Class Is in Session: Condom Use 101

Condoms are widely used to prevent unwanted pregnancies and protect against harmful and life-threatening diseases, such sexual transmitted infections (STI). Several condom manufacturers have committed to maintaining a healthy sex life as well as an enjoyable one. However, a condom can't protect you if it's used incorrectly. A study published in the journal Sexual Health discovered a slew of errors in condom use.
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Condoms – A History

Each year, people from all over the world use 9 billion condoms. And while that may seem like a definitive win for people and institutions advocating the importance of safe sex, condom use is far from being universally accepted. While there’s a general consensus among experts and doctors that condoms have the ability to greatly reduce the rate of new cases for infections from sexually-transmitted diseases and HIV, there are many who still oppose their promotion.

The Catholic Church for instance, has been very vocal as of late with their opposition to the usage of condoms. Pope Benedict for one has stated on record that AIDS and HIV should only be controlled through abstinence alone.

Arguments for and against condom usage aside, you’re bound to have won
dered at some point where condoms came from. Here’s a brief look on their colorful history.

1000 BC

It was during this time that the earliest records on condom-like devices were made and found. The earliest condoms were apparently made from more primitive materials—primitive when compared to polyurethane and latex. Condoms then were made of silk paper, linen, leather, and even hollowed out horns.

1500s to 1600s

Gabrielle Fallopius, a doctor in Italy who just so happens to be the man the female fallopian tubes are named after, developed the idea of using linen sheath devices as a means of protecting against syphilis, At the time, the disease was a fatal epidemic.

Besides the use of linen, condoms were also made from bladder and intestines during the Renaissance period, perhaps giving birth to what we now know as the lambskin condom.

1855

Goodyear produced the first rubber condom after Charles Goodyear discovered a method of processing natural rubber to make it elastic without being too soft or hard. The first rubber condom unfortunately, was far from being as comfortable as it is today; it was apparently as thick as the inner tube of a bicycle tire.

1912

Condoms finally became cheap and disposable with the introduction of the first latex condoms. This paved the way for single-use condoms, which were mass produced during the Second World War and distributed to troops all over the world.

1980s

The media emphasis placed on deaths from HIV sparked a movement to push condom usage to the mainstream. The issue of safe sex finally became less of a taboo as fears about HIV and AIDs rocked households all over America.

2000s

Condom sales breach the 9 billion mark worldwide. Condoms are now better and more reliable than ever. With reports of allergies to latex, manufacturers have created polyurethane condoms for people sensitive to latex.

Springfield, Mass. schools to begin providing condoms to students 12 and older

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) - Springfield's School Department will be contacting parents in the next two weeks to detail a new program allowing students ages 12 and older to have access to condoms.
 
The Springfield Republican reports (http://bit.ly/NcXU6Y ) that officials will emphasize that parents and guardians have the right to opt out if they do not want their children to get condoms.

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Using a Condom the Right Way

If being a parent at the wrong time is the last thing you want to be right now, then wearing a condom during sex should be high on your list. Condoms however, don’t just solve one aspect of safe sex (i.e. preventing pregnancy), they also protect you from sexually transmitted diseases, most of which are downright nasty, if not fatal.

You already know the facts about condoms, what they do, and how they allow you to engage in safe sex, but there are still many people out there—both men and women—who don’t know how to use a condom correctly.

Why is this So?

Despite it being the 21st century today, many men and women still feel embarrassed to ask about how to use a condom the right way. This leads them to use the contraceptive incorrectly instead of asking doctors, or even their friends, for fear of being ridiculed, teased, or being labelled as sexually active or promiscuous.

Why Proper Usage is Important 

When used correctly, your ordinary latex condom has a very high success rate in preventing both pregnancy and STIs—the rate is very close to 100 percent. However, that’s assuming that the condom is used correctly. When a condom is used and stored the wrong way, its failure rate can rise to dangerous levels, making it too risky to use during intercourse, whether it’s oral, anal, or vaginal sex.

Here are the basics you should know about using a condom the right way. 

• Check the condom’s expiry date; if it’s past its expiry, throw it away—be sure to dispose properly of course.
• Don’t just rip a condom with your teeth; you don’t want to accidentally tear it. Open the pack with care.
• Condoms should never be stored in your pocket or wallet—the friction and heat will cause the material to deteriorate over time, leading to tearing.
• Determine which direction the condom rolls before wearing it.
• If the condom appears to be stuck on itself when rolling it on the shaft, it may be defective. Use another one.
• Wear a condom when the penis is erect.
• Never use oil-based lubricants with ordinary latex condoms as this eats away at the latex. Use water-based lubricants instead.
• Remove the condom immediately after ejaculation while the penis is still erect. Be sure not to spill any semen when taking out the rubber.
• Never reuse a condom.
• When using certain organic condoms, such as lambskin, bear in mind that these only prevent pregnancy, not infection from STDs.

