When I was growing up in the Soviet Union in the late ’70s my mom was probably one of the very, very few women who owned and drove cars. She had a grey 03 Lada. I remember, sitting on the passenger seat and looking at people’s reaction when they’d see a woman behind the steering wheel, I felt like I was sitting next to a supernatural creature.
Back in the day things like that were considered powerful. Men would always talk about my mom and tell that she had a man’s guts. When I looked at my mom’s absolutely beautiful and feminine face, I saw nothing manly in her. I was puzzled.
Today, we are surrounded by powerful girls who grew up in civil war-torn society feeling secure in themselves. They learned to take action, making positive choices about their own lives and doing positive things for others. They weren’t necessarily taught to do so, but they self-taught to think critically about the world around them and strive to lead full and valuable lives.
Anania Gachechiladze is someone I can’t wait to meet in person. She’s smart, courageous, has a great sense of humor and zest for life.
Her condom line Aiisa Condoms is a conceptual brand based in Tbilisi, Georgia. Besides international online sales, the main source of customer supply are the vending machines represented in 2 forms: ‘Aiisa – Random Revolver’ placed in small locations and ‘Aiisa – Xhzibit’ placed in shopping malls, night clubs and touristic locations around the country.
Anania, do you use condoms or birth control pills when it comes to protection (considering the fact that you trust that the partner will not give you an STD)?
Anania: I still prefer condoms because they are the simplest to use and unlike the pills cannot harm our hormones.
✱ A view of the interior of “They Said Books” bookstore/cafe , By John Doe
✱ A view of the interior of “They Said Books” bookstore/cafe , By John Doe
Has anyone ever complained that their partner couldn’t perform after seeing Putin’s hilarious picture on the condom wrapper?
Anania: Haha, nice question!! Not yet, but I think the message ‘Every Dick Needs Protection’ is quite encouraging. So it shouldn’t matter when it comes to an erection.
What is your favorite design so far?
Anania: Definitely the Mother of Georgia statue saying ‘I don’t want to be your mother’ design, because of its feminist meaning. This statue is a symbol of winning the war over Nazi Germany and her “sister” statues are in other countries too, e.g Armenia or Ukraine. However, a lot of Georgians and visitors of Georgia mostly think that the statue stands in appreciation of Georgian mothers.
Because of the high rate of female labor migration and other hardships, Georgian women very often face the dilemma of having or not having children. This design expresses that a female can be pro-choice when it comes to unwanted pregnancy and abortion but also can be pro-life, avoiding unplanned motherhood using an AiisaCondom contraceptive for instance.
✱ A view of the interior of “They Said Books” bookstore/cafe , By John Doe
✱ A view of the interior of “They Said Books” bookstore/cafe , By John Doe
Is there any statistics who buys your product more – women or men?
Anania: Of course we do statistics. It’s 50-50 because we target men and women equally.
Queen Tamar. I can’t avoid asking this question. How did you come up with the idea? Were you just sitting one day and thinking, wow, she must have been a really great fuck?
Anania: Maybe she really used to be one but as for the idea we were working on a Royal Collection consisting of 3 designs. We came up with one design of Didgori Battle which was won by greatest Georgian king David the Builder and has a meaning of anti-harassment sex, another design portrays a Georgian contemporary so-called knight with a mask of Batman and a caption “The dark knight” what is metaphorically explained with his dark thoughts about philosophy.
I wanted the collection to be gender-balanced so the design of Tamar has become a necessity. Her historical title, in fact, is a King, not a queen so her gender role used to be emancipated even in the 12th century. Georgians are proud of this fact so we’ve highlighted the phrase “Gate of Throne in Tamar” linking with the idea of strong female rulers and characters of HBO’s TV show Game of Thrones.
What, in your opinion, makes some people glorify historic figures? A lot of people were offended by seeing a picture with the queen on the wrapper. Why?
Anania: They are just hypocrites. Aiisa Team and I respect historic figures but we are looking at them from a different angle. We think it’s not a problem to represent them in a creative way or even criticize anybody. To be short, its all about freedom of expression and its quality.
✱ A view of the interior of “They Said Books” bookstore/cafe , By John Doe
✱ A view of the interior of “They Said Books” bookstore/cafe , By John Doe
It’s 2019 and sex is still considered a shameful act. Why?
Anania: Definitely the reason is lack of education. Patriarchal societies often make things complicated but the good thing is that a lot of people nowadays are open-minded.
What’s your favorite curse word?
Anania: I often curse politicians out loud in front of a TV by saying “U dick!!” I have nothing against penises, of course, but anyway, every word has its etymology and it matters which of them we use in our daily vocabulary. I am interested in linguistics, indeed.
Should condoms be available for teenagers for free? Or just free in general for everyone. Considering companies that make condoms get compensated by the Health Department or something like that.
Anania: Nothing can be free in capitalism, somebody always pays as you’ve mentioned. So, consumers should be in the know themselves, businesses do not need mediators when it comes to the main rule of demand and supply.
If you could change something in the history of mankind, something related to sex, what would it be?
Anania: I think the chances are yet to come. I’ve decided to be in this industry with several different projects so the original aim of changing social behavior will eventually be accomplished. Of course, the plans are international and concrete.
Do you feel safe living in Tbilisi?
Anania: Considering the fact that Tbilisi is one of the safest cities in Europe, yes I do feel safe. However, I always depend on myself because all the haters know my address.
What’s missing in Tbilisi in your opinion that could make the lives of younger people more interesting?
Anania: Tbilisi has made itself to be the center of clubbing because of Bassiani, Khidi, etc. As for the sex industry, Amsterdam is Mecca and we can be Medina by opening the showroom called SEXibition Aiesa is a brand branch for AiisaCondoms. It’s an ongoing project, as for later future, some crazy urban ideas are going to be fulfilled.
I don’t like using condoms, but would love to collect some of your products. They are dope!
Anania: Thanks a lot, do not forget, u can use a single AiisaCondom design as a sticker, scan a QR code for digital purposes on the back of each package (directs to our special multimedia platforms) and for sure use the genuine chocolate-flavored latex for great sex!!
