Things about condoms you didn't know...

You know that condom in your wallet... the one that is practically antique because it's been there so long?  Turns out that condom isn't the only antique out there.  Condoms have been around forever. 

Askmen published this list of things you don't know about condoms.  And as I'm such a fan of these little rubber tubes I had to share!

1. Condoms have appeared in cave paintings
Condoms actually appeared in cave paintings estimated to be 15,000 years old.  Believe it or not, some woman wrote a book about condoms - Jeannette Parisot wrote "Johnny Come Lately: A Short History of the Condom"  But Parisot claims she cannot truly declare the use of the condom - it could be used as some sort of ritual, a form of birth control, or as protection against an STD.  Stone age Transmitted Disorders!

2- Condoms used to be available only by prescription
Ugh, yeah.  You had to go to the Pharmacy to get condoms - actually asking for them behind the counter. And this is not the silly new trend to keep condoms locked up in pharmacies, that's just BS.   But only if you were a man -- men could pick up condoms to protect themselves against diseases from prostitutes - but god forbid you are a woman.  Women could never get condoms to protect themselves from pregnancy or diseases themselves. 

3.  The Oldest Rubber Condoms date back to 1855
Condoms date back to the 17th century!  In an 1824 text a "state of the art" recipe for condoms showed an "easy" dozen time-consuming steps involved in making protection from a sheep's "intestina caeca"  And because of that, they were often considered reusable.  Not sure if someone rinsed it out for reuse or what?!? Condom fragments made from the guts of animals were found during the evacuations of Dudley Castle in West Midlands England.   Imagine putting "guts" on your junk.  Yumm.  But the guts weren't used forever. 

4.  Condoms weren't always given to soldiers
Our military gives us our freedoms, but these men traveling all over the world have one thing at their finger tips - pussy.  And STD's are all over the world...  During WWI, the American Social Hygiene Association actually discouraged the use of condoms.  They thought that those foolish enough to have sex deserved anything they got.  And thank you to Franklin Delano Roosevelt - the Assistant Secretary of the Navy at the time was one of the biggest proponents.  Thanks buddy.  By WWII the ideas about condoms were quite different.  Instead of denying these men protection - they were encouraged with films declaring, "Don't forget -- put it on before you put it in"

5- Condoms have been sold in vending machines since 1928
Those condom machines that have become ubiquitous in men's bathrooms celebrated their 80th anniversary in 2008.  Congrats!  The first machines were made by Germany-based Fromm's.   But these condoms machines have been extremely controversial especially those that appeared in high schools.  Many people believed that the availability of condoms would promote sex.  Umm, yeah...  kids are always going to want sex... giving them condoms only protects them - rather than promote sex.

6 - Invisible Condoms might be next!
Maybe not invisible - but a gel that hardens according to increased temperatures.  We shall see... but my guess is that men will still bitch about not feeling in those too.