Condoms for teenagers
For those of you who don’t know there is a new condom being brought into the market in Switzerland. It is a condom especially made for 12-14 year olds. It has been made smaller than average condoms and is sold with the catchy slogan, “it fits when passion hits”. It is not so different in length, but in diameter. Average condoms have a diameter of 52 millimetres and the new “Hotshot” condom has a diameter of 47 millimetres. What do you think of the idea?
There are many mixed responses from the public on this issue, a lot of parents, grandparents and teenagers themselves have commented. The responses vary from it being a good thing, and that it’s better to be safe than sorry, and its better that people tackle the situation head on. Others say it’s disgusting, that it is encouraging younger teenagers to have sex and condoning children that young to have sex.
One way of looking at it, is if any 12 year old child wanted to have sex, and the condoms are available, that would stop any doubts they have. This isn’t ideal as this may stop the children from thinking about what they are doing, and it is encouraging children to get involved in sex, when they are actually not emotionally prepared to do so.
But when the company who produced this condom had these responses brought to their attention, they simply said they are neither condoning nor encouraging children that age to have sex and also say that they never put an age on these condoms, they were made simply for teenagers. They say that they are made for males between 18 and 34, and they never said the figure 12-14. The company also has no plans at all of exporting the product over to other countries.
So what do you think of the whole idea? Do you think it’s a good idea to promote sex to such young teenagers, or do you think its encouraging it too early on? Do you think the company are guilty for doing this or that it’s all been a misunderstanding?
