Australia study reveals gender double standard in condom use

The 2026 Moments Sexual Wellness Study has identified a significant gender double standard regarding the carrying of condoms among Australian women. According to the findings, women who carry condoms are frequently judged based on their sexual conduct, with 45.4% of respondents suggesting they are planning to have sex and 38.6% suggesting they ‘sleep around’. In contrast, the most common perception of men carrying condoms is that they are ‘prepared’, cited by 43.9% of respondents.

While the study notes that buying condoms has become easier due to better shelf placement and self-checkouts, the social stigma has shifted from the public act of purchasing to the private act of carrying them. Sex educator Eleanor Hadley noted that ‘the stigma didn’t dissolve. It relocated.’

The research highlights that three in four Australian women attempt to hide, disguise, or abandon condom purchases to avoid judgment. Common tactics include using self-checkouts, disguising them within other grocery items, or buying online. Additionally, two-thirds of women reported having gone without a condom because neither partner had one available.