Washington, D.C., To Become First U.S. City To Distribute Free Female Condoms

March 8, 2010 — Washington, D.C., soon will become the first city in the U.S. to distribute female condoms at no charge, the Washington Post reports. Around 500,000 female condoms will be available within the next three weeks in beauty salons, convenience stores and high schools in parts of the city where a study found that large numbers of black heterosexuals engage in risky sexual behavior that raises their chances of contracting HIV.

Shannon Hader, director of the D.C. HIV/AIDS Administration, said, "Anywhere male condoms are available, female condoms will be available." She added, "We're trying to make every effort count to build on what already exists [and] to expand options rather than limit them."

According to the Post, the project is an official acknowledgement of the difficulties of relying solely on male condoms -- which have been available at no cost in D.C. for almost 10 years -- in combating the spread of HIV. City officials said they are providing female condoms to increase women's ability to protect themselves from HIV and other sexually transmitted infections if their partners refuse to wear condoms.

A $500,000 grant from the MAC AIDS Fund, a subsidiary of MAC Cosmetics, is funding the project. MAC Cosmetics has contributed to several city initiatives, including two of D.C.'s needle exchange programs. The grant aided the city in purchasing the condoms from Female Health and giving them to social service organizations, including Planned Parenthood, the Community Education Group and the Women's Collective (Fears, Washington Post, 3/6).