Condoms, when used correctly, help prevent unplanned pregnancies, HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Condoms can be an important part of practicing safer sex, and here at Sex, Etc. we encourage you to make condoms fun. Sex, Etc. is not the only place promoting condom use; in fact, a whole city is promoting it! New York City’s Health Department gives away more than 40 million free condoms a year. Those free condoms have a package specifically designed for New York City, a black wrapper based on the city’s subway motif.

I spoke to Montel Williams on his Air America show Montel Across America, last Thursday. We talked about the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance, 2008, which was released last week. The CDC’s report found that STDs, such as chlamydia, syphilis and gonorrhea, are on the rise. And why is this relevant to us? Because the report found that there are over 19 million new STD infections each year and almost half of them occur in young people who are 15 to 24 years old. Montel, much like other adults who’ve been talking about the report, was alarmed by these numbers and referred to the high rates of STDs among young people as “frightening” news.

It is surprising to hear this news. But what’s really frightening is the fact that many teens are in abstinence-only programs or not getting sex ed at all. This means there are teens who aren’t getting the information they need about safer sex. It also means that many teens haven’t gotten the skills they need to talk about and make decisions about safer sex with their partners if they do decide to become sexual. Comprehensive sexuality education may be able to help reduce STD rates. It teaches teens the skills they need to take care of their sexual health, make healthy decisions, get clear about their own values and set boundaries when it comes to sexuality.

For more information, check out our stories, FAQs, Forum and quizzes on STDs and having important conversations about sexuality with your parents, partner and health care provider.

-Colleen Tierney, 16, Staff Writer

The latex condom is pretty amazing! It’s one of the only forms of birth control that can protect you from both pregnancy and STDs. And when used properly each and every time, condoms are up to 98 percent effective at keeping you safe! Check out this video to see how condoms are made and tested:

Did you see how big a condom can get when inflated? Some guys will give excuses for not wanting to wear a condom like they’re too tight or I don’t fit into condoms. But guys complaining about condoms are full of hot air! Any guy, no matter the size, can fit into that condom! And since condoms come in different sizes there’s no excuse for not wearing one during sex.

Condoms are thoroughly tested for strength and checked for any leaks. Even the tiniest hole will be detected during the testing process! So if a condom breaks during sex, more often than not, it’s because of human error. Here are a few common mistakes people make when using condoms:

• The condom was expired. Condoms deteriorate over time, so never use an expired condom.
• The wrapper was opened improperly. Never use your teeth to open a condom wrapper, since that could tear the condom.
• The condom wasn’t put on properly. Make sure to follow the directions, since condoms will only be effective when put on properly.
• The wrong lubrication was used. Always use a water-based lubricant, since other kinds of lubricants can break down latex.

Do you know how to properly put on a condom? Test your knowledge and play The Condom Game!

Teen mom Bristol Palin is back in the spotlight, promoting abstinence as an ambassador for The Candie’s Foundation. She recently spoke to teens at a town hall meeting and talked about how becoming a teen mom has changed her life. See what she had to say:

We think it’s great that Bristol is speaking publicly about her experience as a teen mom. But is her message confusing? In an interview on Wednesday with Good Morning America, Bristol said “I just want to go out there and promote abstinence and say this is the safest choice.” Yet she told Fox News earlier this year that abstinence is “not realistic at all.”

It’s absolutely true that abstinence is the only 100-percent effective way to prevent both pregnancy and STDs. And Bristol’s suggestion that teens wait as long as they can to have sex is great advice. But with teen birth rates on the rise and young people at a higher risk for STDs, is it irresponsible to tell teens “just say no,” while leaving out important info on condoms and other forms of birth control?

Maybe teens can learn a lesson from Levi Johnston, the father of Bristol’s baby. Here’s what he said in response to Bristol’s abstinence-only campaign:

May isn’t just about warmer weather and gearing up for prom. It’s also Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, a time to raise awareness about unplanned teen pregnancy and how to prevent it.

Did you know that the United States has one of the highest teen pregnancy and teen birth rates in the industrialized world? And one-third of girls get pregnant by age 20, according to the Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy. Too many teens think “it could never happen to me.” But the truth is that unplanned pregnancy can happen to anyone. That’s why it’s so important to wait if you haven’t had sex yet. And even if you have had sex, if you realize you’re just not ready for the responsibility of preventing a pregnancy and protecting yourself from STDs, then wait until you know that you can handle it. And if you’ve chosen to have sex, make sure you talk to your partner about using condoms and other forms of birth control—and then use them.

StayTeen.org and The National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy challenge you to take their National Day Quiz to see how you’d respond to sexual situations that put you at risk of pregnancy. And check out their Relationship Reality widget below for a chance to win an iPod touch or plane tickets!