As college students, we've been told through many means and media
outlets that safe sex is the best sex. And now, thanks to the BBC, we will
hear it from the very same way we get our booty calls — our cell phones.
    The BBC World Service Trust created a special ringtone as part of their mass media campaign to help spread awareness of the HIV epidemic in
India. 
    Approximately 2.45 million Indians are living with HIV, being passed most commonly through heterosexual sex workers, according to www.worldbank.org.
    Organizers of the campaign are being funded by the ever-powerful Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda. Their goal behind the year-long crusade is to make the use of condoms more acceptable by the Indian society and to
improve the overall image of the condom wearer into an intelligent,
responsible person.
    The campaign began in December 2007, when Phase I was launched. A series of riddles was given out to the Indian population through TV and radio. Everyone participating had the chance to call in their answer to the riddle for a chance to win a free mobile phone.
    The object of these riddles was to get men talking about safe sex
practices. Apparently, it worked. Out of the 52 million men the ad reached in the three-week span, polls showed that 70 percent talked about it with their friends, according to www.condomcondom.org.
    While it is good that the organization is trying to do something about such a widespread epidemic, it could have been better executed.  Instead of focusing on just men, who are expected to wear the condoms, the ads should focus on both sexes.
    As seen here in the United States, women are taking more action than ever to protect themselves, especially after having been told repeatedly by media to take control of their sex lives.
    Phase II consisted of an ad focused on Kabaddi, a popular male sport in India, where spectators are expected to chant "kabbadi" throughout the game. Instead, they chanted "condom" at the top of their lungs. The winners of the game stated, "If we don't talk about condoms, who will?"
    Once again, they portrayed a good message, but where were women in all of this?
    We can tell a man to wrap his willy all we want, but in the heat of the moment, if the woman doesn't care, he's not going to take the time to
do so. However, if we educate both sexes on safe-sex practices, the odds of that condom actually being used are immediately increased.
    During Phase III, the clever condom a capella was created, which can be downloaded online or received via text message. For the most part, the ringtone has been well received, as many citizens believe spreading the
word through creative, fun means is the only way to make a change.
    Unfortunately, the Web site is a little freaky, containing pictures of creepy men who look straight out of Pedophiles Anonymous and a shifty-eyed parrot that flashes and jumps around when showed some attention.
    You can, however, download a sweet wallpaper that outlines the thoughts of the typical male brain, being quite specific that sex is the major component. Who would have guessed?
    Overall, it seems the campaign has done pretty well spreading the word about safe sex. Hopefully, they will continue their efforts to make
India a safer, healthier place for its inhabitants.
    Students can do their part to spread the word by unwrapping the famous ringtone at www.condomcondom.org or by sending "condom" to 56887.
    Just don't forget to turn your phone off during church.


Amanda Moerlien is a sophomore in English. Please send comments to opinion@spub.ksu.edu.

Comments

5 comments

Jabin

Fri Sep 26 2008 14:41

Catholic much Doc Holliday?

Your name

Wed Sep 24 2008 08:21

Thank you for information!
:)

Luke

Thu Sep 11 2008 14:17

The author didn't really take into consideration the cultural differences between the US and India in her column.

Stepheni

Wed Sep 10 2008 14:31

I never once noticed the writer telling people to go out and have sex or that having that sex wasn't a sin. She was simply explaining how India was trying to handle their HIV epidemic. A LOT of people use condoms and yes, they do work to help against the spread of STDs. This is college. People are going to have sex. At least they are doing it in a mature manner, by using condoms.

Doc Holliday

Fri Sep 5 2008 04:20

This is false propaganda. Condoms don't work and noone wears them. It is highly immoral to be spreading this false message that fornication is fine, so long as you put this rubber device between yourselves. Fornication is a serious sin. The Law of God requires that we make a man marry a woman if he has been found to have slept with her. There is no lawful fornication. These lies have no place at KState.

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