Petitioners to CVS: Free the Condoms!

It prevented me from getting his HIV: Diane Cole

(NEWSER) - Circumcision haters are out in force these days, with a vote coming later this year in San Francisco on whether to ban the practice entirely . But opponents overlook the health benefits that circumcision brings, specifically how it cuts down on the transmission of HIV, writes Diane Cole in the Wall Street Journal . She should know: "My husband's circumcision saved my life," she writes. More»

'Patient Zeta' says 'dangerous' industry needs reform

(NEWSER) - The porn actor who tested positive for HIV this fall is going public and calling for mandatory condom use for the entire porn industry. Derrick Burts—previously known only as Patient Zeta—says the industry's stance that testing for STDs is sufficient is "completely false," adding that he had previously tested positive for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and herpes in his monthslong career. The 24-year-old, who worked in both gay and straight porn, thinks he contracted the virus in a gay porn shoot; he notes that gay films require condoms for sex, but not oral sex. More»

'Dream project' targets pockets of high-risk sexual behavior

(NEWSER) - Washington, DC, has given out condoms for almost a decade, but now the capital city is also offering up female condoms to boost its efforts to stem HIV infection rates. Some half-million free female condoms will soon blanket the District's schools, convenience stores, and salons in high-risk areas in a first-of-its-kind program aimed at giving women more control over sexual protection. More»

(NEWSER) - Judging by the average convenience store condom selection, men with small penises do not exist. Selling small condoms is difficult for marketers, so most brands have opted not to bother, writes Menachem Kaiser of the Atlantic . LifeStyles’ “Snugger Fit” designation is about as straightforward as it gets. Durex has a complicated sizing chart, and Trojan has a Starbucks-like sizing system; its condoms come in Regular, Large, and Extra Large. More»

More under-40s opt for the liberating procedure

(NEWSER) - Once exclusive to the over-40 crowd, vasectomies are increasingly popular among young men who want condom-free sex and no fears of Daddydom. But there's also a control component, writes Richard Morgan in Details: These men are taking charge of birth control, not leaving it up to the woman. "I don't have to worry about being tricked," says one snipped man. More»