Trust man or condom?

Trust man or condom?25 Jul 2007, 0000 hrs IST,AGENCIEShttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Calcutta_Times/Trust_man_or_condom_/articleshow/2231003.cmsUnion minister Renuka Chowdhury believes the Indian male cannot betrusted with sexual fidelity. CT asks the experts if that's trueDon't trust your husbands, trust condoms. That's what childdevelopment minister Renuka Chowdhury said recently, sparking off adebate across the nation.The minister went on to say that Indian men can't be trusted in theirsexual behaviour and are fuelling the country's HIV epidemic. Sowomen, she said, should protect themselves by keeping condoms, asstraying husbands may bring the virus home.While some felt the minister should not generalise in this way,others lauded the statement, saying it cleared the web of hypocrisyand brought the focus on the twin issues of AIDs and populationexplosion.WOMEN IN DENIALMany believe the reason the minister made the statement is becauseIndian women, the urban population included, are in denial on thisissue."Even if the truth stares them in the face, they are ready to believethat their men are virtuous," says counsellor Sunitha Kanan. "Theyoverlook their husbands straying so that they can keep their familiestogether. They're on thin ice. Hypocrisy in such issues can only leadto death," she says.IRRESPONSIBLE SEXRenuka Chowdhury in her message also said, "If you believe that menwill be careful, then you can forget about protecting yourselves. Menwill not buy a condom when they come home drunk and staggering."While this evoked laughter from the audience, which included a fewmen, the fact remains that Indian men aren't really responsible whenit comes to sex. "It's to do with hypocrisy. Men will allowthemselves to believe that they are clean even while indulging inrisky behaviour. They also never carry condoms because they believethey won't stray. But they give in at the slightest opportunity,"says counsellor Jaiesh Chakravarthi.WHAT'S THE ALTERNATIVE?The female condom is a very effective tool against HIV, and thedemand is high, says Supriya Sahu, project director of the Tamil NaduState AIDS Control Society. But it should not be seen as a substitutefor male condoms, she says.