In the early 90’s, a series of condom ads showed the back pocket of a man’s jeans with the signature round frame of a condom, suggesting good prospects for its imminent use. The image was subtle but it spoke volumes. It was a successful, memorable campaign but for all the good it did, it left a wrong message which doesn't want to go away.
Always having a condom on hand is a message that was well taken. Not being shy to carry a condom and even let it be noticed, is also a breakthrough message. But the back pocket issue is what is known as throwing away the baby with the bathwater.
For a condom to protect you, it needs to be well stored until its hour (or few minutes) of need. That means not too much sunlight or heat, not too much squashing or wearing down the protective covering, and certainly not too much reshaping by someone’s ass every time they sit down. This back pocket ad was selling a compromised message.
To this day, carrying condoms in wallets and back pockets are common choices for men. It needs to be said that fantasies aside, your luck with shine through so much better when your contraceptive is intact. There is something to be said for not having to fumble around for a condom when the time comes, but pulling out a shabby, old prophylactic isn't going to impress a soul.
The new century has brought about a breakthrough in condom etiquette. Ladies can buy them just as well (we'll even take the time to shop around, with pleasure) and we can store them even better. Apart from the fact that we tend to have more bedside storage options, we also tend to walk around with bags – which are better than pockets - and lately, we're being offered trendier than ever ways to store our safe sex supplies: condom boxes, compacts and other fashionable ways to carry them around discretely and safely. (Check 'em out!)
Making condom provision into a co-ed issue is not changing sex, nor is it turning women into predators. It is a very empowering way to involve women in their own sexual health and gratification. Further, it is putting a feminine touch on an age-old practice that was traditionally strict male-domain, but can clearly be done, on the whole, with greater panache.
Besides all this logic and practicality, sharing the condom load between the sexes inspires other creative benefits. For example, it can be the ultimately cool way to overcome the awkwardness of covering the bill in these times when having him pay up just doesn’t always feel right. Dinner is on him, condoms are on you. Well, sort of.
Read more on When Did Condoms Become a Girl's Business?
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