Untitled Feminist

becauseiamawoman:

With so many people making the lifestyle choice to go vegan, it seemed time to address contraceptive choices for those dedicated to it. With the realization of many dairy allergies and their interference with condom use, it has become critically important that there are alternatives out there. There are a growing number of options  for vegans and those with allergies to practice safer sex without compromising their lifestyles.  Below, you will find a list of vegan companies and brands listed by what kind of product their method.

Barrier Methods- Condoms & Dental Dams: Many people fail to realize that condoms are made with casein- a milk protein added to the latex. This can be a huge issue for those with dairy allergies. If you have a real allergy to dairy, it may not be the best idea to put it on your genitals. I am aware of some people who have allergic reactions to non-vegan condoms for this reason. If you are vegan, you would obviously want to skip casein-made condoms in order to side step the use of animal products. There are definitely other options out there, but these are some companies you can always trust to be diary-free and vegan friendly with ALL of their products:

• Sir Richard’s Condoms:I am a big fan of this company and their wonderful line of vegan condoms that feature paraben-free and gylcerin free lube. On top of all this, for every condom you buy they will donate one to a country in a need (so far, these donations have all gone to Haiti). Who can’t support condoms with a conscious? You can pick up this brand in Extra Large, Ultra Thin, Pleasure Dots, and Classic Ribbed. 
• Glyde Condoms and Dental Dams: This company has been pumping out vegan safer sex supplies all over the world since 1996! Check their “Where to Buy” section to find the website and order in your country. They have been certified by the Vegan Society and PEETA, so you can rest assured that these are trustworthy.  They also have fair-trade practices and do a lot of philanthropy work. A+ work, Glyde! You can buy their products in Ultra, Maxi, Slim-Fit, Flavored, and Dental Dams. 
• Kimono: Kimono offers us another interesting vegan option. This brand is well known for creating very thin condoms to maximize sensitivity. You can try them in Thin, Microthin, Microthin Plus, Microthin Large, and Microthin with Ribs and Sensi-Dots. 

Oral Contraceptives: Birth control pills can be a tricky thing to find vegan since many brands contain lactose as an ingredient. According to the Vegan Society, Pfizer:  Femulen contains no animal-derived products. However, it is important to note that just because something is vegan in ingredients does not necessarily mean it has not been tested on animals.

The IUD: Although I can find no concrete website to confirm it, the general consensus seem to be that many IUDs are vegan. Since thecopper IUD is primarily made from copper, it may be regarded as a vegan option.

The Shot: According to The Vegan Society, The Depo-shot is vegan. However, I would caution anyone interested in it to look into it extensively and speak with your doctor about if it is a good option for you before choosing it. There are a lot of contraindications and side effects to the shot. 

The Patch: The Orthro Evra Patch is also named as a vegan option by the Vegan Society. 

Natural Family Planning: I recommend using natural family planning only as a method paired with another method, since it is often not effective enough to prevent pregnancy in many cases. It works by tracking your fertility/ovulation patterns and not having sex when you are most fertile. Doing so requires a lot of knowledge about the human body in general, as well as a familiarity with your own body.