• This is a political forum that is non-biased/non-partisan and treats every person's position on topics equally. This debate forum is not aligned to any political party. In today's politics, many ideas are split between and even within all the political parties. Often we find ourselves agreeing on one platform but some topics break our mold. We are here to discuss them in a civil political debate. If this is your first visit to our political forums, be sure to check out the RULES. Registering for debate politics is necessary before posting. Register today to participate - it's free!

Condoms - One size does NOT fit all!

J

joko104

Banned
Suspended
DP Veteran
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Messages
65,981
Reaction score
23,408
Gender
Male
Political Leaning
Undisclosed
As schools and groups increasingly hand out condoms to anyone they can harass or require to take them, the fact is that one size does not fit all. If too small, it will tear and fail. If too large, it will slip off.

To any school handing out condoms, if any fail for being the wrong size I think that school should be STRICTLY civilly liable because they are acting in a manner KNOWN to lead to condom failure, while falsely leading children to believe otherwise.

Condoms Are Not 'One Size Fits All'

Of generic condoms, over half are the wrong size:


One size doesn't fit all

In this study, a substantial number of men reported a variety of problems with the fit and feel of condoms. Specifically, 21 percent reported that condoms felt too tight; 18 percent reported that condoms felt too short; 10 percent reported that condoms felt too loose; and 7 percent reported that condoms felt too long.

The result is condom failure:

Health professionals are regularly confronted by men's complaints that condoms do not fit, or that they are uncomfortable. Correct condom use is critical for preventing unwanted pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmissible infections (STI), yet an Indiana University study found that study participants who reported problems with the fit and feel of condoms were also among those who reported the highest rates of condoms breaking and slipping.
 
Last edited:
As a man with a similar problem I can sympathize with those who just can't find condoms that aren't too tight.
 
The study refers only to men who have sex with men. There is no data on youths who have sex with females.
 
If it doesn't fit, you must quit.
 
There are several different condom sizes. If someone doesn't have one that fits them then that's their responsibility to proceed safely or not proceed at all. What was interesting is while working in a pharmacy all men bought magnum XL sized Trojans. All of the women bought regular sized condoms or the ribbed/lubricated ones. The fact that all the guys that bought condoms from my pharmacy got magnum XLs makes me think that maybe there is a self esteem issue where men are using condoms too large (either that or they need to somehow impress their male pharmacy tech that is ringing them up). Although it may be true (although statistically pretty much impossible) that every male I sold condoms too was hung like a horse.
 
digsbe said:
There are several different condom sizes. If someone doesn't have one that fits them then that's their responsibility to proceed safely or not proceed at all. What was interesting is while working in a pharmacy all men bought magnum XL sized Trojans. All of the women bought regular sized condoms or the ribbed/lubricated ones. The fact that all the guys that bought condoms from my pharmacy got magnum XLs makes me think that maybe there is a self esteem issue where men are using condoms too large (either that or they need to somehow impress their male pharmacy tech that is ringing them up). Although it may be true (although statistically pretty much impossible) that every male I sold condoms too was hung like a horse.
Click to expand...

:rofl Probably predictable!

The correct condom is one that is not an off-brand, is the correct size and has "spermicide", which also somewhat is a biocide - if that is the correct word. The rules, of course, are after ejaculating (or if losing hardness maybe for older men), pull out fast. If suddenly it "feels different", get out instantly as it likely breakage. If the guy has started to "go soft", hold the back end while pulling out.

For true safety at the most certain level, a woman should add a fitted cervical cap and spermicide, IUD if pregnancy is highest worry but not wanting to go on birth-control - though few women would bother with all that.

A woman buying to just have them available should pick regular size with spermicide, which doubles as lubricant.

How do you feel about OTC HIV test kits?
 
Last edited:
You sure know a lot about dicks dude.
 
Reece said their Condom Fit and Feel Scale also could be helpful to condom manufacturers, who continue to work to develop and market more comfortable condoms, which ultimately results in their more effective use.
Click to expand...

Well good - because for how serious things can get when fun turns ****ty this effort is long overdue.
 
They should have condom stores like they have bra stores, where gay men can measure you and get your numbers so that something with a personal touch can be whipped up for you.
 
megaprogman said:
They should have condom stores like they have bra stores, where gay men can measure you and get your numbers so that something with a personal touch can be whipped up for you.
Click to expand...

Makes sense to me.

a search for 'condom store' provided quite a few returns.
 
Manc Skipper said:
If you read through the article you linked to it clearly says it there.
Click to expand...


I don't see that in the article, though don't know it makes a difference really.
 
Schools should absolutely not be held responsible for condom failures. They should offer a variety of sizes of condoms for teens to choose from if they are giving them out, but it is not the school's responsibility if they fail, particularly since part of sex education should be to inform students that condoms have to fit properly to effectively do their job. But it is not the school's responsibility to ensure each student has the right size condom.
 
roguenuke said:
But it is not the school's responsibility to ensure each student has the right size condom.
Click to expand...

