Condom bargaining
“I am protecting myself because I cannot even trust the air I breathe these days. I am in love with my current man but every time we have sex, I insist he wears a condom. I can always fix heartbreak but I cannot cure AIDS!”
– Alecia
Trust is one of the most imperative foundations of a relationship, and although partners will trust each other, life has a way of twisting and turning, and sometimes without planning, a third party will enter the relationship. So should a woman protect herself knowing of this risk?
A woman is entitled to protect her health. Although condom negotiation can prove extremely difficult, a woman has the right to decide whether she needs the extra protection. While a man will think it is an indicator that he is expected to be unfaithful, that is just not so.
