A Major Design Fail Makes It Seem Like These Condoms Encourage Rape

As many, many funny design fails have taught us over the years, a badly thought-out design can completely change the message you're trying to convey. It's a lesson condom company Say It With A Condom recently learned, when a quirkily designed Consent Condom caught flack online for actually encouraging sexual assault, Elle UK reports.

The backlash seems to link back to a Reddit post to the r/CrappyDesign thread on Saturday. "Safe sex campaign on my campus handed these out," Reddit user wrags23 wrote along with a photo of the offending condoms. And we can see why they caused such an uproar. The condoms show a photo of a pink frosted donut followed by the words, "Go Further Without Consent."

Eventually, the packaging made it's way to Twitter, where most people (understandably) read it as a message condoning rape.

If you haven't noticed the design flaw yet, the trick is in the donut. While most people probably ignore the donut completely, it's crucial for understanding the intended message here. These condoms are supposed to say, "Donut (do not) go further without consent."

They're a part of a line of "Consent Condoms™ that "we [the company] believe will start a conversation about how to ask for consent before engaging in any sexual activity."

We understand (and actually love) the idea behind Consent Condoms™. And the other condoms in their line actually use image-based puns successfully. Like this "You (Mustache) For My Consent" condom, and this "I Go (Bananas) For Consent" condom. So the problem this time isn't with the company itself — they have plenty of fun, quirky, and kind of sassy condoms that could help people on their way to safe, consensual sexy times — it's simply another victim of terrible design.