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Fitting Matters: Solutions for Condom Size Problems

This post suggests solutions for problem-points on condoms which are too tight, too loose, too short, too long. This post was updated 21 March 2014.

For a quicker way to search and compare condoms, try our new Condom Size Calculator!

A study published in June 2012 argues that penis shape and size must be taken more seriously by public health officials and activists who aim to increase consistent and correct condom use. Researchers Michael Reece and Debra Herbenick of Indiana University found a substantial percentage of men reported condoms being too tight, too loose, too short, too long, breakage, leakage…basically, general condom discomfort that can result in misuse or disuse, which translates into a serious public health issue.

The majority of condom products are fitted for “average” length at 6.4 inches when erect (see the Kinsey report and The Simple Truth about Erect Penis Size). However, as Reece and Herbenick found, length of the condom is not the greatest discomfort; rather, it is fitting around the head and shaft that scored highest among complaints, with penis base at a close second. For example, of those men who reported that condoms were too tight, 66% reported tightness around the base, 70.4% around the glans, and 73% around the shaft.

The study concludes that HIV and STI practitioners must get involved with condom manufacturers to ensure that condoms are consistent with men’s experiences of fitting and pleasure. Indeed, no matter what size, all men should have access to well-fitting condoms.

Jump to:
If “Condoms are too Tight”
If “Condoms are too Loose”
If “Condoms are too Short”
If “Condoms are too Long”.

Quick Tip! The FC2 internal condom is one size fits all. Because it’s made to form to the inner walls of the receptive partner, penis size is irrelevant. This is a great solution for those fitting woes.

Sizing

To know which condom width fits, we recommend dividing penis circumference by 2.25. Here we explain where we got this formula.

Image from @TheyFitCondoms

Given the wide range of condoms on the market, prevention providers can play a valuable role in helping men to identify condoms that suit their size specificities, hence increasing the likelihood of consistent condom usage. For a large proportion of those who reported tightness around the glands (70%), for example, HIV and STI prevention providers may alleviate men’s perceptions that condoms all are too tight by recommending condoms that are designed with a more bulbous head to reduce constriction. As our chart shows below, Durex condoms and One Condoms tend to offer a greater variety in contoured shapes and head room.

Here we have organized a list of condoms according to the 4 “problem points” identified in Reece and Herbenick’s study. Under each complaint we provide a list of condoms by brand that may help alleviate discomfort.

Please note: External links may be affiliates that give us a small commission. This is not a company endorsement. Due to the fact that major North American brands are Durex, Trojan, Lifestyles, Beyond 7 and Caution Wear, our first aim is to gather these dimensions. We continue to update.

CONDOM FIT SOLUTIONS

If “Condoms are too Tight”…

ONE Condoms

The Legend

Slightly longer than regular condoms. Shaped with a secure fit in the middle and spacious head room.
Base width: 2.25″/ 56mm
Mid width: 2.28″/ 58mm
Head width: 2.4″/ 61mm
Length: 7.9″ / 200mm

Tantric Pleasure

Same length of regular condoms, but wider and large head with unique ribbed design.
Base width: 2.25″ / 56mm
Head width: 2.4″/ 62mm
Length: 7.4″/ 188mm

ONE Pleasure Dome

Regular size width and length with an over-sized, unique head shape.
Base width: 2.1″/ 53mm
Length: 7.1″/ 180mm

RFSU

RFSU Okeido/Grande

Ultra thin, vegan latex, larger condom.
A wider condom with regular length. Great option for shorter but larger headed guys (this is on the smaller end of Large-head condoms). Tapered flare shape that extends to a wide head.
Base width: 2.13″/ 54mm
Head width: 2.36″ / 60mm
Length: 7.5″ / 190mm

CAUTION WEAR

Caution Wear Grande

This is Caution Wear’s largest condom. Unlike other large condoms, this one is wider than regular condoms, but maintains the same 7.0″ regular length. Good for wider girth without the extra length. Straight shape.
Base width: 2.25″/56mm
Length: 7.0″/180mm

TROJAN

Trojan Magnum XL

One of the longest and widest most famous condoms on the market. Made with an extra bulbous head and wider shaft width.
Base width: 2.3″/58mm
Head width: 2.7″/68.58mm!
Length: 8.3″/ 210mm

Trojan Magnum Original

Tapered at the base for a secure fit and extends wider up the head for comfort. Suitable for guys who find standard condoms too short and too tight.
Base width: 2.13″/ 54mm
Head width: 2.5″/63.5mm
Length: 8.12″/206mm

Trojan Magnum Thin

Tapered at the base with spacious head for more comfort. Great choice if you need a larger condom but desire ultra thin latex.
Base width: 2.13″/ 54mm
Length: 8.12″/ 206mm

Trojan Naturalamb

Non-latex, lamb material (does not protect against STIs).
Very wide! Straight shape.
Base width: 2.7″ / 68mm
Length: 7.9″ / 200mm

Trojan Her Pleasure Ecstasy

Uniquely large bulbous head and shaft for more freedom of movement. Ribbed on shaft.
Longer than regular condoms
Base width: 2.13″ / 54mm
Head width: 2.5″ / 64mm
Length: 8.1″ / 205mm

Trojan Stimulation Ecstasy

Similar shape to “Her Pleasure” with even more pleasure ribs along head.
Base width: 2.13″/ 54mm
Head width: 2.5″ / 64mm
Length: 8.1″ / 205mm

Trojan Charged

Tapered securely at the base with huge head space. Longer than most condoms. Tingling ginger lubricant (inside and out). Ribbed along shaft and head.
Base width: 2.0″/ 52mm
Head width: 2.5″/ 64mm
Length: 8.1″/ 205mm

DUREX

Durex XXL

The largest condom made by Durex
Classic straight shape
Base width: 2.3”/58mm
Length: 8.3”/210.8mm

Durex PleasureMAXX

Ribbed and studded for extra stimulation
Slightly wider contoured shape at base than regulars; fitted head without the extra length. More headroom.
Base width: 2.15”/ 54mm
Length: 7.9/200mm

Durex Maximum Love

Regular length; on the wider end of regular sizes and larger headroom.
Base width: 2.15″/ 54mm
Length: 7.5″/ 190mm

LIFESTYLES

SKYN Large

First ever large-size polyisoprene condom.
Strong as latex but softer, more flexible material.
Ideal for people with latex allergy or sensitivity.
Wider base and shaft than the Magnum, but not quite as long. Slightly longer than average LifeStyle condoms. Straight classic shape. Ideal for thicker than average guys.
Base width: 2.2”/ 56mm
Length: 7.9”/ 200mm

Lifestyles KYNG Gold

A large condom without over-sized headroom. Wider and longer than regular Lifestyles.
Contoured pleasure shape to secure fit around shaft.
Base width: 2.2”/56mm
Length: 8.26” /210mm

