Dealing with Condom Bursts and Sexual Health - Emmanuel 21

It began with a party invite. 

I met this girl in college. We did not really talk that much, but we would run into each other from time to time. One day, she approached me and told me that she had a plan to throw a surprise birthday party for her friend and invited me. I had never turned down a serene invitation, so I said that I would be there.

We decided to ‘hook up.’ 

On the night of the party, she introduced me to her friend- the birthday girl- and we talked. An innocent conversation about getting to know each other led to flirting. She told me that she was embarrassed because she was still a virgin and had lied to her friends that she had had sex a couple of times. After a few drinks, I told her if she were up to it, I would be willing to have sex with her, and she wouldn’t have to lie. It would be some sort of a hook-up, a one-night stand. Drunk and with poor judgement, we decided to have sex in her hostel.

I wanted to play safe. 

Since I did not know her HIV status, I wanted to play it safe, I had to use protection, and the only defence I could think of was condoms. I got them from a pharmacy on our way there and ticked that off the list. When we arrived, I put on two condoms; “Twice the protection,” I thought.

Something was off

During intercourse, I realized something was off. It all felt different for some reason. I ignored it. After we had sex, as I was taking off the condoms, I realized they were leaking. It turns out the condom burst!!! Whoa, we both started to panic. My mind was racing; all I kept thinking about was, did I just get this girl pregnant or, even worse, did she happen to have HIV, and am I now infected? 

We both went to the hospital. 

We rushed to the hospital the following day, and she received emergency contraception. We also decided to test for HIV so we could put our minds at ease. The results came back, and we were both negative. I sighed in relief as I vowed silently never to do something like that again.

One is enough

The nurse at the hospital told me that using two condoms simultaneously weakens them, and they are more likely to tear due to friction. By trying to get more protection, I had sabotaged myself. Well, I guess two condoms are not better than one.