There are a few things that I would consider to be universal experiences: singing YouTube karaoke when you’re alone in your house, shaving your legs before the One Direction concert as a preteen… you get the picture. But as we get older, those universal experiences shift from funny, to a tad uncomfortable: scrambling to find a condom mid-hookup, hiding a pregnancy test under a snack at the self-checkout, and feeling your wallet wince at the price of a single Plan B. And the only ones who know this better than me (and, like, every person), are the brains behind the clutchkit.
In 2024, it’s expensive to hook up. Seriously. Whether you’re sexually active, or just preparing to be sexually active, it’s no secret that the price of condoms, pregnancy tests, Plan B pills, lubricant, STI tests, UTI tests, dental dams, and all of the other necessary, safe, and preventative equipment can add up. Building up that hookup toolkit takes time, energy, and a solid amount of cash — but it shouldn’t have to. Enter, the clutchkit ($60).
Created by Dune Thorn, Lisa Fraus, and Christine Ence after the June 2022 overturn of Roe V. Wade, the clutchkit is an all-in-one toolkit — consisting of condoms, a pregnancy test, and a morning-after pill — for unwanted and unintended pregnancy prevention. “Dune and Lisa got together and thought, ‘What can we do? How do we help? How do we find a solution here?'” Emily Kelly, clutchkit’s Head of Growth, tells Her Campus. “And Lisa’s thought was, ‘Why is there no place where we’re all kind of on the same page? Let’s see if we could find something that everyone can get behind, and find a middle ground: not pro-life, not pro-choice.'”
Reproductive access isn’t anything new for the clutchkit founders. Prior to clutchkit, Fraus clerked for Ruth Bader Ginsburg, served on the board of Planned Parenthood for years, and continues to speak in Congress about women’s rights while also working as a lawyer. Additionally, Thorn not only runs the financial firm Brown Advisory but also is on the advisory committee for Invest In Girls, a company that works to educate young women on finances. Christine Ence is a business powerhouse as well — she’s currently the CEO of fashion giant Badgley Mischka.
While great minds (like Thorn, Fraus, and Ence) think alike, not every mind does. And as polarizing as abortion rights can be, clutchkit believes that there’s one thing that all folks can universally agree on: preparation is the key to prevention. “The middle ground [of clutchkit] is the prevention of unintended and unwanted pregnancies,” Kelly says. ” But, the tools needed for the prevention of unintended and unwanted pregnancies have a lot of barriers.”
There are obvious things, like the looming restrictions on birth control and contraceptive access, that can prevent folks from preventative pregnancy resources. More than 19 million women in the United States live in “contraceptive deserts,” or areas without access to health centers that offer the full range of contraceptive methods like emergency contraception. And while emergency contraception is legal in all 50 states, a 2023 KFF study found that 32% of adults are “unsure” if emergency contraceptive pills, or “Plan B,” are legal in their state. Oh, and not to mention, a morning-after pill can run up a cute $40 to $60 tab. (And, if you’re a college student, I don’t need to tell you that anything over $35 feels absurd.)
So, what if I told you that the clutchkit itself (complete with four quality ONE condoms, two Stix pregnancy tests, and one morning-after pill by Cadence OTC) costs about the same as one emergency contraceptive pill? And what if I also said that it all comes in a high-quality, zippered-linen bag? It’s an instant add-to-cart for me.
And while you can simply buy the clutchkit online, this pack also makes for a great gift. “A huge part of trying to break down those [accessibility] barriers is to have someone give [the resources] to them,” Kelly says. “$60 is still a lot for a college student, and let’s be honest, I didn’t go to college and say, ‘Let me get a Plan B just in case.’ You get it when you need it.”
Living in a post-Roe world, whether you like it or not, is a new universal experience for Gen Z. And with new information, and a whole bunch of misinformation, coming out every day, the best thing you can do is be prepared. Whether you’re hooking up or abstaining from sex, staying equipped with sexual health resources is essential… especially if it comes in a cute linen bag.