Face masks, bubble baths, long naps, and...Condoms. What do these all have in common? See below as to why putting it on before getting it on is actually a form of self-care.
(Image from Unsplash)
What's hotter than sex??? Safe Sex.
I've only had sex without a condom once (check out the Mud article My Imaginary Boyfriend Saved Me After My Worst Sexual Experience). Would I ever do it again?
Very doubtful.
Okay, so first I know I can't talk about condoms without acknowledging the awkwardness that comes hand in hand with them.
Believe me, I’ve been there. I went to a Catholic school next to a convent full of nuns. I didn’t buy my first pack of condoms until I was 21, in a foreign country just to make sure I wouldn’t bump into anyone.
*By the way, I work in a grocery store that sells condoms. We never notice when you buy them. If anything, we’re kind of happy for you.
My college had the first condom machine (imagine that!) in Ireland. We had FREE condoms in the student office and handed out FREE condoms every Wednesday.
This is great, but I think it takes a lot to get over the Catholic school hangover. For context, condoms could only be bought in Ireland without a prescription since 1985. That's not that long ago. I still don’t carry condoms around in my purse. But why?
(Image from Imgur)
Why are there uncomfortable, awkward, and sometimes even shameful feelings surrounding a pack of rubbers that protect your health?
There isn't a stigMa around shots, check-ups, or picking up medication. So why is there such an issue surrounding condoms? Essentially they do the same job; protect your health and sometimes even youR life.
Believe it or not, I think condoms are a form of self-care.
Now down to the nitty-gritty. People make excuses about not wearing a condom because “it kills the mood” or “doesn’t feel as good.”
We have all felt the awkwardness of trying to be sexy smacking our own ass while our partner puts a condom on.
But it’s thirty seconds and newsflash, sex is awkward.
Do you know what else is awkward?
Unplanned pregnancies. Sexually transmitted infections and diseases. Also waving at someone and they don’t see you...
If I had protected sex during my worst sexual encounter, I could have gotten over it after my sit-down cry shower.
But no.
The anxiety of what STIs I could have picked up kept me up at night.
The fear of the morning-after pill not working made me spiral.
(Image from Cosmopolitan)
So when you think of self-care and putting on a face mask, why don’t you put a condom on when you’re having sex? Believe me, it’s much more efficient as a form of self-care (probably less expensive too).
If someone doesn't want to put a condom on using the wise words of my college nurse:
“If you don’t put it on, we’re not getting it on.”
So don't be silly, wrap your willy.
You can't go wrong, shield your dong.
Always wear a poncho when playing in the rain.
She/he/they won't get sick if you wrap your dick.
Just remember the satisfaction of having sex without a condom is not worth jeopardizing the longevity of your health. Wearing a condom can quite literally save your life. What's hotter than that?