New Orleans pastor known as 'Da Condom Father' couldn't just watch people die: Jarvis DeBerry

Bruce Davenport, pastor of St. John No. 5 Faith Church in Gentilly, said he was given an ultimatum by the Baptist convention to which he used to belong. He could keep calling himself and his church Baptist and cease with his distribution of condoms. Or he could keep passing out condoms and stop calling himself Baptist. His nickname, "Da Condom Father," makes plain which option he chose.

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Australia's most complained about ad Rip & Roll safe sex campaign returns

THE "Rip & Roll'' safe-sex advertising campaign, which was the most complained about ad in Australia last year, has returned to Queensland.

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Veganism – Understanding this Different Lifestyle

These days, more and more people are becoming more and more cautious about their lifestyle and changing their habits to be healthier—which is definitely a good thing. From the food we eat to even the cars we drive, it’s clear as day that many people are aiming to be healthier, cleaner, and greener. A common lifestyle change being done by many people right now is to adhere to the principles of veganism.

How to live as a vegan

Veganism is a form of lifestyle that abstains from using animal products. Most vegans reject the use of any type of animal products, from food to clothing, choosing alternatives that match their principles, such as vegan condoms for instance. However, there are dietary vegans that only stick with the vegan diet and still use animal products like leather.

Whether you are after the lifestyle or just the diet, there’s no harm in going vegan. There are many health benefits when shifting to this lifestyle and you just might find that you feel and become healthier after you switch.

Live longer

Vegans also tend to live longer. Since they strictly eat vegetables and fruits, they get the most of vitamins and minerals from plant materials. They even use plants, specifically beans, as a source of protein.  Many people who have gone vegan chose to because of the health benefits or because of health reasons. Most vegans choose to buy organically grown vegetables and fruits so no harmful or toxic chemicals are mixed into their food.

Special products

Since ethical vegans do not use any products that have animal matter in them, there’s a range of products specifically made for them. These can range from vegan shoes to vegan condoms. Vegan condoms in particular, are a relatively new product out on the market, catering to a niche market that’s often been neglected. Since the regular process of creating latex in condoms involves the use of the dairy protein casein, vegan condoms are a solution for vegans who want to engage in sex.

Downside

Although a vegan lifestyle sounds good, it will need a lot of dedication. You have to sacrifice a lot when promising to follow the lifestyle. You have to be very cautious about all the choices you make. For instance, it entails reading the labels of products you are buying to make sure that they do not contain animal products.

Shift now

That is, if you want to go vegan. Change your life and start slowly by changing your diet and once you get the hang of it, you can change your total lifestyle.

Sex In Movies Pushes Kids To Have Sex Earlier

Parents, you may want to hide the remote from your teens while you read this. Or at least make sure you’ve set the parental controls on your cable box.

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Safe sex

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Unwanted Pregnancies – Best Ways to Avoid Them

Having a baby is one of the most amazing experiences anyone could ever have. However, this experience also needs to come at the right place and time. Unwanted pregnancies can lead to emotional and psychological troubles that some people may have a hard time handling. It will not only affect your life and future plans, you will also have to care for another human being. If you think that you cannot support having a baby yet, then you might as well avoid getting pregnant.

Condoms and contraceptive pills are the most popular ways to avoid pregnancy. It’s very important, especially for teens and young adults, to know what options they have when it comes to contraceptives. Let’s talk more about these two common options and know the details about them.

Condoms

Condoms stand out for a good reason. They not only help you avoid pregnancies, they also help keep you safe from sexually transmitted diseases. Although condoms are not 100 percent effective and may fail, they can definitely help minimizes the chances of pregnancies and STDs. Condoms are very easy to use, you just need to follow the directions on the back of the box. The only reason why condoms fail is because you do not put them on properly.

There are many different types of condoms. The most recent ones that are getting a lot of attention are vegan condoms. Many condom brands actually use casein, which is a protein taken from milk, to make latex condoms. Vegan principles dictate that the use of animal-based products is unethical, hence why vegan condoms are so convenient.

Contraceptive pills

Pills are probably the most effective tool to avoid getting pregnant. Contraceptive pills are 99% effective in ensuring that no fertilization happens. However, taking contraceptive pills means that you have to take them while sticking to strict. If you miss more than two days of taking your pills, there is a high chance that you can get pregnant.  Some pills, such as hormonal balancing contraceptive pills, are known to give other benefits such as reducing cramps that many women feel during menstruation or prevent and control acne. One of the biggest downsides of using these pills is that they do nothing to protect you from STDs.

Hormonal balancing contraceptive pills and condoms are just a few examples of new types of contraceptives that also offer other benefits. Try to ask your doctor or a health care professional about these contraceptives to know more about them.

Recent HIV numbers strengthen argument for teaching abstinence and safe sex (Video)

The Word on Women - Putting the sexy into safe sex is key to tackling HIV

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