Lifestyles KYNG Ribbed

A ribbed version of LifeStyles KYNG
Base width: 2.2″ / 56mm
Length: 8.26″/ 210mm

Lifestyles Pleasure Shape (Pleasure Tipped)

Exclusive over-sized head room, but with the average length.
Stimulates most sensitive areas for both partners
Base width: 2.05”/ 52mm
Head width: a huge 2.9″ / 74mm!
Length: 7.5”/190mm

GLYDE Vegan CONDOMS

GLYDE Maxi

Classic straight shape (no flare). Wider and longer than regular condoms.
Made of vegan latex.
Base width: 2.2″/ 56mm
Length: 8.0″/ 205mm

If “Condoms are too Short”…

GLYDE

GLYDE Maxi

Classic straight shape (no flare or bulbous head). Wider and longer than regular condoms.
Made of vegan latex.
Base width: 2.2″/ 56mm
Length: 8.0″/ 205mm

KIMONO

KIMONO MircoThin Large

Base width: 2.13″/ 54mm
Head width: 2.3″/ 59mm
Length: 7.7″/ 197mm

TROJAN

Trojan ThinTensity Lubricated

25% thinner than Trojan’s standard condom
Close comfort fit around the shaft. Has the same long length as Magnums with snug fit around the shaft and slightly less head room. Good if one is looking for longer length, but not wider width.
Base width: 2.13″/ 53mm
Length: 8.0″/ 203mm

Trojan SUPRA BareSkin

Is wider and longer than regular condoms. Classic straight shape.
Made of Polyurethane, which is more soft and elastic than latex.
Base width: 2.2”/ 56mm
Length: 7.9”/200mm

Trojan Ultra Thin

Classic straight shape.
Regular size width and slightly longer.
Base width: 2.13″/53mm
Length: 7.9″/ 200mm

Trojan Fire & Ice Dual Lubricated

Very long. Tapered at the base for secure fit, wide bulbous head.
Special tingling and warming lubricant on inside and outside.
Base width: 2.13″/ 54mm
Length: 8.13″/ 205mm

Trojan ENZ non-lubricated

Dry condom. (Great for oral sex).
Classic straight shape. Longer than regular sizes with standard Trojan width.
Base width: 2.1″/53mm
Length: 8.0″/ 200mm

Trojan ENZ Spermicide Lubricant
The classic ENZ long condom also comes with spermicide lubricant (not for oral use).
Base width 2.1″/53mm
Length: 8.0″/ 200mm

Trojan Magnum XL

Is one of the longest and widest condoms on the market.
Base width: 2.1″/53.34mm
Head width: 2.7″/68.58mm
Length: 8.12″/206mm

Trojan Magnum Original

Tapered at the base for a secure fit and extends wider up the head for comfort. Suitable for guys who find standard condoms too short and too tight.
Base width: 2.1″/53.34mm
Head width: 2.5″/63.5mm
Length: 8.12″/206mm

Trojan Magnum Thin

Thinner than the regular Magnum condoms
Base width: 2.1″/53.34mm
Head width: 2.5″/63.5mm
Length: 8.12″/206mm

DUREX

Durex XXL

The largest condom made by Durex
Classic straight shape
Compared to Trojan Magnum XL, Durex XL is wider at the base and longer, but smaller head than Magnums.
Base width: 2.3”/58mm
Length: 8.3”/210.8mm

Durex Maximum Love

20% thinner than standard latex condoms
Unique easy-on design shape to roll on smooth.
Contoured at the head with a flare shape to the opening.
On the larger side of the regular condom sizes in both width and length.
Base width: 2.1”/54mm
Length: 7.9”/ 200mm

Durex Natural Feeling

Ultra smooth water-based lubricant
About 1.0 to 1.5 inches larger in length and width than regular size condoms
Base width: 2.2”/56mm
Length: 8”/205mm

Durex Sensi Thin

Durex’s thinnest latex condom
Longer than the average condom, with slightly snugger width at the base. Suitable for guys who are looking for more width without the extra length.
Base width: 2.0”/5.1mm
Length: 7.9”/200mm

LifeStyles

SKYN Large

First ever large-size polyisoprene condom.
Strong as latex but softer, more flexible material- the latest in condom technology.
Ideal for people with latex allergy or sensitivity
Wider base and shaft than the Magnum, but not quite as long. Slightly longer than average LifeStyle condoms. Ideal for broader, thicker than average guys.
Base width: 2.2”/55mm
Length: 7.8”/200mm

Lifestyles THYN

Popular contoured shape that flares wide at the head, tapered at the base for secure fit. Suitable for men between approximately 4.54″ and 4.72″ erect girth (slightly greater length is normal for thin condoms to prevent risk of breakage).
Base width: 2.1” / 53mm
Length: 7.8”/ 200mm

Lifestyles KYGN

Wider and longer than regular Lifestyles condoms. Not quite as long as Trojan Magnums. Suitable to those fit in between regular and XL length.
Flare shape for wider end.
Base width: 2.2”/56mm
Length: 8.3”/210mm

If “Condoms are too Long”…

ONE Condoms

ONE Zero

One of the shortest thin condoms out there with regular width.
Classic straight shape.
Width: 2.04″/ 52mm
Length: 7.08″/ 180mm

GLYDE

GLYDE Slim Fit
The smallest vegan latex condom.
Classic straight shape.
Base width: 1.92″/ 49mm
Length: 6.69″/ 170mm

CAUTION WEAR

All Caution Wear “regular” sizes are 7.0″/180mm long, which is shorter than other popular brands.

Caution Wear Classic Plain

Silicon-based lubricant, straight shaped condom
Base width: 2.0”/53mm
Length: 7.0/180mm
Head width: .6”/15mm

Caution Wear Black Ice Ultra Thin

Caution Wears’ thinnest condom (slightly thicker than other brands of thin condoms)
Base width: 2.0”/53mm
Length: 7.0”/180mm

Caution Wear Wild Rose Ribbed

Ribbed straight shaped condom
Base width: 2.0”/53mm
Length: 7.0”/180mm

TROJAN

Trojan does not manufacture condoms shorter than 7.5”/190mm

DUREX

Durex Enhanced Pleasure

Contoured shape for tapered fit around the base and shaft. Is one of the shortest condoms on the North American market.
Base width: 1.92”/49mm
Length: 6.7”/170mm

LIFESTYLES

Lifestyles 3SUM

Extra ribbed, ultra studded, uniquely shaped.
Uniquely contoured at head for his pleasure (see image here)
Regular condom length but closer fitting shaft and head.
Base width: 1.93”/49mm
Length: 6.69”/ 170mm

Beyond Seven

All Beyond Seven Condoms, except Crown, are less than 7.5 inches long. They also offer some of the thinnest latex condoms on the market.

