A new, extra-small condom is set to hit the shelves in Switzerland. Condoms that would be the right size for, say, a twelve-year-old boy.
Um, WHAT?
The nation’s Federal Commission for Children and Youth discovered kids aged 12-14 were having more sex this decade than last, but weren’t using the proper protection. In response, a condom that would be a better fit for pre-teen boys was created.
Nancy Bodmer, the study’s head, said the most shocking aspects centered on sexually active boys aged 12-14. They’re less likely to protect themselves, and don’t have “a very developed sexual knowledge. They do not understand the consequences of what they are doing and leave the young girls to take care of the consequences.”
She says the results of the survey, which interviewed 1,480 10-20 year olds, show that early prevention makes sense.
The condoms, called the Hotshot, are the same length as regular-sized condoms (19cm), but are smaller in diameter by less than a centimeter. They’re currently only available in Switzerland, though a spokesman for the manufacturer that makes them, Lamprecht AG, says they’d leap at the chance to expand their market to the UK, which has the highest teen pregnancy rate in Europe.
What are your thoughts on this? Do you think smaller condoms aimed at younger boys will help reduce the rate of teen pregnancies, or will they encourage young adults to have sex at a younger age?
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WTF. I am at a loss for words.
I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, assuming that if you don’t provide protection, kids won’t have sex is stupid. Way stupid. Stupider than stupid.
On the other hand, condoms for preteens is ishy. Way ishy and I can’t quite make my mind work with that information.
The thought of 12-year-olds having sex is highly disturbing to me. However, me being freaked out by that doesn’t stop them from having sex. If this is true, and kids are having unprotected sex then I don’t see how the creation of a condom is going to encourage them to do what they are already apparently doing. The question is would the kids actually be brave enough buy them?
Well, I don’t think any boys out there are not having sex because the condoms at the convenience store are too big.
I think twelve is too young and that we all need to do more to let kids off the hook, sexually. I’m afraid our culture sends too many mixed messages. My biggest concern would be in the active marketing of these products, that it would make younger and younger kids believe that having sex is the norm at their age – even if statistically it is not & developmentally should not be the norm.
I have a very nearly 11 year old boy myself and can’t really imagine that he is near ready or interested so for now I’ll just be counting my lucky stars that I don’t have to think about this every day….til later.
I’m personally 13 a year old boy, and believe it or not, I do have sex. Most of the kids in my class does too. And we’re smarter than you think. No sex without protection. But the condoms in our local grocery stores fit perfectly, so i don’t see the point in this.. And yes, we’re brave enough to buy them. So hush hush now.