Pope: condoms make the HIV/AIDS crisis worse

This is a response to an article posted on Washington Post.com.

Pope Benedict XVI, during today's visit to Africa, announced that condoms are not the answer for containing the global HIV/AIDS crisis, particularly in Africa, and they actually make the situation worse.  It is assumed that his suggestion is similar to that of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II; to avoid risk of HIV/AIDS transmission, abstinence is offered as the best solution: “the pope said a responsible and moral attitude toward sex would help fight the disease.”

This position is not new – it is simply a reiteration of the abstinence stance and now an explicit opposition to condoms as a strategy to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS.  I must say, I am not surprised by this position, but I’m aggravated that religious dogma that has devastating effects is still being pushed around the world, particularly in areas where few alternative messages are pushed.  Beyond the rigidity of the Church’s position on condom use, I see a number of very problematic flaws with its stance.

Condoms make the situation worse:  The rationale for this statement is the assumption that condoms give a false sense of security and that they are ineffective against the transmission of HIV/AIDS.  I’m pretty sure people had sex before condoms were invented and still have sex today with or without condoms.  I doubt that people don’t have sex when condoms are not available – they simply do so anyway or find alternative practices that they deem safe without condoms.  Yes, condoms are not 100% effective, but, besides abstaining all together, they are the best tool available.  The problem with availability, of course, is just that – they’re not always free and readily available.

Abstain: Yes, the safest method for sex is to not do so at all.  But, encouraging abstinence from sex assumes that such a choice is universally available.  Rape and incest are the easiest examples where choice is not involved.  Yet, we tend to think narrowly about rape – a stranger who forces someone to have sex against their will.  But, there are a number of people in relationships, even marriages, who do not have the power to make sexual decisions for themselves and their partner(s).  In hyper-inegalitarian cultures, a woman’s decision to abstain from sex (or make any other decision) may result in violence at the hands of her partner.  Or, the culture may dictate that she would never even consider voicing such a request.  Further, in terms of negotiating condom use, many are unable to request/demand that their partners use condoms (or dental dams) as this may result in violence or tension – is such a request coming from concerns about disease?  Are you assuming that your partner is unfaithful?  In a marriage, why would you use a condom?  What, then, Pope do you suggest for those who are unable to choose abstinence?

Morality: The Pope suggests sexual responsibility and morality.  Whose morality?  I’m assuming that he is referring to the Church’s moral stance on sexuality.  I must say, though, that there is no universal morality proposed by the Church – there are a number of different interpretations of Biblical texts and too many contradictions for my comfort.  Some Catholic leaders are prescribing condoms while others are condemning them.  I suppose I appreciate the Pope for putting his foot down to address the mixed messages, but he ignores the reality that there is no universal morality.  For some non-Catholics, the Catholicism-defined sexual morality does them no good – so, what should they do to reduce their risk for contracting HIV/AIDS?

My solution: the Church needs to get with the times!  Prescribing morality, responsibility, and abstinence does us no good for addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis – and, may be largely contributing to it given its heavy influence in the lives of many.  It needs to offer a variety of solutions, not necessarily in place of these, but certainly along with them.  There should be alternative solutions offered for those who cannot or do not desire to abstain from sex, solutions for those who do not follow the hegemonic sexual morality to the “T” but who still wish to protect themselves from disease and other negative outcomes of sex.  Although the Church may be losing its influence among many in the US, it is becoming of greater influence among others, and in other countries.  This inflexibility and pre-historic stance of the Church continues to be a concern for those in the fight against HIV/AIDS.