So I read this article on social change and the sexual revolution and discovered SO much about the origin of contraceptives. I have decided to write this in the form of a fairytale… as we all know condoms are like enchanted fairies in that they protect us and bestow majesty onto our lives.
Ahem: Once upon a condom…
Once upon a time, in 1900 to be exact, premarital sex was frowned upon. If one was to frolic in the bed with another, approximately “71% of females would have gotten pregnant (had they engaged in sex for a year at normal frequencies)” (Greenwood & Guner, 2010, p. 905). Good Lord, the townsfolk said. Let us change this so that by 2002, these odds will drop to 28%.
Thus, the “contraception revolution” began!
Once upon a condom, venereal diseases were the main concern in regards to premarital, unprotected sex (Beck & Earl, 2003; Greenwood & Guner, 2010). Back in the day, condoms were used for STI purposes rather than for pregnancy. HOWEVER, condoms were damn pricey in the 1900’s being around “$34 a dozen relative to today’s real wages” (Greenwood & Guner, 2010, p. p. 905). JESUS a townswoman screamed. I KNOW another townsperson shrieked, agog at this craziness. Bitch please.
In the 1930’s, a miracle occurred: this miracle was named the latex condom.
This miracle greatly reduced cost and greatly increased quality. Hmmm… BIRTH CONTROL, WHAT A GOOD IDEA!!!!
All of a sudden, other methods of birth control started POURING out of the sky!!!
In 1960, “The Food and Drug Administration approved the use of [the pill], which was a remarkable scientific achievement involving the synthesis of a hormone designed to fool the reproductive system” (Greenwood & Guner, 2010, p. 906). BWAHAHAHAHA reproductive system, screamed the pill. You just got PUNKED!!
The townspeople, and the rest of the world, soon discovered the power of knowledge and how knowledge about reproduction and contraception is super important and VITAL in safe sexual practices and sexuality in general.
In 1914, the modern birth control movement began with a badass named Margaret Sanger who published a pamphlet on birth control and opened the first birth control clinic in 1919 (the first operational birth control clinic was in 1923). Sanger promoted birth control even though the police got super pissed at her for being all liberal and prosecuted her for her awesome innovation. Assholes.
The birth control movement was HUGE, making information about contraception incredibly available and easily accessible. Eventually, the condom became super popular and now it is the most popular method of birth control; its use actually increasing over time!! The role of the condom in safe sex SIGNIFICANTLY impacted pregnancy rates, “declining pregnancies among teenagers during the 1990’s” (Greenwood & Guner, 2010, p. 906).
The increase in condom usage was ALSO influenced by formal reproductive health education!!!!!! Claps. GOOD JOB CONDOM!! Way to educate people. I’m so proud of you. Sex ed continued to expand during the 1990s into the beauty it is today. It continues to expand. EXPAND MORE!!!!
So the moral of the story is condom failure rates have declined from 45-14.5% due to technological advancements and increased knowledge about its appropriate use (Greenwood & Guner, 2010). Also, the pill rose to become the most effective form of contraception when it was introduced in the 1960’s, showing the importance of education.
Together, condom and pill are a power team of unbeatable awesomeness…aka neither of them are 100% effective, but the reliability has increased with awareness and innovation.
Well done team safe sex.
Fin.
References:
* Greenwood, J. & Guner, N. (2010, November). Social change: The sexual revolution. International Economic Review, 51(4): 893-923.
Key issues in secondary education (2003). In Beck J., Earl M. (Eds.), (2nd ed.). London: Continuum.
*Math and sex ed? Love it. For the quantitative in you!! Most of my information came from this source. Thanks fellow sexual health promoters!
Stay safe, with condoms
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