Buying condoms isn’t fun. Like most teen guys, I always thought it was a hassle. What I didn’t know, or ever really consider, is that getting hormonal birth control, like the Pill, is even more inconvenient. Buzzfeed’s fictional video “If Buying Condoms Was Like Buying Birth Control” illustrates this inconvenience by showing a guy getting condoms as if they were birth control pills.

The video begins by showing a young guy asking his father to see his “man doctor” in order to get a prescription for condoms. His father reluctantly agrees and then we are shown the teen at the doctor’s office, which is supposed to mirror going to a gynecologist’s office. We see in the doctor’s office how uncomfortable he is during the check-up, as well as throughout the rest of the video. After the teen finally gets his prescription, we see other problems he faces, such as actually filling a prescription and what happens when he forgets to refill his prescription.

There were some things that happened in the video that are no longer really an issue. For example when he was trying to fill his prescription for condoms at the pharmacy and didn’t have insurance, the pharmacist told him it would be $100 and said disapprovingly, “I hope it’s worth it.” However, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, everyone who has access to health insurance and birth control under the act can receive contraception with no co-pay. If you don’t have insurance or don’t want to use it, you can also get hormonal birth control for free or very low cost at a local clinic. Also, the part with the pelvic exam isn’t necessarily true. Most doctors don’t require a Pap test or pelvic exam until you are 21, and you don’t need one to get birth control, though some doctors may still perform one.

The video ultimately closes with the guy running out of condoms and asking his girlfriend if she could just be responsible for the birth control. She responds, “But, baby, then it wouldn’t feel as good.” This highlights how ridiculous it is to expect only one partner to be accountable for birth control. Practicing safer sex should be both partners’ responsibility. Even with some of the outdated information, the video does a good job of demonstrating how accessing hormonal birth control isn’t the same as buying condoms.

Watch the video and let us know what you think in the comments!