Sian Ferguson is a young but established health writer, speaking to African Alliance on the versatility of the inner condom and the need for variety with contraception.
This article is part of an African Alliance series celebrating 25 years of the inner condom in South Africa and the people who helped to establish the world’s biggest state-funded inner condom project.
Sian Ferguson is a freelance health writer, writing for around a decade. Ferguson mainly writes about sexual wellness, reproductive health and mental health. She’s contributed to Healthline, Psych Central, and HealthyWay. She researches health trends for fun, because health fascinates her.
“I distinctly remember reading about the inner/internal condom in a Cosmopolitan magazine in my early teens. Our high school sex education also included the inner condom, although there was more of a focus on external condoms,” Ferguson explains.
Ferguson first used an inner condom in her early 20s, mostly out of curiosity.
“When it comes to contraception, variety is important: it’s good for people to have a range of possible options to keep themselves safer during sex.”
She thinks that in situations where an external condom is uncomfortable, inner condoms might be a better choice.
She also says that some people prefer the feeling of an inner condom, but others may feel the complete opposite – it’s really a matter of personal preference, she adds.
One thing she likes is that the inner condom is versatile and can be used for vaginal and anal sex.
Ferguson wonders if inner condoms will eventually be redesigned to be more comfortable and easy to use. Many people complain that the inner condom looks awkward or unsexy, and may not also be used to using it, which makes sense, Ferguson explains.
“So, it would be great if there were a smoother, more visually appealing, and more universally comfortable design for inner condoms,” she muses.
What else does she hope for in the future with the inner condom?
“I hope that they become more popular. Few of my friends have tried them for a number of reasons: lack of accessibility, being unsure about how to use it, or just defaulting to external condoms because that’s what they’re used to and comfortable with,” Ferguson says.
“Of course, everyone should just use what they’re comfortable with, but it would be great if inner condoms were as widely acceptable and available as external condoms”
We’d have to say we agree. We hope more people get curious about using an inner condom and give it a go.
When did you first hear that there are two types of condoms? Get in touch with us on X and Instagram. We’re at @Afri_Alliance on both platforms.