Beyond7 Ultra Thin
Classic straight shape condom. Slightly shorter than standard regular condoms
Base width: 2.0”/51mm
Length: 7.2”/180mm

Beyond 7 Studded

The thinnest condom makers offer studded condoms for those who love extra stimulation.
Studded along the shaft
Base width: 2.0”/51mm
Length: 7.2”/180mm

“Condoms are too Loose”

RFSU

Mamba

Pleasure shaped, ultra thin and vegan latex.
On the larger scale of sung fit condoms.
Base width: 1.97″/ 50mm
Length: 6.89″/ 175mm

ATLAS

Atlas True Fit

A basic smaller condom with tapered shape.
Base width: 1.73″/ 44mm
Head width: 1.93″/ 49mm
Length: 7.08″/ 180mm

CAUTION WEAR

Caution Wear Iron Grip

One of the smallest condoms on the market.
Straight classic shape.
Base width: 1.92”/49mm
Length: 6.7”/ 170mm
Head width: .6”/15mm

TROJAN

Trojan Twisted Pleasure

Special twisted shape and ribs for sensual friction
Regular length of Trojan condoms, but is 0.25” slimmer at the base than regular Trojan condoms for a snug grip round the shaft.
Base width: 1.75″/44mm
Length: 7.8″/198mm

DUREX

Durex Sensi Thin

Durex’s thinnest latex condom
Slightly snugger width and longer length than most regular sizes. Suitable for long and slender guys.
Base width: 2.0”/5.1mm
Length: 7.9”/200mm

Durex Enhanced Pleasure

Contoured shape for tapered fit around the base and shaft. Is one of the snuggest (and shortest) condoms on the North American market.
Base width: 1.92”/49mm
Length: 6.7”/170mm

LIFESTYLES

Lifestyles Snugger Fit

This is The smallest condom on the North American market.
Unique shape hugs better around shaft and head
Base width: 1.77”/ 45mm
Head width: 1.92″/ 49mm
Length: 7.0”/ 180mm

Lifestyles 3SUM

Extra ribbed, ultra studded, uniquely shaped.
Uniquely contoured at head for his pleasure (see image here)
Regular condom length but closer fitting shaft and head.
Base width: 1.93”/49mm
Length: 6.69”/ 170mm

Beyond Seven

Beyond7 Aloe Enriched

4X more lubricant than standard latex condoms.
Thinner than standard condoms with average length.
Base width: 1.9″/50mm
Length: 7.2″/185mm

All other Beyond7 condoms are approximately 2.0 inches base wide. Check out their condom size chart for more detailed measurements on all their products.

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Our size charts are constantly updated, so please join our Facebook, Twitter or RSS feed to keep informed.

April 25, 2013
OKAMOTO Beyond Seven Condom Size Chart

Beyond Seven Condoms. Image from UndercoverCondoms.com

Beyond Seven is the fourth largest condom brand in the world and has been around since 1937 starting in Tokyo, Japan. Standard latex condoms are typically .007 inches thick- but the “Sheerlon” latex of Beyond Seven can measure as thin as .004 thickness, offering one of the thinnest condoms (if not the thinnest!) on the market. These condoms tend to have a standard width of 2.0 inches (measuring the condom laying flat) and to be on the slightly shorter side of standard regular condoms (see our guide on standardized condom sizes). These condoms are perfect if you prefer a snug and thin fit. The best thing to do is experiment with different styles to find the right condom for you. Afflitate links within.

For a comparative search of condom sizes, try our Condom Size Calculator. Quick Tip! To find the condom width that fits, divide penis circumference by 2.25. Here is how we got this formula.

Beyond Seven Ultra Thin

Classical shape, straight walled condom made of Sheerlon latex
Base width: 2.0”/51mm
Length: 7.2”/180mm

Beyond Seven Aloe Enriched

4X more lubricant than standard condoms with natural aloe extract for lasting smoothness
Base width: 2.0”/51mm
Length: 7.2”/180mm

Beyond Seven Crown

Super thin latex makes this a very popular condom
Larger than other Beyond7 products
Classic straight shape
Base width: 2.1”/51mm
Length: 7.5”/190mm

Beyond Seven .004

Zero Zero Four measures the success this condom trumps as being the thinnest condom on the market! Where standard latext condoms are .007, Beyond7 is .004 thickness.
Base width: 2.0”/51mm
Length: 7.2”/180mm

Beyond Seven Studded

The thinnest condom makers also offer studded condoms for those who love extra stimulation.
Studded along the shaft
Base width: 2.0”/51mm
Length: 7.2”/180mm

Beyond Seven Assorted Pack

Perfect those who want to try all that’s offered from Beyond Seven. This sampler contains 24 condoms including Ultra Thins, Crown, Crown .004, Aloe Enriched, Studded, and Assorted Colors.

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If you are experiencing specific condom fitting problems, check out our fitting solutions guide. Or you can leave a comment below and we’ll help you out.

Our size charts constantly updated, so please join our Facebook, Twitter or RSS feed to keep informed.

April 18, 2013
The “Condom Girl”: Condom Policing is Gender Policing

“What do you do when you’re detained by powerful officials, everything you say is presumed deceptive, arbitrary “evidence” is held against you, and you’re treated like a moral deviant? And what if its 2013, you’re a woman, and the “evidence” is that you possess condoms?”- Clay Nikiforuk

Say no to condoms as legal evidence. Image from Photobucket.

In March 2013, Clay Nikiforuk was detained at the Quebec/Vermont boarder under suspicion of being a sex worker. The evidence: about 8 condoms and some sexy underwear. Hours of questioning passed over the possible relationship between her lingerie and condoms. Clay was eventually allowed into the US, but found out two weeks later that she had been flagged as a suspected sex worker. A series of consequences followed including limited visa permits, about $1000 in extra travel fees, and more police interrogations.

It’s easy to point at the sexist double standard here. If a young, stereotypically “masculine” man traveled with a pack of condoms and nice underwear his moral integrity would not be questioned. But there is something else at play than slut-shaming alone. Condom policing reinforces standards of what is appropriate female and male sexuality (a.k.a. heteronormativity). And wrapped up in those messy assumptions are racial and class stereotypes.

We have posted other monologues about condom policing before. The NYPD’s tactic of condoms-as-evidence systematically results in gender-based violence. The victims are overwhelmingly non-white transsexual women. This discrimination occurs daily. The news media picks it up from time to time- maybe once a year by questioning whether condoms-as-evidence of sex work is constitutional. In fact, a bill to stop this legal practice has been struggling to pass congress for nearly a decade.

But when condom policing happens to a white, educated young woman (read privilege) the media takes up the issue in a new way- through innocence. Clay writes a response to the media’s representation of her story on Rabble.ca.

