A new report could blow open the old condom vs. natural debate for good.
A new report published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine suggests that sex with condoms is just as fulfilling as “natural” sex. The study, which was conducted by the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University in Bloomington, analyzed information provided by nearly 6,000 18- to 59-year-old hetero- and homosexual men and women. According to the report,
[A]ll parties consistently graded protected sex as “highly arousing and pleasurable” … [M]en showed “no significant difference” in maintaining erections with or without condoms, and women couldn’t tell whether a condom was lubricated or what material it’s made from during the act.
Debby Herbenick, the co-director of the Center said the report’s findings go against “long-held beliefs” that using a condom makes sex feel less natural or not as enjoyable. She also pointed out that the findings signify,
That women need to become more familiar with the condoms their partners use so women can enhance their safety and sexual experience.
So why aren’t more people using condoms? Dr. Jill Rabine, chief of ambulatory care, obstetrics and gynecology at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York told the HealthDay section of the U.S. News,
There’s obviously a power element at play, or everybody would be using a condom. It’s a macho thing: You take care of it, you’re my possession.
But there may be more to it than that; condom avoidance can also be attributed to comfort. A recent study of gay men showed that the larger his penis is, the less likely a man is to use a condom. Many of those questioned said they simply couldn’t find the right fit.
It is also important to point out that the Indiana University study was funded by the company that makes Trojan condoms, Church & Dwight Co. Inc. But Herbenick insists that “the data is the data,” regardless of who funded the research.
Whether you find and your partner prefers sex with condoms, or au natural, communication beforehand is the key. But the most important thing to remember is that the use of condoms greatly reduces the risk of contracting and/or spreading STDs, STIs, and HIV/AIDS.
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