Adele had never bought condoms before. Whenever she had sex, the guy always had them in his wallet or his drawer. So when the first-year King’s student received two condoms in her orientation week package, she wanted to explore.
“I’d just rip [the condom] open and smell it, and taste it, and it usually just made me repulsed,” she said. “And I was like, ‘I don’t want to use these, because they’re gross.’ ”
The King’s Student Union (KSU) provides two regular-sized, lubricated latex ONE brand condoms in every orientation week package. They gave 600 condoms in those packs alone, out of the approximate 4000 they have given out this year.
The KSU began using ONE this year instead of Lifestyles because they could get a discount by ordering them through the Canadian Federation for Students. ONE puts slogans on their packaging like “ONE a day” in front of an apple, and some of the wrappers include queer-positive slogans. Chris Parsons, KSU internal coordinator, says the humorous slogans have helped first-year students feel a bit more at ease when picking up condoms from the KSU office’s condom basket.
The KSU basket also houses female and latex-free condoms, dental dams and lubricants. However, their condoms only come in one size. There’s been little demand for different sizes, but Parsons says the KSU plans to purchase them when they reorder for the beginning of next year.
When Adele first had sex with her partner, he removed the condom provided to him by the KSU less than ten minutes into the act. He asked Adele if it was okay to take the condom off because it didn’t fit. She didn’t mind, as long as he pulled out before ejaculation.
“He was an average-sized guy, and it just didn’t fit,” she says. “If this doesn’t fit average people, then there’s really no point [in giving condoms away]. I don’t know why they’re wasting their money.”
A 2012 student wellness survey revealed that 46 per cent of sexually active Dal students questioned didn’t use a condom during their last intercourse. According to Capital Health, 2012 saw a spike in syphilis and chlamydia rates in Halifax.
Dalhousie’s Student Health Promotion (SHP) reacted to these statistics by starting condom blitzes this past school year. The sexual health and relationships team leader Alex Shaffter adopted the idea from the Halifax Sexual Health Centre, which hands out condoms with candy on holidays like Halloween and St. Patrick’s Day.
Shaffter goes around campus with her group of volunteers about twice a month handing out condoms. She calls her helpers the “condom fairies” because they wear wings so students know they aren’t random people just handing out condoms.
“It’s always a learning process,” Shaffter says. “Like, what line do you use? ‘Hey, want a condom?’ or cute rhyming things always go over well. Shouting ‘free stuff’ goes over pretty well.”
SHP approximates they’ve given out around 12,000 condoms so far. By the end of the school year, they hope to match last year’s number—16,000. With their move from the Dalplex to the fourth floor of the Student Union Building, students aren’t as aware SHP has a bowl of free Lifestyles lubricated latex condoms. SHP hopes they can reach more students next year once when they’ve moved to the second floor of the LeMarchant Street mixed use building.
Both Dal and King’s students pay a levy to South House, a sexual resource centre. When outreach coordinator Jude Ashburn heard that many students aren’t using condoms, they found it “terrifying.”
“Dal students and King’s students can access so many free resources here, there’s absolutely no excuse,” says Ashburn. “We’re here, please come take these free things.”
South House offers regular and large, latex and non-latex, lubricated and non-lubricated, female, sensitive and flavoured condoms. Dental dams, gloves and lubricants (water-based and more natural kinds) are also offered. Ashburn also just recently ordered finger condoms after they noticed the dentist used them to inspect their mouth. They were inspired by the dentist’s safety and thought there are many sexual acts involving hand contact that could be safer with a finger condom.
“Condom culture, in general,” Ashburn says, “is a matter of harm reduction, it’s a matter of access. It’s getting people what they need, for all bodies, all acts, all genders.”
Adele’s name has been changed to preserve privacy.
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