“I wasn’t featured nationally in Metro as “Uneducated girl is accused of sex work” but rather as “UBC student.” I didn’t join CBC’s Daybreak show as “Sex worker/adulteress treated as second class citizen” but rather, “Woman files complaint after border crossing nightmare.” So long as I was positioned as privileged, and, sometimes by proxy, innocent, my story had shock value. Because when bad things start happening to innocent, educated white people, they could happen to anyone — or rather, other privileged people. And that is very, very scary.”

“….I’ve stopped answering the point-blank question of whether or not I am, was, or ever will be a sex worker. I like to entertain the half-mad fantasy that no matter whom one has consensual sex with or why, one is irrevocably a human deserving respect and rights. The point is: when sex and sexuality are criminalized, people are made illegal and their rights made moot.”

“….If I were a sex worker, I might have “deserved” the treatment I received, or my detainment might have “made sense.” If I were from a minority group or were not as educated in the English language, my story might not have provoked the shock and outrage that it did. And rather than receiving the reaction “That should never happen to anyone,” often the reaction I still get is “That should never have happened to you.”

Read the entire article at Rabble.ca For more information on the campaign to stop condoms as evidence by police and in court, check out The Red Umbrella Project and End the Use of Condoms as Evidence.

April 15, 2013
Advice: Dealing with condom rejection

This post is for anyone who has a partner that always moans (in a bad way) about using a condom; for anyone who has experienced condom hating; and for anyone who refuses to wear a condom. This is to equip you with reasoning and responses to possible excuses for not using condoms.

A fact we need to face:

When you insist on using a condom you are doing the right thing! Condom usage is about caring for yourself and caring for your partner. Many people get uncomfortable in the condom situation or give-in to not using one because the other doesn’t want to. It is your right as a human being to assert your health needs with your partner. As Heather Corinna puts it: “Asking someone to care for you in any way is not a barrier to intimacy: it’s not asking that keeps space between you…sexual health or even just how to use condoms and use them in a way that works for both of you is not something that keeps people apart, but that brings people closer together.”

In other words, caring for yourself should be a caring partner’s want. If your partner can’t respect your desire to be safe than that is a relationship-red-flag.

Here are some responses you can give to whatever your partner dishes out. Some of these scenarios are from sex educator, Laci Green. For more advice, check out her post and watch her entertaining and informative video on how to deal with sex safety.

Responses to Condom Hate

________________________

Partner: “It doesn’t feel good.” “I can’t feel anything”.
You:“I can’t enjoy sex if I don’t feel safe.” “The safer I feel, the hotter the sex.”

Note: Those who say that they can’t feel anything with a condom are a) being dishonest and/or b) have a lack of experience and are not using condoms properly. Check out our post on the myths of condom hate.

________________________

Partner: “You think I have an STD”. “You don’t trust me.”
You:“This isn’t about me thinking that here is something wrong with you; this is about both our health.” “Don’t you care about the same thing?”

_________________________

Partner: “I want to be closer to you/feel you.”
You:“I can’t feel close to you if I don’t feel safe.”

_________________________

Partner: “Just this one time.”
You: “We’ve got all these condoms. Let’s do it more than once!” “Once is one too much for me.”

_________________________

Partner: “They never fit.”
You: “There are so many styles of condoms, let’s try them out and see which ones are best!” “If it’s too big for a condom, it’s too big for me.”- Laci Green

Note: Check out our condom fitting solutions chart for help finding the right condoms.

_________________________

For more advice and ideas check out Laci Green’s website. Scarleteen is pretty great too.

What other excuses and responses are out there? What have you experienced?

April 12, 2013
ONE Condom Size Chart

Image sourced from OneCondoms.com

ONE Condoms have a few perks that make them stick out from the rest. First, when it comes to looks, they think outside the square with round packaging and trendy designs that consumers both illustrate and vote for on ONEcondoms.com. Thumbs up for effort to get people interactive with safer sex. Second, is charity. Winning designs become part of their world-wide packaging and a donation of 5000 condoms are made to a non-profit organization of the winner’s choice.

Fun is a big part of this condom- they feature hundreds of colors and shapes and textures. In general, however, they only offer two sizes:

Regular (Base width: 2.1”/53mm. Length: 7.5”/190mm)
and Large (Base width: 2.2”/56mm. Length: 7.8”/200mm).

For a comparative search of condoms (without the long lists) try out Condom Calculator!

But keep in mind that size is not everything. Shape is important too. ONE Condoms feature some unique shapes to solve fitting ills. For example, if you are experiencing tight constriction around the head, but the length and shaft are fine, try the dome shape or pleasure pouch or flare shape. See more details below. And check out our Fitting Solutions Guide for more options. The best thing to do is experiment and try new styles.

ONE does not make non-latex condoms. Lifestyles SKYN Large is the only XL non-latex condom sold at US stores. There currently are no non-latex snug fits on the market, so it is a matter of trying different shapes and designs. Both Durex and Lifestyles have a better variety of non-latex condoms.

This is not a company endorsement! We are independent but some links are affiliate links that earn us a small commission.

Regular/latex

ONE Classic Select Designer

This ONE stands out from the rest as the most normal, straight walled condom compared to ONE’s trendy reputation.
Base width: 2.0”/52.89mm
Length: 7.5”/190mm

ONE Super Sensitive

Offers same length as regular condoms but extra smooth.
Advertised as 50% more lubricant (perhaps this is an upgrade from 2008 when a member of CM reviewed it).
Base width: 2.1”/53mm
Length: 7.5”/190mm

ONE Tantric Pleasure

Decorated with oriental-design ribbing, this is one for the most intricate looking jonnies.
Flared shape gives more head-room and a secure fit at the shaft.
Base width: 2.1”/53mm
Length: 7.5”/190mm

ONE Pleasure Plus

Uniquely shaped- some diagrams make it look a bit like a boat rudder; the roomy pouch at the head features fine ribs to stimulate both partners.
Base width: 2.1”/53mm
Length: 7.5”/190mm

ONE Pleasure Dome

Extra-bulbous head room.
Because of it’s unique shape, it is slightly misleading to categorize this condom as “regular” size. Suitable for men who experience constriction around the head and find regular condoms to narrow.
Base width: 2.1”/53mm
Length: 7.5”/190mm

ONE 576 Sensation

There are 576 raised latex studs all over this condom.
Base width: 2.1”/53mm
Length: 7.5”/190mm

ONE Glowing Pleasure

Make sexy fun! FDA approved non toxic glow-in-the-dark condoms. Expose to light for 30 seconds and glows for up to 30 minutes.
Fun fact: ONE Condoms owner, Global Protection Corp., is the first to make glow in the dark condoms.
Base width: 2.1”/53mm
Length: 7.5”/190mm

ONE Mixed Pleasure

Get a mixed bag of 9 different choices from ONE’s pleasure line, including Super Sensitive, 576 Sensation, ZERO, Pleasure Plus, Pleasure Dome, Flavor Waves, Glowing Pleasure, Color Sensations, and The Legend.
All regular size, except The Legend.

