22/04/2026
Welcome to the pleasure dome!
Over the years, I’ve been saying to my younger (heteros*xual) female clients who come to see me with hormonal or fertility concerns, what a ‘kick in the balls’ it is that female barrier contraception is no longer available in New Zealand.
Sadly, what I’ve found is that anyone who is younger than a (mid-to-late) Millennial hasn’t even heard of these medical devices!😳
So, I explain to them what they are:
In the 90s and the 00s, it was dome shaped and made of latex (as below). You would smear it in s***micide, and insert it (like a menstrual cup) high up into your va**na to stop s***m from getting into your cervix — and from ultimately getting to your eggs. Neither you or your partner could feel it during s*x — just each other! You would leave this device in place for a set number of hours before retrieving it (which ironically required you to experiment with more ‘positions’ than the actual s*x did…
🤸🏼🧘🏼♀️🏋️♂️)
And, because you couldn’t feel it when it was in place, just remembering to remove it was problematic (as back then we didn’t have fancy-pants smartphones to alert us.) Once you had managed to retrieve it you would simply wash it with a mild soap, dry it thoroughly, and return it to its container — ready and waiting for your next primal urge to strike!
I further explain:
Diaphragms were ideal for use when you were in a committed, and/or long-term relationship with someone. Because while these devices didn’t protect you from contracting STIs, they did save you from having to continuously be on birth control when you and your man were no longer, well… ‘crazy’ in love, and you were now in a position to ‘contain’ yourself.
In an evolving, loving relationship, diaphragms were much better than using condoms as ‘rubbers’ reduce natural lubrication (leading to friction), they reduce sensation, and they increase fumbling! Condoms can also cause allergic reactions to their latex or s***micides.
The diaphragm — this ‘hidden’ gem — really was ‘next level’ in many ways. Having a diaphragm made you feel powerful and in control because it was your idea to initiate s*x. So, instead of greeting your man at the door with freshly applied lippy — as women were encouraged to do back-in-the-day — you could just greet him with a sly smile! 😉
Check out my latest article for the full-featured action!
https://lisasaidso.co.nz/femcap-non-hormonal-contraception/
