Every day we are faced with observations. If we are gifted
with the privilege of sight, then we cannot help but be confronted by the absorption
of every day visuals. Objects surround us in every space that we enter and with
those objects we have thoughts, assumptions, and reactions. Some of these
objects could be defined as cultural artifacts.
A cultural artifact is any object that carries a meaning for a group of
people that is derived from the symbolic power of the object and the individual
experiences of the group. For this assignment I will be analyzing the condom as
one of these artifacts.
When we look at a condom, the first thought that springs to mind is “sex”. We see a condom and our mind defines the object as the tool to discovering oneself and the key to experiencing pleasure. The condom links itself to the image of two youthful, inexperienced lovers who have decided to “give themselves” to one another. Simultaneously gaining the experience of transforming from children to adults while losing their perceived innocence. This meaning is taught to use through observation and society in the American world. Almost every student in school dreads the day that they need to sit down and listen to “The Talk.” The discussion of how our male and female bodies work is described to us through scientific terms in video. Part of that discussion is focused on birth control, specifically the condom. In the contemporary world of film, the image that is presented to us is someone sliding a condom onto a fruit or vegetable like a banana or a zucchini.
If you separate the term and consider the meanings associated with the word “birth” and then compare them to the meanings of “control” one might find that in reality, we are attaching a lack of trust to the meaning of the condom. To control the act of conception is like man playing God. Even outside of the context of religion, the condom is still a tool of mistrust. When you meet someone new and sleep with them for the first time, the expectation is that you will use a condom because even if they say that they are clean, trust hasn’t been established and you must literally shield yourself from the possibility that your partner might be lying. Contemporary culture tells us that a condom means protection and safety. We are told in commercials and by our parents that we must be responsible when being intimate. Thusly, when we think of what a condom means we attach the fear of getting pregnant, contracting an STI/STD or possibly having to get an abortion. When you walk into a clinic, you are always confronted with the juxtaposition of a jar full of condoms and a poster on the wall about herpes or HIV. A condom carries a contradictory meaning, protection but also disease. However, in my personal experience I have observed that a condom references physical intimacy and a connection between two people that either results from or leads to love.
As a woman I was interested in hearing how a man defined the object as well. One of the responses I gathered for this cultural artifact was from a 38 year old man who was raised in Bangladesh. He said, “A condom means work. When I look at it I remember walking across pedestrian bridges and looking down and seeing the litter of used condoms. It means prostitution and money for sex.” This reflection comes as no surprise as Bangladesh is one of the only places that legalized and organized prostitution.
Throughout the country there are large brothels that house full
time female sex workers. Many of the workers are as young as 12 years old.
After researching, it was made clear to me that there are some women who are
trafficked to the brothels by pimps both female and male, but some of them are
there because they
don’t know of any other job that they can get. It allows a poverty stricken
population to make enough money to eat. The image below shows the doorstep
outside of one of the largest brothels in Tangail called The Kandapara. The
condoms take on a completely negative context as they sit in the muddy water on
the stone steps. Most likely tossed aside by a man who paid a few dollars not
to experience love but to experience his own satisfaction through the direct
exploitation of another human being.
Visit this website to explore more stories from inside the brothels
The second response that I gathered was from the perspective of a 20 year old lesbian female. She said, “Condoms are for men. It means male domination. For women it means vulnerability. For Lesbian’s it means nothing.” Her interpretation brings up a valid point. The structure and the design of the artifact that I chose is marketed directly to men. It fails to consider a relationship structure of a two women. While there is no fear of pregnancy when two women have sex, there is still the same amount of danger of contracting a STD/STI. The condom stops representing protection and starts representing frustration and bias as soon as you identify as someone with a different sexual orientation. As someone who has multiple partners, I find that the safest way to have sex is with the trust of negative test results. The only form of disease prevention that works for Lesbians should be what works for everyone, consistent STD/STI screening.
Visit this website for more information on the health risk of oral sex
The last response I collected was from a 67 year old man who grew up in a very rural part of my hometown. His reaction to the image was, “The condom was power, new, freedom. Growing up in the middle of the woods meant that when I went into the city, everything was different. I remember walking into a bar on my 21st birthday and all along the bar there were glass jars full of condoms. I took one and slipped it into my wallet. When I went back home, I felt like a new person. It mean opportunity. I didn’t realize that it was because HIV and AID’s was killing people left and right. I was just happy to have bragging rights.” This response reminds us that the condom is actually a newer invention. It didn’t start being mass produced until the 1960’s.
Not that long after, the HIV/AID’s crisis occurred and the condom became a life saver and a tool for homosexual’s who thought that using a condom was shameful and embarrassing. Even today, the notion of asking someone before, or even during a sexual interaction means ruining the mood and risking the answer of “no.” and completely forfeiting the experience or still agreeing to do so while unprotected.
Visit this website to see other posters
In the end, as a feminist I believe that the condom fails to consider the female body and experience. It’s shape and design is meant to protect the man while leaving the woman vulnerable. Men feel empowered and free while women often feel that a condom provokes negative thoughts the inspire fear. The meaning of the condom has changed over time. The wonderful thing is that they have become more accessible to those who want to use them. The object itself has nothing but good intentions. I believe that culture takes the object and redefines it’s true nature.