Large/latex

ONE The Legend

Wider at head and base, and longer than regular condoms.
Base width: 2.2”/56mm
Length: 7.8”/200mm
Note: Same size as Lifestyle’s non-latex SKYN Large. If you need larger, check out Durex and Trojan.

ONE Zero Ultra Thin

25% thinner than standard condoms
Flare shape at the top
Base width: 2.2”/56mm
Length: 7.5”/190mm

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This is the latest edition of our condom size chart with the latest ONE condom products. During our research we noticed that some condom retail sites give conflicting measurements for the same condom. So, we gathered our information from the companies themselves and verified sizes with retailers including Undercover Condoms and Condom Jungle. If you come across a falsely measured product, let us know!

Our size charts constantly updated, so please join our Facebook, Twitter or RSS feed to keep informed.

April 4, 2013
A Mark in History of Marriage Equality: Family Story by John & Stuart

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You know, the sense of the historic moment hanging over these cases is incredible, and the atmosphere is really electric…As my husband said, it really feels like our very lives are before the court. But there’s no mistaking this historic moment. The momentum leading up to these hearings is incredible. Every day, when we turn to the headlines, there’s some new polls showing increasing majority support nationwide for equal marriage rights.- Stuart Gaffney, interview on Democracy Now!

Stuart Gaffney and John Lewis speaking on Democracy Now 26 March 2013

That is a quote from Stuart Gaffney, media director at Marriage Equality USA, describing what it felt like, both as a married gay man and an activist, to be in the Supreme Court watching the arguments about the constitutionality of DOMA. For those who don’t know, DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act) is a federal law enacted in 1996, that denies federal benefits to legally married same-sex couples.

Our LGBTQ-logue pays homage to this historic moment (the Supreme Court discussing the systemic discrimination of sexual orientation is landmark!) by hearing the family story of Stuart Gaffney and his husband John Lewis, together for 25 years. You can watch a full interview with them at DemocracyNow.org

What follows in an excerpt of Stuart and John’s family story that was originally written for the Marriage Equality Quilt for National Freedom to Marry Day (PDF) in Feb. 2007.

Stuart and John’s Story…

is significant because it directly connects with the history of laws banning interracial marriage until the Supreme court deemed them unconstitutional in 1967. This issue came up in the Supreme court when Justice Scalia asked attorney, Theodore Olson, when it became unconstitutional to exclude homosexual couples from marriage.

Listen to Clip [sc_embed_player fileurl=”https://condommonologues.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/12-144-Hollingsworth-v.-Perry-trimmed.mp3″]

For the entire Supreme Court argument on March 26, 2013, listen here.

John and Stuart’s very own family story draws parallels of racial discrimination and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in marriage law. As an interracial couple, Stuart’s parents- mother Chinese-American and father English/Irish American- faced the same barriers that Stuart and John face today. Read below:

For nearly as long as we can remember, we each wanted to meet someone to fall in love with and start building a life together. For us, it happened in 1987, when we met at a neighborhood election party. When we met, John felt as if he had already known Stuart forever. To this day, when we visit old places from Stuart’s childhood, John feels like he was there with Stuart. And even before our second date, Stuart had already told his best friend from college, “I’ve met my future husband.”

When we married at San Francisco City Hall on February 12, 2004 after 17 years together as a loving and committed couple, we felt for the first time in our lives that our government was treating us as equal human beings. Subsequently, the court ruled that our marriage was null and void. Since then, we have been working to educate our fellow Californians about the importance of equal marriage rights.

This is not the first time our family had found itself in the center of a historic civil rights struggle for equal access to marriage. Stuart’s mother, who is Chinese American, and father, who is white, were only able to marry over 50 years ago, because the state’s ban on interracial marriage was overturned. Stuart’s mother remembers how one of her classmates at the University of California had to leave the state to marry her white fiancé before the law was changed.

After their wedding, Stuart’s parents traveled across America and lived in many different parts of the country. When they moved to Missouri, they were disturbed to learn their marriage was illegal and void in Missouri because that state still prohibited marriages between Chinese-Americans and whites.

But everywhere Stuart’s parents went, they educated people about interracial relationships by their very presence as a loving couple. We too have traveled across America as part of the coast-to-coast Marriage Equality Caravan to do the same — to show that our common humanity is the basis for marriage equality across the land.

Like our parents before us, we simply want the freedom to marry the person of our choice and to have the same rights, recognition, and responsibilities for our family that all other loving and committed couples enjoy. Today, all of our parents want nothing more than for their son and son-in-law’s marriage to be legally recognized, just as their other children’s marriages are.

To read their story in full, visit the website Marriage Equality USA.

March 28, 2013
A Town Called Condom…

I can’t imagine it’s easy being a French town at the best of times, without having the daily struggle and ridicule of being known as ‘Condom’. All the other towns must point and laugh, and let’s be fair, they have every reason to. I mean, naming a town ‘Condom’, it’s just not fair. Would you name your baby ‘Coil’? Or your new dog ‘The Pill’? Even as middle names, contraceptives rarely work. That said, ‘Sheath’ seems to be a fairly well accepted surname.

Anyway, despite the word ‘condom’ not strictly being part of the French language, the people of this town have accepted it does have an English meaning. They have built their own museum detailing the history of the Rubber Johnny. They ensure each and every shop has a regular supply of everyone’s favourite rubber things and even some of the road dividers have been gifted a rather humorous shape!

Good to see a town’s sense of humour breaking a very well established language barrier…

Monologues are independent stories. The opinions shared are the author’s own. You can read more by Duncan @ DuncWilson.co.uk

March 26, 2013
Poster Child of DOMA: Testifying the impacts of marriage inequality

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I’m a tangible poster child for why DOMA should be repealed. If someone asks what’s unfair about our marriage not being recognized in all states, I can offer several examples, but here is the most glaring one: I’m dying. I have a terminal illness and I pretty much know my life span. My wife and I have been together since 1993, and we’re legally married in the state of California, yet the federal government does not recognize our marriage and the rights included therein.- Cathy, written testimony submitted before the Committee on the Judiciary, Respect for Marriage Act, July 20 2011.

Important markers in US human rights history this week! Hillary Clinton formally endorses marriage equality and next week the Supreme Court makes a decision on the repeal of the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act. For our weekly LGBTQlogue Initiative, we look back at beginning stages to repeal DOMA through the testimony of Cathy.

Cathy is an activist dedicated to repealing DOMA and raising awareness about ALS.

Cathy and her wife have been together for twenty years. Cathy is dying from Lou Gehrig’s disease with a life expectancy of one to five years. Because the federal government does not recognize their marriage, Cathy’s wife will not receive her social security survivor benefits after she passes away. Instead, Cathy’s social security will go to the government. In her written testimony for the Committee on the Judiciary of the Respect for Marriage Act, Cathy explains how DOMA denies her family basic rights and stability that come with federal recognition of marriage. Cathy hopes to live long enough to see DOMA nullified.

