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health history: the long, kind of gross story of condoms
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lamb intestines, silk paper, animal horns, leather – it’s hard to believe any of these materials were used as contraceptives prior to the condom we know now.
it turns out that even in ancient history, when it came to sex, people always found a way. after all, a libido is no modern thing — but back then, the focus was less on birth control and far more on how to prevent disease.
the aforementioned materials were used to create the earliest condoms recorded in history, dating back to 1000 c.e. according to aine collier’s the humble little condom: a history, linen sheaths were most commonly used by ancient egyptians. men even wore ones in different colours to symbolize their social status. (sort of how some might judge by size these days.)
the ancient romans used linen as well, and also opted for sheep and goat intestines or bladders with ribbons tied around the base. while that might be the toughest type of historical condom to wrap one’s head around, it’s debated how the lambskin condom came to be. rumour has it that the romans also used the muscle tissue of dead enemy soldiers, though how that idea was formulated and facilitated has no clear evidence. but, again, when one feels the urge…
in 3000 b.c., king minos of crete, in particular, was referenced as having used a goat’s bladder sheath during sex, though it’s still unclear whether he or his wife pasiphae was the one to wear it, according to an indian journal of urology article. why did he resort to such methods? well, it was said that the man had “serpents and scorpions” in his semen, awaiting to enter and attack the women whom he fornicated with. so dangerous was his seed that his mistresses had a habit of dying shortly after having sex with him. in came the goat’s bladder — though whether its goal was to protect the woman or for the king to be able to produce an heir is up for debate — and, soon after, eight children. how fruitful!
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condom creativity
all around the world, the need for a condom demanded creativity. in japan, for example, glans condoms, which just covered the head of the penis, were common. they were made of tortoiseshell, typically — the use of which one supposes was less painful than venereal disease. in china, elegance was the way with oiled silk paper.
by the 17th century, europe’s fertility rate dropped, which led to the catholic church dubbing the condom a “sin.” it was considered by many, actually, to be a sign of immorality and promiscuity, meant for prostitutes and unfaithful types only. all the while, however, the condom helped fight against syphilis as the sti tore through europe, making quite a case for itself.
ironically, despite this reputation, the condom was commonly used by the more affluent, who had more access and greater sexual education in the 18th century. even casanova, famous for his womanizing, was a fan during his many exploits. in fact, it was in his memoirs that the first recorded test of condom quality was found, as he noted how he would inflate “assurance caps,” as he called them, to test for leaks.
reusable condoms?
soon enough, the market grew and condom shops became a thing. in london, they were sold wholesale. the city was even dominated by two now infamous rival condom sellers: mrs. phillips and mrs. perkins, which served much of europe. there was even a miss jenny, who sold more affordable, washed, second-hand condoms to the working class.
it’s charles goodyear who we can thank for bringing us closer to the far more comfortable condom as we know it today. during america’s industrial revolution, the engineer invented rubber vulcanization, which creates a more elastic and durable material. by 1860, these early rubber condoms were being mass produced, and were popular for being reusable (though expensive), while animal skin condoms grew outdated.
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still, naysayers prevailed as they are wont to do, so even as the germans came loaded with rubbers during world war i, the u.s. and british armies decided not to bother. this led to a massive rise in syphilis and gonorrhea in american soldiers.
finally, the ’20s brought us the marvel that is latex, which is produced when rubber is submerged in water. latex condoms are stronger, more elastic, thinner, tighter and cheaper than any incarnation before them. they could also be flavoured and, mercifully, lubricated.
according to joshua gamson’s article “rubber wars” in the journal of the history of sexuality vol. 1, no. 2, “by the mid-1930s, the 15 major condom manufacturers were producing one and a half million [condoms] a day at an average price of a dollar per dozen.” and during world war ii, production saw a rise of up to three million a day. (this is also, by the way, around the time japan created the first multi-coloured condom, which suggests the first time society started to loosen up and have fun with wrapping their whackers.)
in the ’60s and ’70s, however, condom sales dipped dramatically with the advent of the birth control pill and copper and hormonal iuds. it wasn’t until the aids crisis in the ’80s that condoms became truly commonplace. in fact, sales jumped from 240 million a year in 1986, to 299 million two years later in the u.s. alone. (for reference, today, 450-million condoms are sold annually in the u.s.) this also led to greater sexual education, with government campaigns entirely focused around promoting safe sex.
sex on tv
canadian television networks warmed up to advertising contraceptives sooner than those in america, and in the late 80s, newspapers and magazines began printing ads for the condom and birth control pill. by this time, 24-hour convenience stories, including 7-eleven and mac’s milk, began selling condoms so that they were available to more, and not just during the shameful gloom of after-hours.
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the first national television ad to air in america, for trojan, arrived in 1991. the focus was on preventing diseases, with no mention of birth control, natch. the stigma is still strong; in just 2007, fox and cbs declined airing a trojan ad because it mentioned condoms as contraceptives. just three years later, the catholic church also met condoms halfway, accepting their use — but only to prevent disease.
so what’s next? a smart condom, one might assume, complete with performance statistics. after all, with time comes progress — for better or worse.
sadaf ahsan is a toronto-based culture writer, editor and stereotypical middle child. she can be reached here.
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