Something about a woman carrying around condoms makes our society so uncomfortable that we’d rather make her feel ashamed than start a conversation about sexual health. The idea that condoms are just for men implies that sex is off-limits for women and that only men are allowed to control protection.
It doesn’t help that condoms are heavily marketed towards men, which is pretty awkward considering 40% of condoms are actually purchased by women. One woman in particular, entrepreneur Meika Hollender, is using this as an opportunity to arm women with chic sexual health products. Forget diamonds, condoms are a girl’s best friend.
By the same token, recent studies have shown two things: millennials are having less sex than their parents’ generation, and yet, people under age 25 account for nearly half of all new STDs. In a nutshell, unprotected sex is a huge problem right now. And despite all of this, carrying around condoms is still stigmatized for women. Go figure.
With only 19% of single, sexually active women using condoms consistently over the last year, Meika has her work cut out for her. Though teen pregnancy rates are going down, she says, “STD rates are going up, and it’s because we’re not talking about dual forms of birth control.”
She’s right, we’ve been talking a lot about IUDs lately, which Meika warns is great, but doesn't address all sexual health issues, like STI prevention, which does require condoms.
“It’s crazy,” Meika says with a heavy sigh. “People only talk about one or the other, like you can only subscribe to one method of birth control. People don’t talk about using both [condoms and an IUD], because you should use both.”
At 27 years old, Meika has already co-authored a book on non-toxic cleaning, picked up an MBA from NYU Stern School of Business, and, with the help of her dad, launched her own sustainable brand of sexual health products for women called Sustain. The brand started with condoms in 2013, but has recently expanded to lubricant, and is launching “post-play” wipes in September.
For the conscious shopper, buying natural skincare products, fair-trade coffee, organic produce, and cruelty-free animal products (if you’re not vegan) are all no-brainers. Yet, when it comes to sexual health products, we’re seriously dropping the ball.
With condoms, it’s about the supply chain and the people making the product. Sustain found a fair-trade certified rubber plantation and factory. Meaning, despite Sustain having similar price points to other popular condom brands, buying Sustain means you're definitely supporting a factory with fair wages and no child laborers.
When we get to talking about Sustain’s new lubricants, Meika’s tone becomes urgent. “It’s critical for women to use the natural alternative for these products. Lubricant rates and usage rates are increasing. The younger generation should know off the bat that there is a natural alternative, and most people aren’t thinking about that.”
Lubricant usage rates are, in fact, soaring – a whopping 43% of sexually active millennials incorporate lubricants in the bedroom. And while 17% of women experience problems with vaginal dryness during sex, lubricants have long been marketed towards older, postmenopausal women. Meika was surprised to hear her friends were using them too.
“You just start talking with your friends and everyone is super into it. I would never think most of my friends were using lubricant. It’s funny, you’re trying to hand out condoms, and most people are like, ‘oh, I don’t use condoms,’” she smiles. “You don’t get that response with the lubricant.”
The positive response is due, in part, to a few missing ingredients in Sustain’s lube. Sustain’s formula is missing petroleum, glycerin, and parabens. Plus, they’re biocompatible with the pH of womens’ bodies. What’s shocking is that many other lubricants aren’t.
“When petroleum enters your vagina, it damages the cell tissue,” Meika explains. “It basically makes your vagina sick and less likely to protect you against contracting an STI. You’re also 13% more likely to get BV from petroleum.”
BV (bacterial vaginosis) is one of the most common vaginal infections women face, and while it’s the culprit behind fishy vagina smell, the lack of conversation makes women unaware that they’re damaging their own bodies. In fact, 84% of women who have BV don’t know they have it. Yeah, not cool.
What is cool is Sustain’s mission to empower women with a program they call 10%4women. By donating 10% of their pre-tax profits to organizations like Planned Parenthood to fund procedures like STI testing and breast cancer screenings, Sustain is looking to give back to organizations that paved the way.
“We’re talking to other female-focused companies, and usually ones that haven’t figured out how they want to pay it forward,” she explains. “The goal is to get a coalition of brands to all donate to this one fund that then gets distributed to women’s health organizations.”
The moral of the story is simple. To end the stigma associated with women and sex, we need to provide the products, services, and education that will empower women to be in control of their sexuality and sexual health. The best part? With Meika Hollender leading the way, we can save the planet, too.
Related:_ 10 Lies Women Are Told About Sex
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