In January 2009, I was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) a.k.a. Lou Gehrig’s disease. This is a progressive, fatal neuromuscular disease. Most people with ALS die 2 to 5 years after diagnosis….I have a powerful incentive to live long enough to see the federal government recognize our marriage. Without this recognition, my wife will not receive my social security benefits.

I met my wife in 1993 and we had our first unofficial wedding celebration on June 16, 2001. In February of 2004, we were one of thousands of couples who got married in San Francisco City Hall after Gavin Newsom honored our rights to marry. We had to travel three times to San Francisco in attempts get our marriage license because we weren’t allowed to schedule appointments as is done for heterosexuals. With thousands of other couples, we had to line up for blocks in rain, fog, cold, and wind for up to thirteen hours each trip. Our determination and steadfast love prevailed. The fourth time, we, like other couples, were allowed to schedule appointments and receive our marriage license. We exchanged vows immediately after in the glory of the S.F. City Hall rotunda. We framed our marriage license from the County of San Francisco, which the courts later nullified.

Again we did not give up. We were one of the 18,000 gay couples who did get married legally in California before California’s Proposition 8 put an end to gay marriages in the state. Our marriage is still considered valid in California, so we do have the same rights as any married couple in California.

However, when we step out of California, or deal with federal laws, we have none of those rights. This means if my wife and I travel out of state and my ALS requires a trip to the emergency room or a hospital stay, my wife could be denied the right to be with me at a time when I could be breathing my last breath.

When I die, [my wife] will not get my social security benefits. For heterosexual couples all over the country, when a person dies, their spouse gets their social security benefits. You get a monthly stipend because you’ve been paying into social security all your working life. You then draw off that money after you retire and if you die, it goes to your spouse or your dependent.

However, since the federal government does not recognize our marriage, [my wife] won’t get that. All the money I would have gotten to help support us if I were to grow older just goes back to the government. [My wife] can’t have it.

I contacted attorneys to see if there was anything I could do. They told me that, in the eyes of the federal government, I have no spouse. A few friends suggested that I legally adopt my wife, but the only way I could do that was if she were mentally incompetent. I don’t have any children so when I die my hard-earned money goes back into a government that doesn’t honor our legal California vows. Not only will my wife suffer [the loss of her] life companion, she will suffer financially.

Although some people consider social security benefits to be of minimal help, in this case it could mean the difference of my wife being able to pay her rent. We are not wealthy and, even though we are known regionally as “rock stars,” most of our years together we lived paycheck to paycheck. We did inherit some money after my brother Larry died of ALS, but most of this was spent on pre-paying my cremation, the death certificates, and taking care of other legal matters upon my death.

So once again I emphasize that with DOMA currently in place, the absence of social security benefits will burden [my wife] during her already stressful and sorrowful grief and mourning. Because her immediate and extended families shun her, they certainly will not be helping her emotionally or financially. As more of my family members die of ALS, my wife’s support system will continue to diminish.

We had a well-known duo, Duval Speck, a band, The Essentials, and produced three CDs. We performed all over California for LGBT rights and celebrations, ALS Benefits, and at “mainstream” public events. We never changed a word in any song, which made us vulnerable to “haters.” For example, if the lyrics were: “I fell in love with her, and knew she’d be my wife; I would comfort her for all of her life,” we’d never switch “her” to “him.”

In 2009, the first year and a half after I was diagnosed, we produced, directed and performed in many benefit concert fundraisers for ALS. Sadly, the ALS has now taken away my ability to sing, and my arms and hands hurt and are too weak to play percussion. On Sept 25, 2010 we put on a hugely successful concert for ALS. That was the last time either of us performed.

My wife, is also my caregiver. Doing her job, the tasks that I can’t do anymore, putting me to bed, cooking and monitoring how I eat, and making sure I can breathe, doesn’t leave much time for making music. If you have ever heard her play guitar and sing, you’d agree that she is uniquely wonderful. This is such a horrible loss for her and our friends and fans.

I have to sleep with special equipment to deliver oxygen now, and my energy continues to decline. My degree of fatigue determines what I can accomplish each day. Nothing, and if you could see my face right now, you’d know I mean nothing will dampen my spirit. And, I hold onto hope that if I live long enough, maybe the laws will change and the federal government will recognize our marriage. That keeps me getting out of bed in the morning, striving for LGBT equal rights, and continuing to raise funds to find a cause and cure for ALS.

.….if you want a real-life example of why DOMA is unjust, I’m right here–a 51-year-old woman dying from ALS (a disease our society tends to hide) and my wife, 53, with still plenty of life to live. I’m the “poster child” for “Repeal DOMA” and “Defeat ALS.” Some people in our great country don’t think we’re as good as they are, and don’t think we deserve the same rights. Well, we are as “good as they are” and we do deserve the same marriage rights. Go ahead and plaster my story on every wall and every screen.

I’m not dead yet. Even the terminally crippling disease of ALS won’t stop me as I strive to open hearts and eyes, so that all may live with love and equality.

Original (PDF) found on MarriageEquality.org

Cathy has a blog: check it out.

March 20, 2013
HPV Awakening

The US faces an HPV epidemic, yet there is still little known about the virus. A Florida-based grassroots organization, HPV Awakening, is fighting to expand research about the virus to provide resources for treatment and prevention. Public awareness is in desperate need of an energy boost.

Graph from the CDC

HPV is the most prevalent and rapidly spreading STI in the USA according to a February 2013 report (PDF) by the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention). Based on the most recent data on STIs in 2008, the report finds approximately 80 million Americans are infected with some form of HPV- which makes up 71% of all STI infections in the country. And it is spreading fast, as most people with HPV do not know they are infected. Fourteen million will become newly infected this year. This means that almost every sexually active person in the US (regardless of sexual orientation, number of partners, age, income, etc.) will acquire HPV at some point in their lives. In other words, we are officially in an HPV crisis.

Sounds pretty serious, eh? In most cases, HPV will go away by itself before it causes any health problems- particularly in young people. The problem is that there are many variations and strains of HPV- 40 of which are related to cancer- and there remains much unknown medically about the virus and how to detect it.

For example, there is no certain way to tell who will develop health problems from HPV and who will not. For men, there is currently no FDA-approved HPV test, which means that men who have clear STI screenings with negative results should not consider themselves HPV-free or at zero-risk. The only form of testing a male can have is through an anal pap smear (used to check for anal cancer), and only if he has been the recipient of anal sex, not directly as a method to check for HPV. For women, there are test to directly detect the virus, but they are not mandatory- you still have to specifically ask for them, despite how prevalent HPV is in the USA. In 2009, the FDA approved DNA testing for HPV yet blood donations and samples are not screened.

