The Thing About Condoms

(Flickr/quaziefoto)

Today I read about a recent study (released in time for National Condom Week!) that found the following:

Nearly half -- 45 percent -- said they had used a badly fitting condom during the previous three months.

These men were more than 2 times as likely to say the condom broke or slipped when they used it. They also often reported it was irritating to wear.

But this reminded me of some reporting I did a while back for a relatively unrelated story. I spoke with a researcher whose specialty was investigating how women feel about using contraception and condoms, because all too often, discussions about condom use revolve around men.

Now, I'm not blaming researchers for focusing on men. After all, men are the ones that ultimately are expected to wear the condoms during intercourse. As a public health advocate, you have to get men on board if you want to curb the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

But women are also a factor in heterosexual encounters. And I know plenty of women that don't like the feel of condoms either. It's true that my evidence is anecdotal, but if women also don't like to use condoms, it makes the battle for getting heterosexual couples to use them that much more difficult.

Pope Says Condoms 'Increase' HIV Infection

It's not really surprising that the Pope would say something as dumb as this, but still. I continue to be amazed that the religious spend their time demonizing condoms. As if condoms somehow are the root of evil in this world, rather than a prudent precaution for those that are sexually active and want to minimize their risk of exposure to infection. It's true that condoms aren't a total guarantee against infection of HIV -- after all, condoms can break -- but it's still really important to promote the use of them. I really hope people stop listening to the Pope when it comes to sexuality.

Obama Plans to Overturn the Global Gag Rule

In one of the most significant changes on sexual and reproductive health from the Bush administration, advisers to President-elect Barack Obama said yesterday he plans to reverse what is known as the Global Gag Rule. This regulation forbid non-govermental organizations (NGOs) from promoting family planning options like contraception (including condoms) and abortion.

This is especially problematic because this rule forbid promotion of condoms in parts of Africa where HIV infection rates are reaching alarming proportions. Instead the Bush administration pushed the promotion of abstinience except in cases of marriage. The Wonk Room has a good rundown of why this is an ineffective policy for preventing HIV infection:

The rise of HIV infections in girls is attributed not to women’s individual choices and behavior, but to gender inequalities and sexual violence , including the widespread practice and acceptance of child marriage of young girls to older men, forced marriage and polygamy, male promiscuity, “marital rape, domestic violence, wife inheritance, widow cleansing, and female genital mutilation.”

This is significant because it could affect the lives of millions of women who need comprehensive and accurate information about their sexual health.

Cross posted at Pushback.

State Department Drops Ban On HIV-Postitive Diplomats

Over the weekend, thanks to pressure from a lawsuit, the State Department finally conceded that HIV shouldn't limit who can serve as a diplomat abroad. Oftentimes a candidate would complete extensive exams only to discover upon the completion of a medical exam he or she didn't qualify.

The State Department's chief medical officer had "revised its medical clearance guidelines on HIV based on advances in HIV care and treatment and consultations with medical experts," said Gonzalo Gallegos, a State Department spokesman.

This is a great step forward for the rights of those who are infected with HIV, but can live normal lives for years. It also has a lot to do with the stigma surrounding the virus. For years it was perceived as a "sinful disease." I remember in the late 1990s a documentary called "Hell House," about an evangelical Christian church in the south, portrayed one of the "sins" as a young man with AIDS. It's a relief that now at least official policy doesn't reinforce such terrible stereotypes.

Cross-posted.