Bedsider

Some Condom Love for World AIDS Day

In honor of World AIDS Day (today!), we’d like to take a moment to appreciate the condom. Sometimes we get caught up in our excitement over super-effective, low-maintenance methods like the IUD and the implant, but the condom will always hold a special place in our hearts for being the only available method capable of protecting us from unplanned pregnancy and STIs.

There are so many things we’d love to share with you about condoms… but we know you’re busy, so we’ll stick with a few highlights.

One of our favorite Bedsider Real Stories features Michelle talking about which condoms she likes best and how she makes sure her partner uses one every time. Let’s just say we believe her when she says it doesn’t have to be awkward.
Steven Petrow’s post “Queeries: When He Won’t Wear a Condom (World AIDS Day Edition)” has some great tips for anyone, woman or man, dealing with a guy who doesn’t want to wear a condom. Bottom line: where there’s a will, there’s always a way to be safe.
For an alternative to male condoms, let us not forget the lady counterpart—the female condom. The female condom also protects against HIV and some people seriously like it! We also happen to have a podcast about it featuring Mary Ann Leeper, the woman behind the method.

Of course World AIDS Day is about a lot more than condoms—considering that 1 in 5 people in the U.S. are HIV positive and don’t know it, testing and treatment are a huge part of the equation. So what are you waiting for? Find out where you can get tested, bring a friend, pick up some condoms along the way.