microbicides can come in the form of gels, creams, suppositories, films, or as a sponge or ring and release an active ingredient that is designed to destroy microbes (bacteria and viruses) or to reduce their ability to establish an infection.

To date, efforts to develop a microbicide that effectively prevents the transmission of HIV in real world situations have failed. Factors from application to storage have stymied researchers. Despite these stumbling blocks, scientists and researchers are just beginning to see the potential of microbicide technology and already medical breakthroughs have taken place. The latest one occurred earlier this month at the University of Utah.

What is it?
A new kind of microbicidal "molecular condom". Before sex, women insert a vaginal gel that turns semisolid in the presence of semen, trapping HIV particles in a microscopic mesh so they can't infect vaginal cells. The gel will potentially block sperm and other STI viruses. In addition to preventing STI/HIV transmission, this gel could act as a contraceptive.

When was it discovered?
August 2009

Who is doing the research?
Dr Kiser, Dr Jay and other University of Utah scientists. The study was funded by National Institutes of Health. The University of Utah research team is continuing the effort to develop microbicides to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS thanks to a $100,000 grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Why is this groundbreaking?
The discovery of the new “molecular condom” is groundbreaking because of how it prevents transmission, how it is applied, the social implications, and the low cost to produce.

How does it work?
It is the first vaginal gel designed to prevent the movement of the HIV virus rather then trying to kill the virus. The barrier would last until the end of the virus’s lifecycle. Researcher’s are hopeful that this will be a better strategy to approach HIV, a very fragile virus which cannot live long without a host.

Unlike other microbicides which have to be taken right before sex, this new microbicide technology would be applied once a day or even once a month.

What is the cost to produce?
The cost to produce a male condom is approximately three cents, a female condom is 60 cents. Dr. Kiser has sated that the “molecular condom” should cost no more than five cents for each dose, with a shelf price comparable to male condoms. How long until this treatment is available? It is still around 5 years away from being tested in humans. Researchers estimate 10 years before it might be in widespread use.

Other issues:
Because this microbicide doesn’t need to be applied right before sex, women are able to take control of their own prevention strategies. This is especially helpful for women living in third-world countries where HIV/AIDS is widespread and they are not able to access condoms or successfully negotiate condom use with sexual partners.

Unfortunately, this product is designed only for protection during vaginal intercourse. The product would not effectively prevent transmission of HIV/STI’s that occur during anal or oral sex.

For more on this study:
BBC
Utah Engineering
The Globe and Mail

Did you ever wonder?

Did you ever wonder how condoms were tested? How condom manufacturers made sure that their product could hold up under pressure? Well it turns out that they used returned product, questionnaires and a machine. Below is a picture of a coital model. This particular model is used by SSL International, the manufacturer of Durex condoms.

We all know that condoms are an excellent way to prevent the transmission of Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI's). The effectiveness of perfect condom use is extremely high but human error does enter into the equation. Tears, unpinched tips, and slippage can all result in condom failure.

SSL International is using it's coital model to investigate further causes into condom breakage. An article in Contraception Journal states that:

"Evidence combined from examining returns, questionnaire responses and the coital model strongly suggests a single predominant mechanism of failure we named "blunt puncture," where the tip of the thrusting male penis progressively stretches one part of the intact condom wall until it ultimately breaks. Blunt puncture appears to be the mechanism of breakage responsible for more than 90% of condom breakage not attributable to misuse. Knowledge of the main mechanism of breakage should help develop better user instructions, better test methods and, ultimately, better condoms."

It's nice to know that science is on our side and working towards building a better condom.

Sources:

White, Nicholas D. (2008) Male condoms that break in use do so mostly by a “blunt puncture” mechanism. Contraception An International Journal, Volume 77 Issue 5. http://www.contraceptionjournal.org/article/S0010-7824(08)00064-4/abstract Retrieved August 2009.

Pescovitz, David. (2009) Coital "model" machine used in condom study. http://www.boingboing.net/2009/08/19/coital-model-machine.html Retrieved August 2009

Condom Negotiation on Seven Continents

Wherever you travel it’s always useful to know a few words in the local language. Hello, goodbye, please and thank you are always a good start. How to ask your smoldering Greek tour guide to wear a condom isn’t something a lot of people plan for. Whether or not you intend to find romance abroad, the summer fling has certainly been known to happen. Here is our pocket travel guide to condom negotiation on seven continents.

If you’re an English speaker, travelling in North America is a cinch. The majority of the population are either native speakers or have fluent ESL skills. But, always better to be safe than sorry! If you find yourself tramping through rural Quebec you might ask:

Est-ce que tu as un preservative? (pronounced ehs-kuh tueh ah uh prey-zerh-vah-teef)

If you’re going a little more exotic and trekking through South America, be armed to ask if the other person has a condom in Spanish or Portuguese:

Spanish
Tienes un condon? (pronounced Tyeh-nehs oon kohn-dohn)

Portuguese
Tens um preservativo? (pronounced Tengsh oong pre-zer-va-tee-vo)

Australia is a no-brainer for those English speakers again. May we suggest adding a ‘mate’ to the end of you sentence? As in…‘do you have a condom, mate?’

A trek across Europe poses a challenge. With dozens of languages only a day’s travel apart you might have to do some research ahead of time. To start you off, here’s Italian and German:


Italian: I have only safe sex
Faccio solo sesso sicruo (pronounced Fah-choh sho-loh sehs-soh see-koo-roh)

German: Let’s use a condom
Lass uns ein Kondom benutzen

Asia, the backpackers haven, poses a similar challenge to Europe. Occupying a broad swath of the globe, languages run the gamut from Mandarin to Punjabi to Tamil. Get started with some phonetic versions of Thai and Tagalog:

Thai: Let’s use a condom
Chai tung yahng gan teut

Tagalog: Do you have a condom?
May kondom ka ba?

We never said it would be easy, and Africa poses another challenge. The local dialect isn’t something that you can find in a traveler’s guide. French is widely spoken throughout the continent and is a good safe bet. You can also prepare yourself with some Modern Standard Arabic in case you find yourself in Northern Africa.

Phonetically, the word for condom in Arabic is Al-waa kee. To ask someone if they have something you would say Hal la-day-ku-mu. String it together and you’ve got “do you have a condom?

Finally, we are left with Antarctica. With no permanent residents, if you are visiting Antarctica you will likely find yourself in a population of cold, lonely research scientists who could be from anywhere across the globe. If you’re struggling to communicate with the lonely scientist of your choice, we suggest that you fall back on the ancient art of pantomime when things starting heating up.

There’s nothing as safe as being prepared and being ready to take your sexual health into your own hands.

Happy Trails!