‘Condom Couture’ Opens Up a Dialogue About Safe Sex

Photo via Facebook

After being on the decline for several years, cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis have skyrocketed in the United States. According to the CDC, chlamydia infections saw a whopping 15.1 percent increase between 2013 and 2014 alone. Nursing professor Hayley Mark attributes the increases to “condom burnout.” Recent medical advances have made HIV less dangerous, so many men have stopped taking safe sex as seriously as before.

In Douglas County, Nebraska, where STD rates are historically high, a local group has found a fun and fashionable way to bring condom use back to the forefront. The Adolescent Health Project, a project of the Women’s Fund of Omaha, has created prom dresses made from condoms and put them on display in the area’s most popular prom dress stores. Each rubbery dress is a striking conversation piece not just because of the materials used in its creation but thanks to the meticulous craftsmanship. The condom couture sends home the campaign’s message with a tag that reads: “Being safe is always in style. Avoid sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancies.”

Photos via Facebook

“This is a great opportunity for us to reach teens and their parents in an unexpected way before prom, and get the message out to think twice before having unprotected sex,” Gary Mueller, creative director at SERVE, a nonprofit ad agency assisting with the campaign, told WOWT. Plus, there’s never been a better time for the campaign because April 1 kicks off National STD Awareness Month. To learn more about how you can stay safe and promote safe sex, follow #STDAwareness on social media.