You mean my math teacher lied to me?

I thought there was something fishy about those field tests she kept making me do!

Yeah, that could lead to innapropriate outcomes.
 
roguenuke said:
Schools should absolutely not be held responsible for condom failures. They should offer a variety of sizes of condoms for teens to choose from if they are giving them out, but it is not the school's responsibility if they fail, particularly since part of sex education should be to inform students that condoms have to fit properly to effectively do their job. But it is not the school's responsibility to ensure each student has the right size condom.
Click to expand...


Action creates liability, particularly towards children and especially towards children without parent's consent - and most especially when it is facilitating illegal behavior by children without the parent's consent where there is known potential of medical harm, civil liability, psychological harm, criminal behavior/conviction and death. In many states there is a threshhold of minimum age for sex and below that age sex is illegal.

If a school gave a child a vacination without parental consent and that child died in allergic reaction, the school should be civilly liable and any who gave the shot should be criminally prosecuted.

There would have to be prior parental consent before handing out condoms. We received piles of "consent" letters for our daughter when in public school all the time. 95% of the time we signed. 5% of the time we did not sign giving our consent - because we didn't.

If parents consented to give consent to giving their child condoms, fine. If not, absolutely not.
 
Last edited:
joko104 said:
I don't see that in the article, though don't know it makes a difference really.
Click to expand...

It's the very last sentence. Generalising behaviours shown by one small specific group to a huge different group is an elementary mistake at best.
 
Manc Skipper said:
It's the very last sentence. Generalising behaviours shown by one small specific group to a huge different group is an elementary mistake at best.
Click to expand...

hmmm, not necessarily. The source study is not the last sentence. Rather the last sentence appears to be citing the publication source, not study source.

This is the study source:
"Most recent research has focused on how people use condoms with little attention to the physical characteristics of condoms themselves," said Michael Reece, director of the Sexual Health Research Working Group and an associate professor in Indiana University Bloomington's Department of Applied Health Science. "Our recent research, however, indicates that sizes and shapes of the penis vary widely, but the range of condom sizes is rather limited; so it could very well be the case that there are aspects of the traditional condom that some men find too tight or too loose, influencing their ability or desire to use them during sexual encounters."

The publication source citing that study then is a gay publication. It does not necessarily follow that the study was of gay men only, rather a study about condom size related to failure, which of course would also be of interest to gays.

I don't think gay men have different size penis then heteros, although I would speculate that anal sex would more likely experience condom failure. HOWEVER, since there are certainly gay kids in school it is still relevant regardless, and straights have anal sex, not just gays.
 
megaprogman said:
They should have condom stores like they have bra stores, where gay men can measure you and get your numbers so that something with a personal touch can be whipped up for you.
Click to expand...

I wonder how successful a custom condom business would be compared to a company like La Senza?
 
joko104 said:
Action creates liability, particularly towards children and especially towards children without parent's consent - and most especially when it is facilitating illegal behavior by children without the parent's consent where there is known potential of medical harm, civil liability, psychological harm, criminal behavior/conviction and death. In many states there is a threshhold of minimum age for sex and below that age sex is illegal.

If a school gave a child a vacination without parental consent and that child died in allergic reaction, the school should be civilly liable and any who gave the shot should be criminally prosecuted.

There would have to be prior parental consent before handing out condoms. We received piles of "consent" letters for our daughter when in public school all the time. 95% of the time we signed. 5% of the time we did not sign giving our consent - because we didn't.

If parents consented to give consent to giving their child condoms, fine. If not, absolutely not.
Click to expand...

Illegal behavior that will never be prosecuted because if both are under age, they both can be charged with statutory rape of each other and that would make it stupid. This is but one reason that the laws should be changed to include an exception for those who are under age but within a year or two of each other when having sex. It is beyond stupid to charge teenagers for having sex with each other when it is consensual and there is little to basically no age difference between them.

A vaccination is nothing like a condom. A condom is much more like offering teens free mittens or gloves. Teens can legally buy condoms from the store, but they cannot go, in most states and legally get a vaccination without their parents' consent.

And schools giving out condoms does not make any teenager have sex. All it does is help to get those who were thinking about having sex already to be mindful that they need to use protection if they do end up doing it.
 
To be completely honest, I have only met one man in my entire life that I think could justifiably use magnums.

I don't doubt the complaints men have about condoms. I doubt the cause.

I can roll a standard Durex condom all the way up my arm. I can blow it up to the size of my torso. They will fit almost anyone comfortably.

In my experience, people make 2 mistakes that might make them think they have the wrong size condom.

They don't leave room in the tip, which will make it feel constricting.

Or, alternatively, they snag it in the band while they're rolling it down, which will make it seem too short, and may also cause it to pinch their skin, roll up, or sit unevenly.

Both of these things can also cause the condom to malfunction in some way.

I think those are much more likely causes of discomfort or perceived poor fit.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom