This week on Talking Clean with Irene, I spoke to Bec, the co-founder of Jonny Condoms, about all things safe sex. Bec and I both believe that sex should be safe- for the people engaging in it, and for the planet. I really believe that Jonny are making condoms cool. Unsafe sex is never worth the risk and, thanks to Jonny, there’s just no excuse for it!
Let’s talk about sex"¦
There is such a stigma surrounding open dialogue about sex, and there’s an unfortunate awkwardness that so many people feel when the time comes to reach for a condom. I’ve experienced the negative stigma that surrounds sex first hand- being 45, I lived through the ’Grim Reaper" AIDS campaign!
That stigma is actually hugely detrimental. Because some people feel so incredibly awkward discussing safe sex, many woman will actually forgo using a condom because they don’t want to bring it up with their sexual partner through fear of rejection or turning their partner off. In fact, Bec tells me that a whopping 60% of women prefer to go to the doctor and undergo an STI test than insist on using a condom- however, if you’re visiting the doctor after the fact, the damage is already done!
These conversations are essential. Without conversations surrounding safe sex, we can’t share vital information with the next generation. Bec, who has a teenage daughter herself, explains to me that if young people aren’t accessing the information they need through open dialogue, they’re forced to learn from experience. Often, these experiences can be harmful, and the choices we make surrounding safe sex can affect us for the rest of our life.
Social media can play a huge role here too. We’ve even had Nourished Life content blocked by Facebook and Instagram when promoting Jonny, purely because we used the word ’pleasure"!
Jonny was born following a conversation over a few wines between Bec and her Jonny co-founders. Aware of the stigma that often surrounded ’girl talk" plus the fact that STI rates are on the rise, Bec Park, Bec Villanti and Samantha Eades set out to change the way women feel about and approach safe sex.
Jonny condoms were developed in order to erase the awkwardness of safe sex and shopping for condoms. Although Jonny is a gender-neutral brand, the team is working to change things for women and ensure they feel comfortable putting their safety first, never ignoring their needs out of a fear of rejection.
What makes Jonny so different?
The Jonny ethos is ’Be good to self, be good to others, and be good to the planet." Bec explains that this means we need to be kind to ourselves by putting our sexual health and safety first, we need to be good to others by ensuring there is mutual respect and consent in place when engaging in sexual activity, and we need to be good to the planet by reducing our carbon footprint.
Condoms often end up in our waterways after being flushed down the toilet, so to prevent this, the Jonny team developed a disposable, biodegradable bag that you can place your used condom in before throwing it in the bin (as opposed to flushing it!).
Jonny condoms are also 100% vegan, which is a huge point of difference. Many vegans (myself included!) don’t actually realise that traditional condoms are not vegan. This is because condoms often have a milk derivative ’casing" that is used to lubricate the condom. Rather than using that milk derivative, Jonny uses a silicone oil which is better for the planet and for our body!
Nourished Life and Jonny are committed to removing the stigma associated with open conversations around sex and the awkwardness of purchasing condoms. Shop the Jonny range now.
Links and resources:
Jonny on Nourished Life
Connect:
Listen to other episodes of Talking Clean with Irene
https://www.facebook.com/groups/411413173057787[Join my private podcast Facebook Group]
https://www.facebook.com/nourishedlife/[Follow Nourished Life on Facebook]
https://www.instagram.com/nourishedlife/[Follow Nourished Life on Instagram]