Image from hpvawakening.org

What is HPV? Human Papillomavirus is an infection of the skin and mucous membranes. There are over 100 strains of HPV of which 40 are identified as sexually transmitted infections. It is often called “genital warts”, because when a strain causes warts (not all do) and symptoms are visible it appears as tiny cauliflower-like clusters on the genitals. These HPV types can also infect the mouth and throat. Other strains are cancerous and some are a direct cause of cervical, anal, and oral cancer. On average, about 15,000 women get diagnosed yearly with cervical cancer and about 80% of these cases are cause by HPV.

In most cases, HPV shows no symptoms yet remains highly contagious, and unfortunately, condoms do not offer 100% protection. However, they are by far safer than going without protection. It is generally stated by health organizations that condoms provide approximately 70% protection against HPV.

How does it spread? Penetrative sex or exposure to bodily fluids, like semen, is not needed to contract HPV. It is transmittable by skin-to-skin contact during oral, vaginal, anal, and manual sex. It is most commonly transmitted from direct genital-to-genital contact (touching two sets of genitals together without a protective barrier). Some strains can be transmitted from kissing.

The CDC recently reported that HPV is contactable from mother to child through vaginal birth. Yet there is still much unknown about the virus. For example, the only studies released for HPV cases in children are from oral cancer cases. As the non-profit organization, HPV Awakening points out, no information has been released about whether or not children are being examined for anal, cervical or other cancers caused by HPV.

How is it diagnosed? HPV is detected from examination of warts and from tissue samples taken during a gynecological or urological exam. For women, a PAP smear does not test for the virus itself, but may detect precancerous condition that are caused by HPV. There are DNA tests that can be done with or without a PAP smear. These tests can determine if the type of HPV is a high-risk stain. For men, there is currently no FDA-approved HPV test, which means that men who have clear STI screenings with negative results should not consider themselves HPV-free or at zero-risk.

Is it curable or treatable? No. Warts can be removed. However, the virus may still remain in the body and can be transmitted to partners, and/or cause long-term health problems like cervical cancer.

Unfortunately, neither public awareness nor medical understanding of HPV matches these severely high statistics. Few people, both teens and adults, think about how a condom is only 70% effective against the virus or that a clear STI screening does not indicate that they are HPV-free. Blood banks do not screen for HPV.

And HPV is considered a “none-reportable” STI. This means that the US government and the CDC do not feel that individuals have a legal obligation to be informed by a partner that they have had a history of or currently have an “active” case of HPV.

Yet rather than acknowledging our unfamiliarity and unawareness of HPV we, the general public, continue to reinforce great social stigma with being diagnosed with an STI. And thus, the ignorance continues. This is precisely why the non-profit group HPV Awakening exists: to educate the general public and push for more investment in medical research.

HPV Awakening Inc.: was founded by Tashia Ameneiro shortly after she was diagnosed with HPV at 25 years old. She contracted the virus from her first sexual partner who had known he was a carrier but did not tell her. It wasn’t long after that Tashia found herself trying to coop with a severe lack of public resources compounded with social stigma for being diagnosed with an STI. The impact of being diagnosed led her and her friends (Virginia Pena and Yvette Rodriguez) to launch HPV Awakening- A nonprofit to counteract social stigma through public education.

The Miami-based organization is the first established non-profit in North America to address general HPV that is not limited to one cancer form or another caused by HPV. They run workshops, lectures, and info booths at universities, schools and community events to raise public awareness about HPV and how to protect one self. They have partnered with major community-based organizations, such as the Village South/WestCare – Project IMPACT, hosting the First Cervical Cancer Day at FIU in January 2013 to provide a wide range of free health information to the public. HPV Awakening has also partnered with several student organizations such as VOX, WSSA (Women’s Studies Student Association), The Vagina Monologues, and One Billion Rising.

Along with improving public awareness, HPV Awakening is also putting pressure on the FDA and greater medical science community. They are pushing to make HPV caner strands “reportable” and get HPV male testing approved. They are also trying to expand medical and social research about the virus and the impact it has not only physically, but mentally and emotionally.

They need your support: As with all social causes, people’s support is essential to their survival. HPV Awakening functions through the hard work of just Tashia, her mother, and a few friends. They currently have no funding or sponsorship. All the things they have managed thus far have been done through their own pockets and free-time. They need support from everyone and have set up a donation bank on their website.

They desperately need funding for basic things like printing information pamphlets, free condoms to distribute, website management and sponsorship to attend relevant events like Gay Pride Fest- Miami Beach, AFO, and Exxxotica Expo.

They welcome any support. This includes actions as simple as sharing their facebook page or more involved help such as volunteering at their events and donating money to help them stay afloat.

HPV Awakening can be contact through through email @ Tashia@hpvawakening.org, phone 786 260 2092, and social media: facebook and twitter and experienceproject.

Here is an interview of HPV Awakening founder Tashia with NotiMujer

Found on http://hpvawakening.org/

March 18, 2013
Walking While Trans: police profiling and abuse of LGBTQ communities of color in Queens

LGBTQ 003. In this entry of our LGBTQ-Logue Initiative, posting mementos of sexual justice issues, we share narratives from participants in a study about the gender-based violence that police regularly commit against LGBTQ and gender nonconforming people.

Illustration by Molly Crabapple. Posted with permission. Found on Vice Mag.

In response to the rise of complaints about hate violence and police abuse against LGBTQ people in Jackson Heights, especially among people of color, the community-based organization Make the Road NY (MRNY) and the Anti-Violence Project (AVP) conducted a preliminary study to ascertain the extent of the problems with police. Between 2011 and 2012, MRNY and AVP collected over 300 surveys with LGBTQ and gender nonconforming people in Jackson Heights. Interviews were conducted by outreach workers and volunteers through street, bar, and nightclub outreach, as well as within support groups and community meetings.

They found that LGBTQ, and transgender respondents in particular, reported higher rates of police stops compared to non-LBGTQ respondents. Transgender residents of color were the most likely to experience police harassment and physical abuse when stopped. 46% of transgender respondents reported some form of physical abuse from police compared to 28% of non-LGBTQ respondents. Narrative evidence obtained through interviews reveals the kind of physical harassment experienced such as handling, pushing, shoving and sexual harassment.

These are not just selective, one-off narrative accounts. On the contrary, they are shared because they reflect general tends respondents experience with the NYPD in Queens.

Carolina describes being intrusively searched by police:

About 2 years ago something terrible happened when I was out in Jackson Heights. My girlfriend and I were on our way to a club when the police stopped us. It was about midnight. The police stopped us and asked for our IDs. My girlfriend had hers but I didn’t have mine with me at the time. At that moment the police started to frisk me and search my pants. Because I dress very masculine they started telling me to ‘shut up you fucking dyke.’ They started to feel my breasts and search in that area (they were male cops and they’re not suppose to do that). They then proceeded to put me against the wall and told me to spread my legs. They searched me between my legs like I was a criminal. I told them that I didn’t consent to their search. But they said that they were ‘the authority’ and that they could do ‘whatever the fuck they wanted’ with me. I felt humiliated because I knew that even if I said something no one would believe me. Also, because of my immigration status I was afraid to say anything and get deported.- Lesbian woman, Jackson Heights (MRNY 2012, pg. 20)

Another interviewee, Juan, reported being drag by her hair down the block.

