How Condom Trees And A Superhero Have Helped Keep Communities Safe For The Last 20 Years
Don't be shame, be game, you mob.
In 2009, the musical Bran Nue Dae debuted in cinemas. Directed by Rachel Perkins, it featured local talent Rocky McKenzie, Jessica Mauboy, Geoffrey Rush, Ernie Dingo, and Deborah Mailman.
It’s a movie about love, family, and home — but amongst the crazy dancing and spontaneous singing, there’s an iconic scene where Willie (McKenzie) and a drunken Roxanne (Mailman) end up at ‘the condom tree’. In the scene, the tree looks almost magical, with coloured condoms dangling off the branches like metallic lights. As a young teenager, I watched the movie thinking it was just a funny concept to help fill the scene.
I later found out that the trees are real, very important, and just one campaign that’s lowered the rates of STIs in communities.
The Condom Trees
The trees are part of a two-decade long program that seeks to reduce sexually transmitted infections amongst Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people — mainly focusing on regional and remote places across Western Australia, after a high rise of STIs in the region.
When the trees are being constructed, condoms are placed in a PVC pipe, which then is hung up on a branch with a wire. The pipe has a hole on the top, and is filled with new condoms every week.
Putting condoms on trees helps with three important things:
- Availability: Putting contraception in places where people can access them easily, any time they want.
- Cost: The condoms are completely free.
- Shame: The tree locations are secluded enough that people can get condoms discreetly.
Where It All Started
One of the first towns where the trees were trialed was Fitzroy Crossing, WA, in 1998. Community members came together to make the condom trees to provide a free and private way for people of all ages, genders, and sexualities to get condoms at any time. The program then expanded to other towns in the Kimberley, including Kununurra, Halls Creek, Derby, and Broome.
Helen Stemp, a sexual health officer at Nindilingarri Cultural Health Services said there’s been a positive impact through out the years. “We can see from the data that many more condoms are being accessed than before the trees were installed. In 2020, we gave out a total of 10,963 free condoms throughout the Valley,” she told Junkee. “It has also helped to destigmatise and open up the conversation around safe sex and STIs — there is now a lot less shame with the idea of safe sex.”
More than 20 years after the first Fitzroy Crossing tree program, Stemp hopes it will continue to expand to more towns.
“The condom trees will be around for a long time to come, and if we can normalise their use, then it would be great to see more places adopt them.”
The Condoman
Another great sexual health campaign is Condoman (cool freaking name) who came to life in 1987.
Condoman is an Indigenous superhero who protectors people from STIs. He was created after a group of Indigenous health workers in North Queensland wanted to encourage to use of condoms after the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The hero design is inspired by the Phantom comic book series, with the colours of the Indigenous flag.
Alison Halder, who was on the design team behind Condoman, told the ABC that the character wasn’t initially meant to be huge. “The whole country wanted Condoman and all of a sudden he was everywhere,” she told Junkee.
“Don’t be shame, be game — use condoms” was the catchphrases pasted on the poster of Condoman.
In 2009, a new hero emerged: Condoman’s sister, Lubelicious — a strong and deadly partner bringing awareness to communities about safe sex and the use of water-based lubricants. She says in her mission ” I am a strong, confident woman with the right to say yes or no.”
Thanks to the condom trees and Condoman, conservations around safe sex aren’t anywhere near as taboo anymore as they once were
Always remember: No shame and be game, you mob!
(Feature image via Nindilingarri Cultural Health Services)