New York City
The City of New York began handing out 26 million condoms last week bearing the letter symbols of its various subway lines—but Catholic Church leaders were not amused. In a Valentine’s Day announcement, city officials said the “NYC condoms” are designed to prevent the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. “This is something we’re doing not just because it’s fun and sexy—although it is—but because it will save lives,” said Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden. New York’s two senior Catholic clergymen, Cardinal Edward Egan and Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, condemned the giveaway, saying it would “degrade societal standards.” A spokesman for Mayor Michael Bloomberg said, “With all due respect to Cardinal Egan and Bishop DiMarzio, we feel differently.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Democrats: How to rebuild a damaged brandFeature Trump's approval rating is sinking, but so is the Democratic brand
-
Unraveling autismFeature RFK Jr. has vowed to find the root cause of the 'autism epidemic' in months. Scientists have doubts.
-
'Two dolls': Can Trump sell Americans on austerity?Feature Trump's tariffs may be threatening holiday shelves but they've handed Democrats a 'huge gift'
