The Valentine’s Day Holy Trinity: Condoms, Consent, and Lube
Posted by Lailah Berry
February 8, 2018
The mood is set. You’ve got a lovely significant other and they just texted you saying they’re on the way. You’re fresh out of the shower, that food you ordered is on the way and you realize the drawer in your nightstand is barren. No condoms.
What do you do? Dig in your wallet for ol’ reliable, the condom you got for getting an HIV test? Call your loved one and ask them to drive to a gas station and pay for overpriced condoms because all the stores are closed? I beg you, whatever you do this Valentine’s Day season, don’t go unprotected.
When I was younger, I used the free condoms from my doctor’s office because I could get as many as I needed and just keep them. The free clinic condoms have many drawbacks: they dry out quickly, are prone to breaking, and they are often too small. While these condoms are great in a pinch, or simply precautionary for the newly sexually active person- they’re not the best.
“A pair of diapers cost more than a pack of condoms.” I read this one day on my friends Facebook page, and then I realized, a pack with about five or more condoms condoms can be $15 or more. So it’s really pay your wifi/cable bill, or buy condoms.
On Walmart’s website they’re selling Trojan condoms $10 per pack of 3. I don’t know about you but that price is blasphemous. While Trojan condoms are a heavily known brand, there are also condoms like Durex priced at $6.90 but come 12 in a pack.
Why do the price of condoms vary? Well, it depends on what kind of condom it is. When it comes to size, larger condoms like Magnum tend to be pricey. If you want ‘ribbed for her pleasure’ the rigid design may cost a little extra. We all have heard of those brands that come out with a special “barely there” kind of protection you can wear, and those are sometimes less expensive because they use less latex.
There’s also an underrepresentation of non- latex condoms. Some people engaging in sexual activities may be allergic to latex condoms and haven’t found any retailer that sells them exclusively so they have to find them online, or may even risk not using them. Condom brands like Trojan and Lifestyles have non- latex lines in select stores. Condoms can come extra lubricated, ribbed, ultra thin, and extra small. Check out this condom site that gives you a variety of choices- and they’re having a %20 sale.
Don’t like condoms? Don’t worry, there are other methods of protection!
I’ve been sexually active for a while now and I like the birth control shot. Every three months I go to the doctor and do the STI screening, get my check up, and my shot! While birth control varies with all women, I don’t get periods for three months and it’s not a pill I have to take every day so there’s nothing to remember!
There are pills to take, and implants that can go in your arm and stay there for years. The differences in the birth control plans really depend on the kind of person you are. Everyone’s body reacts to birth control differently. If you’re good at taking pills and still want your period, birth control in pill form may be right for you. If you don’t want to gain weight, hate shots, and don’t want to take pills on a timed schedule the implant might work better. While having some line of defense is always ideal, it’s not always accessible. Your nearest health clinic might be able to equip you with free or reduced birth control if you don’t have health insurance and aren’t able to pay for it on your own.
Remember- PULLING OUT IS NOT EFFECTIVE, AND BIRTH CONTROL DOESN’T PROTECT YOU FROM STDs.
Here are some bedroom tips to use during this season of love:
- Consent is key- never do something your partner doesn’t want to do and always ask if you have permission from them before you get your groove on.
- Set the mood: Make a playlist to get ‘jiggy’ to, click here to listen to my favorite R&B songs.
- Listen to your body: If the sex is too rough, or something starts to hurt, speak up! Your comfort is key.
- Keep it squeaky, keep it sexy: Shower before and after sex! Cooties love to hide in pubic hair and any sexual contact can throw off a vagina’s ph balance creating a breeding ground for yeast infections.
If you’re a single pringle:
- Take yourself on a date- Cliche? Never! Get cute, go to your favorite resturaunt and get all your faves.
- Spend some time with your friends: Have a Galentine’s Day brunch, or go on a shopping spree. Catch up with your friends and spread some love in their lives.
- Self Care: Take the day for yourself! No calls, no social media, just you.
Valentine’s Day is about love, not being in love. Call your parents, smile a little more, do things that spread love and make you feel good. Random acts of kindness like holding open a door, or calling an old friend are ways you can spread love for free!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
