Captain Condom: Cover Me, I’m Goin’ In
Valentine’s Day and STI’s just go together.
Well, generally the one follows the other, because many people feel the pressure to fall in love over this time of year. Who wants to be alone over Valentine’s Day?
Not that love is a mistake, but rushing into a romantic and/or sexual relationship… Yep. Regrets. And although the poster on the left blamed women (of course) for spreading VD (once upon a time, they called Sexually Transmitted Infections – Venereal Disease, or VD), plenty of men who “look clean” are bringing more than a good time to the party, too.
As a writer of erotica and romance, one of the questions we ask ourselves is: How do we write about condom use and keep it sexy?
First let’s debunk the idea that irresponsible sex = more enjoyable sex. Even leaving pregnancy and the life-threatening possibility of AIDS out of the equation (and nobody knows when the next AIDS-like disease is going to appear), ain’t nothin’ sexy about being treated for gonorrhea, chlamydia, or even crabs. Responsible sex = hotter sex, because smart partners who are willing to protect us and themselves are much sexier partners. It falls upon contemporary romance and erotica writers to either write condom use into their scenes in a sexy way, or provide a plausible reason why condom use is unnecessary (vampires don’t carry or catch STI’s).
I was surprised, however, upon watching this video clip, to discover several facts about condoms I did not know. Like how to test the package, pre-opening, for leaks or punctures. That there’s one side designed to open easily. Or that the tear-it-open-with-teeth move can damage the poor li’l thing. Yikes!…
(For video demos and to read more, click here).
Beverly Diehl is a current member of RWA, LARA, SheWrites, SoCal Lady Bloggers and WriterUnboxed, and past president of the Glendale-based Alameda Writers Group (AWG). She also moderates an invitation-only fiction critique group.