Once upon a time a virus: Part one
Once upon a time we didn’t differentiate, nor separate, between HIV and AIDS, today we know that without treatment Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) can result in Acquired Immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
When AIDS hit the media and a lot of us lost great friends and family members to the illness, we knew very little about the virus. What we did know and what is still valid today is that condoms and lube are the best protection against passing on or getting HIV. So logically we promote and support safe sex.
The way we see HIV today has morphed from the death sentence that ‘AIDS’ was in the ‘80s into a chronic but manageable disease. Advances in treatment and prevention have changed our perception and approach to HIV and have improved the quality of people living with the virus.
When it comes to HIV and sex, we all know condoms and lube are the best way to prevent HIV transmissions; still, gay men occasionally do not use condoms but will rather choose to use a variety of methods to reduce their risk of getting or passing on HIV. It is a complex issue which does not lend itself to simple reductive messages. Gay men have evolved and adapted to the new realities of HIV. Condom use is closely related to our personal experiences. Issues like intimacy, erectile dysfunction, picking the wrong fit when it comes to condoms, and our own perception of what is pleasurable are some of the factors that will determine if gay men use condoms or not.
Apart from promoting and reinforcing condom use, it is our job as well to provide facts and information to those guys who are already approaching risk reduction without condoms.
Risk reduction techniques do not eliminate HIV transmission. These strategies include withdrawal (pulling out before ejaculation), sero-sorting (only having sex with someone of the same HIV status as yourself), strategic positioning (being the top or being the bottom) and viral load measures (the amount of HIV in the blood)..
In upcoming articles we will be discussing each of the risk reduction methods in more detail. There is lots of variables that can change and have to be considered when we are coming up with our own mix of strategies to reduce the risk of getting or passing on HIV (and other STIs) please note, I am saying reduce the risk, not eliminate it.
So once again condoms and lube are the best way to prevent HIV transmission, if you are thinking about not using condoms, do think carefully and get the facts at www.top2bottom.org.au
Take care and happy playing.
