Dear DGG team,
I am a 21-year-old lady in the university. I recently started dating someone and would like to get intimate with him. However, he often talks about how condoms don’t make any sense and how he doesn’t like them. I don’t want to get pregnant too. How do I get him to change his mind about condoms? Or should I opt for other forms of contraception?
Thank you for reaching out to the DGG Team. This is an unfortunate situation, and it is very commendable that you show concern about having safe sex. It is very important for your boyfriend to understand how you feel about using condoms. You would have to first find a good time to talk to him about your concerns, not in the heat of passion, but before you begin to get intimate with him. Find out what his misconceptions or fears are about condom use, or why it doesn’t make sense for him to use it. Then, let him understand the usefulness of condoms and the dangers and risks associated with not using one. Other forms of contraception have limited functions and may not fully protect you from contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), but condoms have the ability of protecting you against STDs and unwanted pregnancies and are the simplest to use with minimal side effects. Remember that in as much as you would want to have sex, and skin to skin pleasure sounds enticing, you have to protect your health. STDs can interrupt your life and cause so much discomfort and distress. Abstinence is the best way to prevent STDs or unwanted pregnancies but when you cannot abstain, safe sex is the best practice. There may not be a lot of noise about STDs or unwanted pregnancies by health agencies these days because there have been other diseases that require serious attention (such as COVID-19), this does not mean that STDs are gone. Remember that you have a whole future ahead of you. It takes only one sexual encounter to get pregnant or contract STDs. If your boyfriend does not see the need to protect your health and his and therefore your future, he is not worth having sex with. Sex should be between two consenting responsible adults who are capable of bearing the consequences of their acts. We hope this helps. Take care and stay safe. Feel free to reach out to the DGG team if you need further help.
Dialogue Genitalia - Ghana 
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