In the 80s and 90s, sex was the top subject for young adults, including college students. The advocacy of birth control and condoms to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and unexpected pregnancies was strong, but they always came with the warning that these devices were not 100 percent accurate, and that the best thing to do would be abstinence.
While these practices of safe sex were the most known, one practice that was mostly ignored was being perfected through time and modification, the female condom. Developed in 1987, but not government approved until 1993, the female condom faced many challenges in the public eye. According to BBC.com, sex talk then was taboo and the use of the word “condom” made the public uncomfortable—male condoms were referred to as “rubbers.” Other problems that the female condom faced was the public finding the product awkward, as most users had a hard time inserting them and that the product had the tendency to squeak during intercourse.
Mary Beth Hastings, Vice President at the Center for Health and Gender Equity, said female condoms are more than an HIV prevention and family planning method.
“They give women something they may have never had before — a tool to exercise their human right to protect their health. They do generate important conversations within couples and communities about love, protection, trust and power. That’s what makes them so special, and so worthy of investment. There is no downside only an opportunity to provide prevention options, and so much more,” Hastings said.
Through time, there have been improvements made to the product. From dissolving applicators inside the condom to the use of the Cupid, a ring shaped foam sponge for internal stability, and the Origami, a female condom made in California. The Origami product unfolds, like an accordion, inside the vagina.
With the opposite sex, a male contraceptive is in the works for a 2017 release. According to thedailybeast.com, a product titled Vasalgel, will be a reversible, non-hormonal polymer that, once injected into vas deferens, will block any sperm from coming through its tube. With a second injection, the polymer can be flushed out, allowing the sperm to come back up to speed. So far, the Vasalgel has only been tested on baboons, but the product has been a success. None of the female baboons, who were used for the tests, haven’t become pregnant. According to Huffington Post, the procedure takes roughly 15 minutes and lasts ten years or more, and is more easily reversible than a vasectomy.
The flaws with these future devices is that it doesn’t cover the possible spread of sexually transmitted diseases, via bodily fluids. It would lie in the trust of the devices and each other for the consenting adults to rely on these future devices for safe sex. Ultimately, it’s important to think about what is best for you and your significant other, and how to stay on top of practicing safe sex.
- Tue. Nov 5th, 2024