People are getting their jimmies in a rustle over a new penis product billed as alternative to wearing condoms — or nothing — during sex.
Jiftip is now selling stickers that fit over the urethra opening on the tip of the penis. The so-called “feel shield” is a “maximum grip” sticker made of hypoallergenic polyurethane film.
“Just peel it, stick it and forget it. Everyone forgets it,” says one promotional video.
“Feel everything, except Jiftip. Real sex without side effects,” adds another video.
Except not. The sticker, sold in packs of three for $6, is definitely not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a contraceptive, nor does it provide protection against sexually-transmitted diseases.
“There’s no evidence to suggest that this product is safe or effective,” Natika Halil, chief executive of sexual health charity the Family Planning Association, told The Sun. “There’s no evidence to suggest that this product is safe or effective, and it could potentially be very painful.”
Jiftips marketing of the product is also a little skeevy, with one video saying it’s one way to prevent stealthing, or removing a condom during sex without the partner’s permission, an act that many people consider akin to sexual assault.
It seems to be more of a gimmick than anything. “The point is, yes, of course, Jiftip is not right for everyone. But neither are condoms. Jiftip is not a guarantee, it’s a compromise — a very elegant compromise perfectly suited to a certain subset of individuals,” one ”beta user” wrote in a review on the website. “And just like the condom, Jiftip lies at a point somewhere in the middle along the scale of risk.”
But if it’s a joke, critics aren’t in on it.
“It’s alarming that these products are being marketed with this slogan,” HIV charity Terrence Higgins Trust told the Daily Mail. “You may feel safe using this product, but it needs to be absolutely clear this is not a tool for safe sex.”
“What’s more, many STIs, such as syphilis, herpes and HPV, are passed on through skin-to-skin contact,” added Higgins. “So a product of this nature would never be able to protect against these.”
In short: save your $6 and use that money to buy real contraceptives, like condoms.
