Human Sexuality, Role Play Rhiannon

Human Sexuality, Role Play

Rhiannon is an active, healthy, and intelligent eighteen-year-old. Her family is functional and supportive. She has recently started attending classes at a local college; her major is psychology. Overall, Rhiannon is satisfied with her relationships and goals. She has been dating a neighborhood boy, Ronan, for three months. Ronan, also an eighteen-year-old, goes to the same college as Rhiannon. In fact, they met there, in an English composition class; English literature and journalism are Ronan's majors. Ronan, a determined, positive, and intellectual individual, has several older sisters and a loving mother. Unfortunately, as a young boy, Ronan lost his father to cancer. Although neither Rhiannon nor Ronan are virgins, they have not had sexual intercourse with each other. Since their relationship is going well, and they have developed mutual trust, they are in the midst of talking about initiating sexual relations. In a quiet coffee shop, they are discussing how to protect themselves during sexual intercourse.

Ronan: In the past, my girlfriends (I've had two) have used the pill. That's been our method of protection, at least from pregnancy. The thing is I'm not comfortable using condoms. They are awkward and, quite honestly, I lose a lot of sensation during sex.

Rhiannon: Well, Ronan, I care for you deeply and I'm sure we can talk this through. I want us to come to an agreement that both of us feel comfortable with.

Ronan: Of course; me too.

Rhiannon: To be honest, I'm not interested in taking the pill. With my previous boyfriends, of which there were three, we always used condoms and a spermicidal. I don't believe in taking pills, really, of any sort, unless it's absolutely necessary. You know that my family and I believe in alternative and preventative medicine.

Ronan: Yeah, I've seen you folks talking quite a bit about how to live healthfully.

Rhiannon: Well, just as I prefer not to take conventional medicine, so too I shy away from birth control pills. It really disturbs me -- the thought of altering my system with hormones. It's just not natural. Look at the side effects of the pill: increased chance of heart attacks, weight gain, irregular bleeding. All of that simply to avoid using a condom? Sorry, it doesn't sit well with me.

Ronan: Since you put it that way, then, I don't want you to take the pill. Geez! What you girls go through! However, that still leaves us with my problem with condoms. What else can we use?

Rhiannon: Um...there's always diaphragms. I'd have to go get fitted for that. Plus we'd have to use gel. And the diaphragm has to be put in before sex. That takes a few minutes, longer than condoms, I think. That seems to reduce the spontaneity of sex. Regardless, I'm open to it. However, it doesn't address the STD issue.

Ronan: Rhiannon, I'm clean. And I'm sure you are too.

Rhiannon: Sure enough, I'm free of diseases. I get checked regularly. But, well, I don't think neither you nor I should put ourselves in that situation, even if we are faithful to each other. Condoms, really, are the only way to ensure that we don't run the risk of getting an STD...unless we abstain altogether.

Ronan: I don't want that.

Rhiannon: Me neither.

Ronan: It doesn't seem like we're getting anywhere. I don't want to use condoms; you seem to understand why. You don't want to take the pill; I definitely understand your concerns. But we want to protect ourselves from the very unlikely possibility of getting an STD. What to do?

Rhiannon: To be honest, I'm stumped right now. As I said, I've used condoms in the past. There wasn't a problem. This is a new situation for me as well.