Pope Angered by Condom Machines in His Backyard

by Alex DiBranco · 2010-03-12 10:28:00 UTC
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At a high school in Rome, just a few miles from the Vatican, two euros will now buy you a three-pack of condoms from a vending machine.

The Pope is ticked off: a papal spokesperson says that the condom machines "trivialize sexuality." Of course, contraception is a big no-no in the Pope's book (thankfully, many Catholics ignore this and protect themselves), but what with recent revelations of the Vatican's "big gay prostitution ring," it seems like maybe he has bigger issues to attend to in regards to trivializing sexuality -- you know, outright buying and selling of sex, perhaps through non-consensual human trafficking, while continuing to treat queer sexuality as an abomination. Sorry, wait, that doesn't trivialize sexuality. It disrespects and degrades human sexuality. Plus, it's a crime.

Meanwhile, why would condom machines be a divine idea for Rome's schools? Currently, 60% of teenage girls in Italy aren't using any form of protection when having sex -- 40% just do it and keep their fingers crossed, while another 20% rely on withdrawal to keep them from getting pregnant. Yeah, so not only am I skeptical of the ability of teenage boys to pull out in time, but what many people fail to realize is that pre-ejaculate fluid can hold those pesky, pregnancy inducing sperm as well. And, of course, neither crossing your fingers nor pulling out does a whit of good toward preventing the spread of STDs. The school's headmaster says that the decision to install condom machines is part of a broader sex ed curriculum, aimed at preventing rising rates of HIV related to Italy's condom taboo.

With the HIV/AIDS epidemic running rampant, when Pope Benedict was elected five years ago, there was talk of revising the Vatican's stance on contraception. No such luck. So it's a good thing that school administrators in the Pope's backyard aren't waiting for him to get it together before they start working to protect and educate teens. It's not a matter of trivializing sexuality: it's a matter of teenagers' health.

Photo credit: AchimH

Alex DiBranco is a Change.org Editor who has worked for the Nation, Political Research Associates, and the Center for American Progress. She is now based in New York City.
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