Advertising agency BBDO and Tulipán, a condom brand in Argentina, have launched a campaign aimed at promoting consent in sexual relationships.
For this initiative, the company developed a new box of condoms that require four hands to open its unique packaging, reports New York Post.
READ MORE: Are ‘consent videos’ before sex the answer to #MeToo?
¿Para quién es esta cajita? Para ella y él; ellas, ellos ¿Importa? Lo que vale es que ambos estén de acuerdo para abrirla. #PlacerConsentido pic.twitter.com/22n6vlg8aF
— Tulipán Argentina (@TulipanARG) April 1, 2019
To open it, all four corners of the condom packaging have to be pressed by two people simultaneously to access the condom, thus promoting and prioritising consent in every sexual engagement.
If you think consent is not that important a topic, you’ll be surprised to learn that many people do not recognise consent and don’t understand the severity of violating someone else's.
In a shocking consent survey created by the Family Planning Association in 2018, nearly half of the 2 000 participants said they believe that once you are naked, you cannot withdraw consent, you are obligated to have sex.
“Tulipán has always spoken of safe pleasure but for this campaign we understood that we had to talk about the most important thing in every sexual relationship — pleasure is possible only if you both give your consent,” says Joaquin Campins of BBDO, according to Fox News.
Watch how the condom packaging works below:
¿Por qué esta cajita solo se puede abrir de a dos? Porque así funciona el consentimiento en las relaciones. Todo tiene que ser de a dos. ????#PlacerConsentido pic.twitter.com/QEUE5aNAWE
— Tulipán Argentina (@TulipanARG) March 27, 2019
The campaign has garnered both applause and criticism on social media. Some Twitter users highlighted the fact that consent can be withdrawn even after opening the condom together.
What is the point of this? A woman can withdraw her consent after the condom is opened. So opening it proves nothing about consent
— covfefewarrior (@covfefewarrior) April 4, 2019
Making condoms more difficult to use isn't going to increase their use. And if this is a verification of consent thing, it wildly misunderstands the concept of *ongoing* consent.
— John Avocado ??? "on PrEP" (@SuperCroup) April 5, 2019
READ MORE: Why can't we agree on what consent is?
Among the unimpressed, the theme was that the box can also be ripped or cut open and that rapists are not concerned about condoms anyway. While others pointed out the fact that the manufactures neglected to cater to those with disabilities.
??K If they don’t care about consent they’re not going to care about a condom..
— LF (@TheMagnet32) April 5, 2019
Optimists acknowledged that a single condom invention will not quell the sexual assault scourge, but applaud the company for seeking ways to educate people about the importance of consent.
I think you're thinking about it from the wrong perspective. It's not intended to prevent rape. No still means no, even if you're wearing a mutually-openned condom. It just provides an additional layer of confidence in consent. Of course bad people can still do bad things.
— ismsissists (@deemmmssss) April 5, 2019
The condoms will be released for sale later this year, however the company has already started handing them out for free to people in clubs and other public spaces.
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