Nobody wants to end up in that dreaded situation when you're caught in the heat of the moment and suddenly realize nobody brought protection (unless that form of delayed gratification is your quirky turn-on, I suppose). And many of us don't even like the idea of our CVS cashier knowing what type of condoms we use (and is it just me, or do self-checkouts always spazz out and require human assistance whenever they detect condoms, tampons, or anything involving your nether regions?) Fortunately, the new app Screet provides the option to get things like condoms and Plan B delivered right to your door, no questions asked. There's even an option mysteriously named "party pack." I have no idea what it is, but gee, doesn't it sound fun!
Unfortunately, though, it looks like Screet may not be around for long: After losing the StartupBus competition, the company's Tumblr announced that "it seems that the original team is dissolving." Co-founder Creatrix Tiara still plans on increasing "feminist, woman-centric, queer-centric, sex-positive access to sexual health products," however, so hopefully we can look forward to more innovations from her in the future.
However, there are a few online and mobile services like Screet already on the market that can help users find safe sex supplies and information on the sly. In addition to providing information and, in some cases, supplies to prevent STIs and pregnancy, some even give helpful advice on relationships, communication, and consent. Here are a few you can try now.
1. SexPositive
Based out of the University of Oregon, SexPositive employs a wheel format that lets users move a dial to match one part of the body with another and read about what happens when those parts touch each other (does this sound like a dirty Twister game to anyone else?). It'll give you communication tips as well as STI risks and safer sex recommendations, and it even provides information about making sure an encounter is consensual. The app's website reads:
First, we want folks to examine their motivations for having sex and consider whether they’re ready for sex. Second, for users who are ready for sex, we want them to understand that a “yes” to one sexual act is not a “yes” to every sexual act. Third, we want users to consider a variety of personal boundaries before finding themselves in a high-pressure situation. Finally, we want to model the many ways to express and obtain explicit consent.
Now, that's a philosophy we can get on board with. SexPositive is available on the App Store and Google Play and has received over 30,000 downloads.
2. Sexual Health Guide
The Irish app Sexual Health Guide, also available on the App Store and Google Play, provides a glossary of sexual health terms, the latest sexual health news, and information about sexual problems, contraceptives, and relationships. Based on the screenshots available, however, this one may have some issues with cissexist language, describing condoms as methods of "preventing sperm from entering the woman's vagina" and placing "transsexual" under the category of "sexual orientation."
3. L. Condoms
For the situation I described at the beginning of this article, when there's nowhere around to get the safe sex supplies you need or you want to save yourself the embarrassment, L. Condoms delivers condoms 24 hours a day within one hour through bike messengers who have no idea what they're delivering — when The Huffington Post tried it out and asked the messenger how it felt to deliver condoms, he responded, "Condoms?!" As an added touch, the condoms are made of high-quality material with no additives, and even better, for every condom bought online, one is donated to a developing country with a high incidence of HIV. Safer sex for a safer world! However, as Tiara told Feministing, it would be nice to have a service that delivers other forms of contraception, especially "related to the sexuality of non-cis non-men."
4. My Sex Doctor
MySexDoctor, also available on Apple and Android (when will anyone acknowledge that some of us use Windows? Sigh), contains not only a glossary of sexual terms, a list of "100 things you must know," and information about puberty and anatomy but also advice on relationships and dating. There's even a whole section devoted to flirtation!
Now, even if you're embarrassed, there's no excuse not to know about safer sex. Unless you don't have a smartphone, in which case I'll concede that you have bigger problems to worry about. Images: SexPositive; Sexual Health Guide; L. Condoms; MySexDoctor
