There aren’t many occasions these days when somebody sends me a condom and I think, ooooh, that’s clever! 😂

I’ve been delivering sexual health education and condom demonstrations for 28 years, so I’ve opened, stretched, demonstrated and talked about more condoms than I could ever begin to count. The basic condom hasn’t exactly been an area of enormous visible innovation during that time, which is why I was genuinely intrigued when a little package of freebies from Wingman Condoms arrived for me to try out in my workshops.

And firstly, can we appreciate the branding? Bright red, yellow, fun, modern and absolutely nothing like the clinical-looking packets that have traditionally accompanied sexual health education. If we’re trying to make condoms feel like a normal part of sex rather than an awkward medical intervention, how they look and feel to young people matters too.

A condom that’s actually been redesigned

What really interested me, though, was what happens when you open one. Wingman has redesigned the way the condom is applied by incorporating a little clip into the packaging.

You hold the clip, place the condom correctly and use it to roll the condom down before twisting the clip away. The idea is to make application quicker and easier, while also avoiding touching the condom itself during application.

Now that caught my attention.

One of the things we do when teaching condom use is talk about all the little things that can go wrong in real life. Which way does it go? What if you start putting it on inside out? What about fingernails? What about the interruption while somebody is trying to work out what they’re doing?

After nearly three decades of teaching this stuff, seeing somebody actually rethink that process rather than simply changing the flavour, texture or packet was really interesting.

And from an education point of view, anything that gives me another way of starting a conversation about correct condom use is always welcome.

Can we also talk about lube please?

They also sent me their water-based lubricant, and I’m giving lube its own section because we really don’t talk about lubricant enough in sex education.

Lube isn’t just an optional extra that belongs on the shelf next to the condoms. Using an appropriate lubricant can reduce friction and make sex more comfortable, and when using latex condoms, water- or silicone-based lubricants are suitable while oil-based products can weaken the latex.

Wingman’s own lubricant is water-based and latex-compatible, so this will be joining the condoms in my workshop kit too.

When we’re teaching young people about safer sex, I want the conversation to be realistic. That means contraception and STIs, obviously, but it also means communication, consent, pleasure, comfort, correct condom use and knowing what products are actually suitable to use together. The more confidently we can talk about all of it, the less awkward it becomes.

A little World AIDS Day reminder

It also seems particularly fitting that I’m writing this today, 1st December, World AIDS Day.

Our understanding and treatment of HIV has transformed enormously during my years working in sexual health, but prevention, testing and good sexual health education still matter. Condoms remain one of the tools available to reduce HIV transmission, alongside HIV testing, PrEP, PEP and effective HIV treatment. For me, World AIDS Day is also another reminder of why young people deserve sexual health education that moves with the times. We need to give them accurate information without shame, stigma or embarrassment and make sure they know where to access support when they need it.

And yes, I will always accept freebies!

A big thank you to Wingman for sending these over. They’ll be coming into schools with me and being put to much better use than sitting prettily on my pink shelves.

And while we’re here, consider this my completely shameless invitation to other brands too…

If you make condoms, lubricant, period products, menstrual health resources, contraception education materials or anything else that could genuinely support my work with young people, my door and my postbox…is always open!

I deliver RSHE workshops in schools throughout the year and getting good-quality products into the room allows young people to see, handle and learn about things they might otherwise only ever encounter on a PowerPoint.

So if your brand wants to support sexual health, period education or RSHE in schools, come and say hello.

I’ll provide the young people, you provide the freebies 🙂