Miss Universe hopefuls` `Condom Olympics` comes under fire
It has been revealed that Miss Universe hopefuls had teamed up with AIDS prevention group Population Services International (PSI) to stage a "Condom Olympics".
|Last Updated: Aug 29, 2009, 02:05 PM IST|Source: Bureau
Washington: It has been revealed that Miss Universe hopefuls had teamed up with AIDS prevention group Population Services International (PSI) to stage a "Condom Olympics" at the recent pageant in the Bahamas to bring about AIDS awareness.
But questions have risen as to whether the demonstration was more about product placement and promoting promiscuity than AIDS prevention.
Contestants such as Miss Australia Rachael Finch and Miss USA Kristen Dalton took part in testing the condom`s limits by blowing them up until they burst.
They even filled them with water and learned how to conduct condom demonstration correctly, with just one "game" mentioning abstinence as a means to avoid AIDS.
"In preparation for the new Miss Universe to become an Ambassador for Youth AIDS and in the hopes that the contestants would return to their countries inspired to support HIV/AIDS initiatives, the contestants participated in an hour long peer education session," Fox News quoted a rep from PSI as saying in a statement.
"The session consisted of a discussion on HIV/AIDS and several peer education activities that are actually employed by our programs in the field. Often times, target populations are illiterate or of low literacy and we need to find ways to reach them through engaging activities that don`t rely on written materials.
"What we have learned is that youth more actively listen to their peers and role models, so we centre our activities through peer education and deliver messages of prevention through role models like the Miss Universe contestants.
"The winner and the remaining contestants have a unique opportunity to help reduce stigma, educate at-risk populations and empower youth and women to practice abstinence, to delay the first sexual debut, and if sexually active, remain faithful," the rep stated.
The role of Miss Universe is to champion AIDS/HIV awareness and in March the Miss Universe Organization officially partnered with PSI, which promotes itself as a world leader in HIV prevention and education.
PSI was actually founded by Phil Harvey, who is also President of Adam & Eve, the largest mail-order sex toy/pornography business in the country.
"The idea that playing games in order to spread HIV awareness is absurd. Millions all over the world are dying from this pandemic and the ``Condom Olympics`` in no way emphasizes the severity of this issue which, by the way, is completely preventable," Alyssa Cordova of the Clare Booth Luce Policy Institute, which prepares and promotes conservative women, said.
"HIV doesn`t just happen; it`s caused by irresponsible behaviour like sharing needles and engaging in sexually promiscuous behaviour.
"Playing right into our culture`s obsession with political correctness, the Miss Universe organization downplays the only thing that prevents the spread and contraction of HIV that is 100 percent effective-abstinence-and perpetuates the lie that if you use a condom everything will be ok," she stated.
Cordova was also disturbed by the fact that PSI felt that "abstinence is not the right message" for some people.
"Apparently Miss Universe and PSI believe that some of us are so barbaric that it`s not even worth sharing the message. Not only is that insulting, it`s dangerous and irresponsible," she added.
ANI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.