68% use the wrong size.
Condoms are once again making headlines in a big way. Bill Gates recently announced he wants to give a $100,000 grant to anyone who can invent the "next generation condom." Gates' foundation, which is dedicated to the treatment and prevention of HIV and AIDS in Africa, has demonstrated that most Africans - like North Americans - dislike using condoms because they reduce pleasure. He's hoping a condom which actually increases pleasure will encourage more people to practice safe sex.
However, as much as I agree that it's worth further examining the practical reasons why more people don't use condoms, I can't help but wonder whether designing the "condom of the future" is the be all, end all solution. Safe sex continues to be plagued by misinformation -- and it doesn't seem to get any better with age. I recently heard one of my male friends bragging about the large number of women he's slept with sans condom. When I raised my eyebrows, he said he wasn't worried about catching HIV because he "always pulls out" before orgasm.
Furthermore, a man I dated briefly admitted he avoided using condoms because he felt they were "impersonal" (after all, contracting an STI does add a distinctively personal touch to your sexual interactions.) Both of these men are well-educated professionals in their mid-30s.
While dating "Mr. Personal" I insisted on using condoms. This usually resulted in a game of what I like to call prophylactic tug-of-war. In the heat of the moment, I'd ask him to wear a condom, he'd rule out the idea, we'd stop, only to find ourselves back at square one. There's no doubt sex feels amazing without condoms. However, I sense that all the unsexy discourse about condoms as "a necessary evil" and "a means to an end" hasn't encouraged people to use them. Combined with previous bad experiences with condoms, I feel like many men have a complete mental block when it comes to using them.
To get some answers about the connection between condoms and pleasure, I turned to Melissa White, condom expert and CEO of Lucky Bloke, a leading online condom retailer. As she explained, when it comes to having amazing sex with condoms, quality, fit and education are paramount.
"While we're all taught to use condoms, we are never taught how to choose condoms." says White.
As she explains, contrary to popular belief, condoms are not "one-size-fits-all." Condoms actually come in three different sizes: small, medium and large. "People who really dislike condoms are often wearing the wrong size." says White.
Melissa White knows what she's talking about. Last year, Lucky Bloke conducted the Global Condom Review, where they provided more than 1,100 participants in 21 different countries free premium condom samplers in exchange for their feedback. Nearly seven out of 10 -- 68% -- learned they were using the wrong size condom and found that using the correct size dramatically improved their pleasure.
Finding the perfect condom involves a lot of personal experimentation. "Each person's sexiest condom is a highly personal experience," White notes. "One person's favourite condom might be another person's least favourite condom."
This makes me question whether Gates' quest to make the ultimate condom that increases pleasure for all is actually realistic. Scientific innovation is only one piece of the puzzle. The solution to ending the prophylactic tug-of-war, once and for all, also needs to include education, communication and hopefully some fun experimentation.
http://lifewise.canoe.ca/SexRomance/SexFiles/2013/05/09/20808871.html
Condoms are once again making headlines in a big way. Bill Gates recently announced he wants to give a $100,000 grant to anyone who can invent the "next generation condom." Gates' foundation, which is dedicated to the treatment and prevention of HIV and AIDS in Africa, has demonstrated that most Africans - like North Americans - dislike using condoms because they reduce pleasure. He's hoping a condom which actually increases pleasure will encourage more people to practice safe sex.
However, as much as I agree that it's worth further examining the practical reasons why more people don't use condoms, I can't help but wonder whether designing the "condom of the future" is the be all, end all solution. Safe sex continues to be plagued by misinformation -- and it doesn't seem to get any better with age. I recently heard one of my male friends bragging about the large number of women he's slept with sans condom. When I raised my eyebrows, he said he wasn't worried about catching HIV because he "always pulls out" before orgasm.
Furthermore, a man I dated briefly admitted he avoided using condoms because he felt they were "impersonal" (after all, contracting an STI does add a distinctively personal touch to your sexual interactions.) Both of these men are well-educated professionals in their mid-30s.
While dating "Mr. Personal" I insisted on using condoms. This usually resulted in a game of what I like to call prophylactic tug-of-war. In the heat of the moment, I'd ask him to wear a condom, he'd rule out the idea, we'd stop, only to find ourselves back at square one. There's no doubt sex feels amazing without condoms. However, I sense that all the unsexy discourse about condoms as "a necessary evil" and "a means to an end" hasn't encouraged people to use them. Combined with previous bad experiences with condoms, I feel like many men have a complete mental block when it comes to using them.
To get some answers about the connection between condoms and pleasure, I turned to Melissa White, condom expert and CEO of Lucky Bloke, a leading online condom retailer. As she explained, when it comes to having amazing sex with condoms, quality, fit and education are paramount.
"While we're all taught to use condoms, we are never taught how to choose condoms." says White.
As she explains, contrary to popular belief, condoms are not "one-size-fits-all." Condoms actually come in three different sizes: small, medium and large. "People who really dislike condoms are often wearing the wrong size." says White.
Melissa White knows what she's talking about. Last year, Lucky Bloke conducted the Global Condom Review, where they provided more than 1,100 participants in 21 different countries free premium condom samplers in exchange for their feedback. Nearly seven out of 10 -- 68% -- learned they were using the wrong size condom and found that using the correct size dramatically improved their pleasure.
Finding the perfect condom involves a lot of personal experimentation. "Each person's sexiest condom is a highly personal experience," White notes. "One person's favourite condom might be another person's least favourite condom."
This makes me question whether Gates' quest to make the ultimate condom that increases pleasure for all is actually realistic. Scientific innovation is only one piece of the puzzle. The solution to ending the prophylactic tug-of-war, once and for all, also needs to include education, communication and hopefully some fun experimentation.
http://lifewise.canoe.ca/SexRomance/SexFiles/2013/05/09/20808871.html
