The so-called unpopularity of condoms, the most effective contraceptive known to man has seemingly transcended into a defined trend known as “stealthing.” Bedroom negotiations to forgo the rubber are generally an explicit arrangement but in many instances, there are arrangements that do involve a condom.
But should the man choose to slide it off during the heat of the moment and she ain’t even know it, then the act of stealthing is said to have occurred. Tampering with the condoms also fits the criteria as well.
Its urban dictionary entry dates back to just August 2016, which initially just described homosexual encounters. It was updated just last month to reflect on the sneaky sex tactic. Meanwhile, in both the state of California and Wisconsin, lawmakers are moving to define such a tactic under the umbrella of rape. No joke.
Last week, California state Rep. Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) proposed the new bill, AB 1033, that would classify stealthing as a form of sexual assault.
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“Stealthing is rape,” Garcia said in a statement obtained by CBS. “Penetration without consent is rape.”
Wisconsin state Rep. Melissa Sargent, a Democrat, agrees wholeheartedly, telling NBCNews, “Sexual predators will continue to find new, egregious ways to violate and victimize others, and it’s important that as legislators we take concerted steps to be responsive as we become aware of it. This behavior is predatory and disturbing, and people should know we not only find it reprehensible, but that we won’t tolerate it. Ignoring it is simply not an option.”
In April 2017, Alexandra Brodsky, a Yale Law School graduate, had her piece “‘Rape-Adjacent’: Imagining Legal Responses to Nonconsensual Condom Removal” published in the Columbia Journal of Gender and Law ahead of the lawmakers’ formal actions.
It’s not immediately known how many people have been a victim of stealthing since becoming a target by lawmakers but in January 2017, a man from Switzerland inadvertently became a focal point of the movement when he was convicted for stealthing his Tinder date. He also stands accused in two other instances.
The Serious Problem With Stealthing: Watch the good women over at The Real break it down.
Hip Hop has always utilized a healthy — if not explicit — platform to not only discuss sexually related scenarios but also the awareness of practicing responsible intercourse. Early 90s acts such as A Tribe Called Quest, Salt-n-Pepa and Coolio garnered distinction for their safe-sex anthems “Pubic Enemy,”“Let’s Talk About Sex” and “Too Hot,” respectively, while a 20-year-old Snoop Doggy Dogg cooly advocated for condom usage that was lubed with misogyny when he rapped, “From a young G’s perspective/And before me dig out a bitch I have to find a contraceptive,” on “Nuthin’ But a G Thang,” one of the most respected Hip Hop songs ever recorded. It’s responsibility that’s still being championed to this very day.
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In May 2017, Lil Dicky spoke with HipHopDX about his ambassadorship with Trojan condoms. The nerdcore MC has been doing extensive video promos with the revered company that started off as humorous commercials that have since bled into sexual education interludes.
“I just generally believe in safe sex as a human being just throughout my life, so I’m always looking for ways I can positively impact society,” Dicky explained to DX. “I feel like Trojan, safe sex, and protection is just a good cause. So I just like the idea of that in general. And then you think about condom brands I can trust, it’s the best brand out there. To me, it’s just an easy call from the get-go.”
What also should be an easy call is for anyone of either sex to keep the condom on if that was a part of the initial agreement. Consent will forever be a dicey subject but anytime an area of seriousness is highlighted, ignorance is no longer an excuse.
