Are condoms suffering from a negative connotation, or social stigma here in our modern day society?  Many young people, especially in their early 20’s, tend to look at condoms with almost a sense of distrust, as if they have failed some of their friends in the past.  They also regard them as a nuisance to carry around, and sometimes even a sexually social stigma (for women), because they indicate she may have been “around the block” to a guy. 

Another common complaint with young people and condoms is the discomfort they sometimes present during sex.  They many times take the feeling away since they dull the friction sensation a guy feels during sexual intercourse, and many times a woman does not feel the natural texture of a man’s penis, which naturally adds more sensation to the sexual experience for the woman as well.  They’ve come out with ribbed condoms, for enhanced pleasure and sensations for both partners, but many people do not think these offer as much of an improvement. 

Another thing about condoms people report they do not like is that they take away some of the sponteneity in sex, since one has to fumble to put the condom on their penis before they can go any further.  Many times, this can be an uncomfortable break in the “action” and takes away from the sexual experience.  Some men report they do not get the sexually enhanced feeling and can go for too long in a condom, finding it hard to reach orgasm. 

The important thing to remember though, is that while condoms may suffer many negative connotatoins in the realm of sexual pleasure and intimacy, they are a very important part of remaining disease free, especially for those of us who have not settled on one sexual partner yet.  They also prevent pregnancy, so they maintain a very important place in today’s society and should not be overlooked simply due to inconvenience and stigma and libido killer.