When we look at a condom, the first thought that springs to mind is “sex”. We see a condom and our mind defines the object as the tool to discovering oneself and the key to experiencing pleasure. The condom links itself to the image of two youthful, inexperienced lovers who have decided to “give themselves” to one another. Simultaneously gaining the experience of transforming from children to adults while losing their perceived innocence. This meaning is taught to use through observation and society in the American world. Almost every student in school dreads the day that they need to sit down and listen to “The Talk.” The discussion of how our male and female bodies work is described to us through scientific terms in video. Part of that discussion is focused on birth control, specifically the condom. In the contemporary world of film, the image that is presented to us is someone sliding a condom onto a fruit or vegetable like a banana or a zucchini.
If you separate the term and consider the meanings associated with the word “birth” and then compare them to the meanings of “control” one might find that in reality, we are attaching a lack of trust to the meaning of the condom. To control the act of conception is like man playing God. Even outside of the context of religion, the condom is still a tool of mistrust. When you meet someone new and sleep with them for the first time, the expectation is that you will use a condom because even if they say that they are clean, trust hasn’t been established and you must literally shield yourself from the possibility that your partner might be lying. Contemporary culture tells us that a condom means protection and safety. We are told in commercials and by our parents that we must be responsible when being intimate. Thusly, when we think of what a condom means we attach the fear of getting pregnant, contracting an STI/STD or possibly having to get an abortion. When you walk into a clinic, you are always confronted with the juxtaposition of a jar full of condoms and a poster on the wall about herpes or HIV. A condom carries a contradictory meaning, protection but also disease. However, in my personal experience I have observed that a condom references physical intimacy and a connection between two people that either results from or leads to love.
As a woman I was interested in hearing how a man defined the object as well. One of the responses I gathered for this cultural artifact was from a 38 year old man who was raised in Bangladesh. He said, “A condom means work. When I look at it I remember walking across pedestrian bridges and looking down and seeing the litter of used condoms. It means prostitution and money for sex.” This reflection comes as no surprise as Bangladesh is one of the only places that legalized and organized prostitution.
Throughout the country there are large brothels that house full
time female sex workers. Many of the workers are as young as 12 years old.
After researching, it was made clear to me that there are some women who are
trafficked to the brothels by pimps both female and male, but some of them are
there because they
don’t know of any other job that they can get. It allows a poverty stricken
population to make enough money to eat. The image below shows the doorstep
outside of one of the largest brothels in Tangail called The Kandapara. The
condoms take on a completely negative context as they sit in the muddy water on
the stone steps. Most likely tossed aside by a man who paid a few dollars not
to experience love but to experience his own satisfaction through the direct
exploitation of another human being.Visit this website to explore more stories from inside the brothels
The second response that I gathered was from the perspective of a 20 year old lesbian female. She said, “Condoms are for men. It means male domination. For women it means vulnerability. For Lesbian’s it means nothing.” Her interpretation brings up a valid point. The structure and the design of the artifact that I chose is marketed directly to men. It fails to consider a relationship structure of a two women. While there is no fear of pregnancy when two women have sex, there is still the same amount of danger of contracting a STD/STI. The condom stops representing protection and starts representing frustration and bias as soon as you identify as someone with a different sexual orientation. As someone who has multiple partners, I find that the safest way to have sex is with the trust of negative test results. The only form of disease prevention that works for Lesbians should be what works for everyone, consistent STD/STI screening.
Visit this website for more information on the health risk of oral sex
The last response I collected was from a 67 year old man who grew up in a very rural part of my hometown. His reaction to the image was, “The condom was power, new, freedom. Growing up in the middle of the woods meant that when I went into the city, everything was different. I remember walking into a bar on my 21st birthday and all along the bar there were glass jars full of condoms. I took one and slipped it into my wallet. When I went back home, I felt like a new person. It mean opportunity. I didn’t realize that it was because HIV and AID’s was killing people left and right. I was just happy to have bragging rights.” This response reminds us that the condom is actually a newer invention. It didn’t start being mass produced until the 1960’s.
Not that long after, the HIV/AID’s crisis occurred and the condom became a life saver and a tool for homosexual’s who thought that using a condom was shameful and embarrassing. Even today, the notion of asking someone before, or even during a sexual interaction means ruining the mood and risking the answer of “no.” and completely forfeiting the experience or still agreeing to do so while unprotected.
Visit this website to see other posters
In the end, as a feminist I believe that the condom fails to consider the female body and experience. It’s shape and design is meant to protect the man while leaving the woman vulnerable. Men feel empowered and free while women often feel that a condom provokes negative thoughts the inspire fear. The meaning of the condom has changed over time. The wonderful thing is that they have become more accessible to those who want to use them. The object itself has nothing but good intentions. I believe that culture takes the object and redefines it’s true nature.
I have several lesbian friends. But one in particular with whom I had very candid and open conversations. The one subject that never came up was condoms. So I was interested to read the section of your post regarding that subject. Also, the Bangladeshi man's response floored me. I used to see a lot of condoms in the street when I lived in NY, but never did I see an amount that would make me consider how many women and men were sex workers.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised there are so many negative connotations associated with condoms in your essay. I understand certainly the idea of them being evidence of sex work being negative, or lesbians having no opinion, but in my experience, many women buy them themselves, and consider it a great way to have safer sex with someone. No all woman can or want to use hormonal birth control, and there are some STDs that take time to register on any type of STD screening. For me, it is liberating to have the option, and is inexpensive enough to be convenient. The destigmatization of safe sex is important, and will only be beneficial to everyone involved.
ReplyDeleteAlso, while not popular, there is always the option of dental dams for people engaging in oral sex with people who have vaginas. While regular screenings are important, there are also other options.