Safe Sex
It always amazes me when I
hear people talking about how they are in a non monogamous
relationship and practicing safe sex. The reason that it amazes me
so much is because the vast majority of these people claim that birth
control such as the Pill, IUD's and the shot constitute engaging in
safe sex practices. When asked about condoms the common answer that
I hear is, “I'm on (insert any other form of BC here) so I don't
have to worry.
To these people the thought
of safe sex seems to not extend to disease. They only worry about
pregnancy prevention when it comes to their sexual encounters. This
shockingly enough also includes one night encounters with total
strangers. The most common thing I have heard when I bring up the
possibility of contracting a disease is “I can tell they are
clean.”
I once asked a co-worker to
elaborate on the whole I can tell if they are clean thing. Her answer
was that if he lacks any symptoms (discharge, sores etc.) then it
shows he is clean. The concept that some infections can be
asymptomatic or not showing symptoms was not only new to her, but she
actually refused to believe that.
Another
scary thought is the fact that many of these same people admitted
that they have either never gotten tested for STI's or that their
testing is infrequent at best.
This kind of mindset is
disturbing. The CDC estimates that there are 20 million new sexually
transmitted infections (STI's) a year in the US alone. Yes you read
that correctly. 20 million.
To put that 20 million number in prospective, our third most
populated state is New York which has an estimated population of
19,651,127.
Is
it a lack of sexual education, sexual ignorance, a “it can't happen
to me attitude” or something else. I don't have that answer. I do
know that where I live it isn't a lack of access to condoms. Many
clinics here give them out for free as does the Department of Health.
A lot of these clinics also offer free testing, but to those I have
talked to it is too much of an inconvenience to go get tested. They
are afraid that the clinic workers will view them as being a slut,
claiming that only hookers utilize those services.
Well
people there is no excuse. Get educated and educate others. STI's
are not only real, but every time that you engage in unsafe sex you
are putting yourself at risk at contracting one. Use condoms, get
tested regularly and stop being so damn fucking stupid.
Information and resources
Buying condoms online
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