French Condom Pride
OK, let’s flash back to first grade: Thanksgiving comes around and you learn about the Pilgrims. As the years 
go on, you begin to understand the story better—the religious persecution, the first colonial towns, the Puritans. You look at these old Americans with a detached eye. After all, what’s past is past. Right?
Wrong.
Modern Americans are still very much a product of these Puritan ancestors. Just look at other, more liberal European countries to see the evidence. Sex tends to be a taboo for us—something to be whispered about behind closed doors. Europeans, on the other hand, fly giant condoms through the sky.
Yes, you read that right. In an attempt to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS, the French have put a 120-foot, helium-filled condom on display in Paris. The giant condom, called Condomfière or Condom Pride, can carry three passengers and a pilot. It will be on display until it goes to the International AIDS conference in Vienna in June and then continues on a continental tour leading up to World AIDS Day on December 1, 2010.
Instead of hiding the potential consequences of sex or how to practice safer sex, which seems to be the American way, the French are flying it through their skies. Maybe their way is better or maybe not, but certainly a 120-foot condom floating above will be a sight to see.
—Taylor McCabe, 17, Staff Writer
(7 votes, average: 3.57 out of 5)
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March 10, 2010 at 2:08 am
Taylor, You could be right but I know the view of sex at my school and how a lot of us look at it and we are kind of open about it. Not all are doing it but a lot are and some are responsible and are some not. And I think a lot of the shows we watch like Gossip Girl and The Secret Life talk about sex and a lot of it. And when it comes to condoms we are using them and can easily get them.
Except I do know what you mean, I have friends who recently went to Europe and my friends said they provide good information to teens and that sex is more acceptable and out in the open. They even said their tv programs go over responsible sex and even show total nudity to get the point across. Like one program she was telling me about actually showed how guys should wash their penises the right way with real guys showing how to do it. That would never be shown here or a flying condom!
May 24, 2010 at 1:22 pm
I agree with Taylor. I think that part of the problem is that adults can’t know a teenager is having sex without seeing them as a sex fiend. So instead of taking a page from the French’s book and promoting safe sex the way they do, they sort of avoid the topic or talk about it like it’s a deadly bacteria. I think teens need to take initiative and show them that they’re okay with being open about it, just how the French and other europeans are. I like the shirts that they have at teezitnow.com. They’re funny AND have condoms on them. It’s a great way to let people know you’re prepared and open to talking about sex.
July 8, 2010 at 4:31 am
Hmm, well, personally (I’ve lived in europe all my life, including france for several years) I think that sex isn’t as open as it sounds. Yes, giant condoms fly around in the sky, but take family planning centres for one. Where I live, just across the french border in Switzerland, try finding a centre that will take you seriously and confidentially before the age of 16. Furthermore the only type of protection against pregnancy you can get here are condoms without parental consent, untill you have a perscription and are 18+. Safe sex is promoted, and most certainly not as taboo as it seems in the United States of America, but so are a lot of other things. However “safe sex” is still not as acessible I think to teenagers here as it is in america, even though it is less taboo. And by the way, as a mother tongue french speaker, condomfière is a take of on the word monglefière meaning not pride but hot air baloon. Yes, fière means proud but I still think its meant to go on that word, considering it is ultimatly a hot air baloon.