2008 Woodie Awards
Condom-Candy grams promote safe sex
By Kerry Barth
Issue date: 2/18/08 Section: Features
West Chester University's own Tyson Hall sponsored "Condom- Candy- Grams" for students on Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. in the building's lobby. The concept was for students to send free 'grams' to friends to promote safer sex.
February is National Condom Month and while most grab a condom before performing the deed, many do not know about the history of the condom.
Condoms have actually been around for over a thousand years, beginning in 1000 B.C. Images portrayed Egyptians wearing a linen sheath. In the 1500s, research found that the linen sheath was useful for the prevention of infection and eventually for its usefulness in the prevention of pregnancy.
The name condom is believed to have been named after Dr. Condom, who supplied King Charles II of England with animal tissue sheaths.
In 1844, Goodyear and Hancock began to mass produce condoms made out of vulcanized rubber, and in 1880, the first latex condom was produced.
The 1960s brought about a sexual revolution that resulted in a decline of condom use, as more and more people practiced "free love."
Finally in the 1990s, a production began of different types of condoms including: colors, ribbed, flavored, large and the first polyurethane condom.
The idea of National Condom Week started at the University of California at Berkeley by students in 1978, according to Nationalcondomweek.com. The purpose of the week is to teach young adults about safer sex and to raise awareness of the risks that come with being sexually active.
"Humans are sexual beings," Dr. James Allen said a former president and CEO of the American Social Health Association, in a 2001 press release, "Abstinence and monogamy are important public health messages, but to think these messages alone will fix the [STD] problem is shortsighted at best and dangerous at worst."
Although condoms have a long history, STDs have yet to be completely written out of history. There are over 12 million new cases of STDs a year. Over 70,000 Americans have viral STDs like genital herpes, HIV/AIDS or Hepatitis B and all are lifelong diseases.
February is National Condom Month and while most grab a condom before performing the deed, many do not know about the history of the condom.
Condoms have actually been around for over a thousand years, beginning in 1000 B.C. Images portrayed Egyptians wearing a linen sheath. In the 1500s, research found that the linen sheath was useful for the prevention of infection and eventually for its usefulness in the prevention of pregnancy.
The name condom is believed to have been named after Dr. Condom, who supplied King Charles II of England with animal tissue sheaths.
In 1844, Goodyear and Hancock began to mass produce condoms made out of vulcanized rubber, and in 1880, the first latex condom was produced.
The 1960s brought about a sexual revolution that resulted in a decline of condom use, as more and more people practiced "free love."
Finally in the 1990s, a production began of different types of condoms including: colors, ribbed, flavored, large and the first polyurethane condom.
The idea of National Condom Week started at the University of California at Berkeley by students in 1978, according to Nationalcondomweek.com. The purpose of the week is to teach young adults about safer sex and to raise awareness of the risks that come with being sexually active.
"Humans are sexual beings," Dr. James Allen said a former president and CEO of the American Social Health Association, in a 2001 press release, "Abstinence and monogamy are important public health messages, but to think these messages alone will fix the [STD] problem is shortsighted at best and dangerous at worst."
Although condoms have a long history, STDs have yet to be completely written out of history. There are over 12 million new cases of STDs a year. Over 70,000 Americans have viral STDs like genital herpes, HIV/AIDS or Hepatitis B and all are lifelong diseases.
RSS Feed
Be the first to comment on this story