User:Annabelle Cohen/Condom fatigue

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KEEP FIRST SENTENCE. It is related to decreased effectiveness of safer sex messages because people who realize the necessity of condoms still perpetuate the phenomenon. It is typically expressed as a frustration with the idea of a future filled with less sexual pleasure due to the use of condoms.

The term...ADD CITATION FROM OWN BIBLIOGRAPHY, though...ADD CITATION. Condom fatigue is linked to increased HIV infection, as consistent condom use can significantly lower one's risk of transmitting or catching HIV.

Although condom fatigue is not a universal phenomenon, it is seen in many different cultures in both the United States and other parts of the world.

Condom Fatigue in Gay Men

Historically, gay men are most often the sufferers of condom fatigue. For gay men, condom fatigue can be linked to length of relationship, as men who have been practicing safer sex for longer time periods are more likely to present fatigue. Condom fatigue can also be linked to fears about sex, in part due to their constant link with HIV/AIDS, so some gay men see reliance on biomedical treatments for HIV/AIDS as safer sex practices. Condom fatigue is further related to the HIV/AIDS epidemic as not using a condom puts same-sex oriented men at a higher risk of contracting the disease.

Although condom fatigue is often cited as a reason for inconsistent condom use, it is not necessarily a complete disavowal of condoms, as many gay men continue to use them despite their fatigue. Rather, condom fatigue acts in combination with other factors of inconsistent condom use, such as lower sexual satisfaction when using a condom or thinking one is not at risk of STIs, to cause inconsistent use of condoms.

Condom Fatigue in Heterosexual Couples

Condom fatigue, although mainly researched in men who have sex with men, also effects people in heterosexual encounters. This has become more of an issue as the AIDS epidemic has spread from mainly effecting gay males to effecting women and heterosexual males. In heterosexual relationships, the woman often relies on the man to provide condoms, making her condom usage reliant on his having a condom. Despite this and other factors leading to women's lack of power in relationships, such as reliance on her husband for basic necessities, women can also experience condom fatigue. Condom fatigue is especially prevalent in long-term couples, who may believe that since they know their partner well they no longer need to worry about AIDS. This fatigue can be exacerbated by the desire to feel closer during sex.