I was walking down the street with my partner on 34^th Avenue and a police car pulled over and told us to get near the car. When the police officer saw that I was dressed as a woman he pulled my wig, held my hair and dragged me down 34^th Avenue for 1 or 2 blocks. – Gay Latino man who cross dresses at night, Queens (Ibid: pg. 20).

Other narratives reflect violence committed by police and the unjust treatment carried out while in custody.

I was getting out of a club and heading to a friend’s house in a cab. When I got to her apartment, I found that the police were stopping her and asking her to produce ID. They were talking to her in English. I intervened and told the officers that she didn’t speak English and that her ID was in her apartment, which we were in front of. I told them that I could get her ID from her apartment. The officers told me to shut up and arrested both me and my friend. The police used a lot of force while arresting us and said some homophobic and transphobic remarks in the process. They put us in the back of their car and started laughing at us with other police officers who were also there. I asked one of the officers to please open the window a bit more because we were out of breath, to which he responded by pepper spraying my directly in my face and mouth. Since we were trapped in the back of the car, the pepper spray also started asphyxiating my friend. I started kicking the car door and asking them to please let us out. They opened the door and dragged me out of the car and started beating me up outside the car, while using transphobic and homophobic remarks. It was a very confusing, demeaning and unjust experience, I ended up being in jail for two days without representation and was intensely harassed by officers while I was in custody.- Transgender Latina woman, Queens (Ibid: pg. 18).

Part of that harassment involves arbitrary stops on suspicion of prostitution, which takes place in the form of a charge of “loitering for the purpose of prostitution”- a misdemeanor that allows for broad officer discretion. The profiling of transgender women as sex workers is so common that there is a term for it: “walking while trans”.

Arrests can be made on the basis of how tight one’s clothing is and how many condoms are on the person, which will be used as evidence in court. If convicted for prostitution, the person will lose social benefits like food stamps and subsidized housing. As a result, transgender women are especially fearful that any condom in their possession will be used as evidence against them.

The survey participants commonly reported stops that seemed to be without basis but in which the police officers later justified the stop by charging the person with prostitution because condoms were found on their person.

Cristina explained how the police did not believe that her boyfriend was not a patron and the officers confiscated three condoms off of her.

One night I was with my boyfriend at a club in Jackson Heights, Queens. At around 4am we left the club together and walked home. We were walking next to each other. At one point an undercover police van stopped next to us. Eight undercover cops got out from the van and some of them threw me against the wall. While they were handcuffing me, my boyfriend was also through to the wall and they frisked him. They told me I was being arrested for sex work. I told them that I was not doing anything like that. After they frisked my boyfriend, they frisked me and found three condoms, after seeing the condoms they asked if I was sure that I was not working. I told them that I was with my boyfriend and they said that he was not my boyfriend. I told one of the female cops to help me and that I was not doing anything wrong. She said that she couldn’t help me out. My boyfriend came to the 110^th Precinct where I was held and spoke to the captain; he tried to explain that I was his girlfriend and that I was with him. But the captain said that he couldn’t do anything. I was taken to court and was accused of sex work.– Transgender woman, Jackson Heights (Ibid: pg 21).

Another interviewee describes being jumped by undercover cops and experiencing repetitive humiliation and harassment while in custody:

Last week, I went out dancing at a small night club on Roosevelt Avenue. After having a good time and feeling ready to go home, I contacted my friends so that we could meet at a small taqueria before we all headed home. Meeting up at the taqueria after a night out is routine for us because the tacos are really good, and it’s also the only way we know that our circle of friends is safe.

While on my way to the taqueria, I was approached by a dark colored car driven by a middle-aged male. As the male pulled alongside me, he said something I couldn’t hear properly. As I did not hear what the male was saying, I inched a little closer to his vehicle and he repeated, ‘Why are you so beautiful and yet alone?’ Before I knew it, two undercover officers jumped out of a van that was parked along the street and told me that I was under arrest. When I asked the officer’s why they are arresting me, they told that I was ‘engaging in prostitution’.

They cuffed me and the officers questioned me further, took my purse away from me and placed me into the unmarked van. Although I had nothing on me and did nothing wrong, they still took me, transferred me into another police van filled with about a dozen trans-women and then took us all down to the 115^th Precinct where we were fingerprinted, written up and later transferred to the central booking. My experience in the holding cell at central booking was terrible. I was humiliated inside of the holding cell by the guards and the men who occupied the cell with me. The guards would not all me anything other than bread and water to eat and I was not allowed to use the toilet when I needed to go. Tears streamed down my face as for the first time I was encountering the daily harassment that transwomen face for just walking home.-Transgender Latina woman, Queens (Ibid: pg. 17).

And it doesn’t just happen at night after clubbing. It also happens while doing routine daily activities such as walking the dog or grocery shopping. Here is just one testimony of many from the MRNY study.

I am transgender. I was walking to the store near my house on Roosevelt Avenue when two cops stopped and arrested me. When I asked why I was being arrested, they replied, ‘Because you are pretty.’ They charged me with loitering for prostitution when I was only walking down the street.- Transgender Latina woman, Queens (Ibid: pg. 17)

This profiling and abuse has been documented extensively across the US by Amnesty International (2005), the PROS Network (2011) and Human Rights Watch (2012), to name a few. All studies conclude that there needs to be more done within the legal system and law enforcement culture to address homophobic and transphobic attitudes and discriminatory policing against LBGTQ people. Suggestions include LGBTQ liaison units to police forces and integrating LGBTQ issues into officer education and professional development.

There is also a bill to end the use of condoms as evidence of sex work. Since 1999, a coalition of people in the sex trades, allies, and community-based organizations have been working to pass the No Condoms As Evidence bill into law in NY state. In 2012, a report by the PROS Network and Sex Worker Project revealed how the use of condoms as evidence of prostitution is creating a public health crisis because it is deterring targeted populations from carrying condoms. This is “deeply concerning”, writes Emma Caterine of the Red Umbrella Project, as people in the sex trade and gender nonconforming people are often most at risk of contracting sexually transmitted infections. “To combat this violence and promote safer sex, we must stop the use of condoms as evidence by both police and prosecutors (RH Reality Check, 2013).”

On April 23^rd, 2013, Red Umbrella Project will be lobbying in Albany, NY to get the No Condoms as Evidence bill passed by representatives. For more information on this bill and how you can get involved, check out their website.

March 15, 2013