ELIZABETH PALMISANO

Condom Couture: A Unique Runway Show

Elizabeth Palmisano and long-time friend, Glisel Rivas, have a lot in common: busy hands that find joy in sewing and altering found objects together, the love of reclamation and repurposing, and fighting for sexual advocacy and women’s rights. The pair teamed up together for Condom Couture to present a piece that is as quirky and evocative as they are in their daily lives as artists and teachers in their communities. Palmisano and Rivas helped raise over $90,000 for Planned Parenthood with Condom Couture Charlotte in 2019.

This fun event addresses a critical need. North Carolina now has the 4th highest rate of HIV infection and has the 12th highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation. Mecklenburg County ranks 35th in the nation in terms of STIs. There is clearly much work to be done. Condom Couture is an opportunity for Planned Parenthood to spark a dialogue that will educate the public and promote safe sex practices by presenting condoms as a vital component of responsible sexuality.