If you're one of the many who live in a sexually repressed state such as Mississippi, this article is for you. Thanks to Obama, we will no longer have abstinence only programs, which are not only ineffective at reducing STIs and pregnancy but also neglect to teach people how to use contraceptive methods correctly to have safer sex. Many abstinence only programs made it illegal to teach about contraception in a government-funded building (i.e. a school) meaning if a teacher used a condom for an in-class demonstration (even in a sex ed class), that teacher could go to jail. That's why this Mississippi teacher used a sock to teach his students about condoms.
The abstinence only programs did prove effective in doing one thing: misinforming the general population about sex. According to Mississippi First, 58 percent of high school students have had sex by the end of their senior year. With this number being so high, one would think that the use of contraception would be too. These statistics from The Women's Foundation of Mississippi state that 46 percent of females who attend community college do not use any form of birth control or contraception. The main reason this number is so high, again, is due to lack of education. No one teaches teenagers how to have safe sex so they don't.
In an attempt to educate the masses, here are 11 facts about condoms and how to use them correctly.
1. Don't Put A Condom in Wallet.
I'm pretty sure we've all heard this, and yet, people still do it. Do not put a condom in a wallet! The main two reasons are heat and friction. By placing a condom that close to your body for an extended amount of time, your body heat will start to degrade the quality of the condom, rendering it useless by the time you decide to use it. The friction of having the condom rub against other stuff in your wallet or just having your butt rub against the seat adds wear and tear to the condom before you even open it. So if you want to avoid being a parent, it would be helpful to know how to properly store a condom.
2. Where You Should Put Your Condom:
By now you should know to avoid any place where your condom would be subject to heat or friction. The best place to store your condoms is somewhere that is cool and dry. I store my condoms in a old first aid box in my purse. Other viable places to store condoms are in these cool condom tins, makeup bags, pouches, wooden boxes or anything you have on hand that could keep the condoms away from the elements. Also, do not store your condoms anywhere in your car or any place that experiences temperature changes.
3. Always Check the Expiration Date
Always make sure that your condom is not expired. I'm sure if food or medicine is expired, you may still be able to ingest it, but do you want to risk being a parent? If not, check the date of your condom, and if it's expired, buy some new ones.
4. Your Condom May be the Wrong Size.
This may hurt some of your egos, but 35 percent of men need a smaller condom size compared to only 15 percent that need a larger one. The average penis size is 3.6 inches when flaccid and 5.2 inches erect, but the standard condom size is about 7 inches. So for those of you whose penis may be on the smaller side, the best thing to do is make sure that you are wearing the correct size. Lucky Bloke created this sampler to provide a snug fit for your penis. There's no shame in getting a smaller condom. There's shame in getting someone pregnant because you're too proud to have the safest sex possible.
5. Wanna Use a Condom and Baby Oil?
Only if you want to be a parent. An oil-based lubricant is the worst thing that you can use with a latex condom because it degrades the integrity of the condom. Instead, opt for a water-based or silicone lubricant. Water-based is my favorite because it's the cheapest, easiest to find, works with all condoms and is the easiest to clean off of your body. Silicone is more expensive and a little bit harder to find, but it lasts longer and is more efficient during anal sex.
In all honesty, you can use baby oil with condoms but only with a polyurethane condom. I don't know much about these, but Laci Green does. She also gives more information about when and how to use lube.
6. Use Condoms for all Sex Acts
Yes, I know you're going to say that using condom for oral sex takes the pleasure out of it. Maybe, but it does add some safety to it. Use a condom for all sex acts, not just intercourse. Yes condoms protect against pregnancy, but also STIs. So if someone has a penis and wants to insert in another person, use a condom always.
For my people out there with vaginas, dental dams are a thing, and they're just as efficient as condoms.
7. Seriously, All Sex Acts.
Did the wrong side of a condom touch the tip of an erect penis? Discard it and get a new one. Those few seconds could contaminate the tip of the condom that goes into the other person and transmit an STI or cause pregnancy. A little semen goes a long way.
Did you just have sex 30 minutes ago and want to start round two? Use a fresh condom. It doesn't matter if you didn't even ejaculate or if the condom still fits snug on your penis. For every single sex act, use a new condom.
8. Is This Thing On Right?
Surprisingly, this is the number one thing that many people get wrong. I've heard of people putting a condom on a flaccid penis, unraveling the entire condom before putting it on and using a number of other incorrect methods. The correct way to put the condom on is to first open it making sure that you aren't ripping the condom. Then figure out which direction the condom unravel but don't unravel it. Next you pinch the tip and hover it over the penis. After that, you unravel the condom down the shaft of an erect lubricated penis stopping at the base of the penis. Then you apply a small amount water-based lube over the penis and you're good to go.
When you're ready to take the condom off, you grab it from the base, slide it upwards, tie it to prevent semen from slipping out, then dispose of it in the trash.
9. Condoms are Highly Effective
Condoms used in the ways that I have mentioned above are proven to be 98 percent effective. The more you practice using condoms correctly, the higher your rates of effectiveness will be. If you want to have more effective safe sex, consider pairing condoms with other forms of birth control such as IUDs or birth control pills.
10. You Can Have Safe Sex For Free!
Free condoms are everywhere. I have tons of condoms, and I've never paid for any of them. If you want free condoms, your local health department will give you some. If there is a teen clinic or a Planned Parenthood near you, they will give you free condoms. Some school clinics will have free condoms. If you're lucky, sometimes condom companies will have giveaways and mail you condoms to your house.
11. Never Leave Home Without Your Condoms
Have you ever been in a situation where you really wanted to have sex with someone and neither of you had a condom? Yeah, me either. In case one of your friends are lucky enough to get lucky, you could be their savior by gifting them with a condom or two. Check out Merrilee Bufkin's article on the joy she brought to people at a frat party by carrying condoms. You too could be someone else's or your own condom fairy.
This is just some basic knowledge regarding condoms. I neglected to mention female condoms and go into more detail about contraception for people who have sex when penises aren't involved. If you would like to learn more about safe sex for vagina owners, here's a great video by Laci Green. I encourage all of you to take these tips and learn all that you can about safe sex. Have fun!!
