TIPS FOR GREAT SAFE SEX
Happy Condom Week everyone—yes, it's a thing. Launched by Planned Parenthood, Condom Week is an excellent time to consider the benefits of using condoms. Everyone deserves to have a fun and healthy sex life. Using condoms, getting regular STI checks, talking to your partner openly, and always asking for consent, are great ways to take care of both you and your partner’s health during sex.
A few things to remember:
Talk with your partner about using condoms and other methods of contraception before you have sex. Be direct and emphasize that condoms are important to help protect each other.
Condoms are the only method of protecting against both pregnancy and STIs. All other methods (e.g. IUD, contraception implant, vaginal ring, the pill) protect against pregnancy but not STIs.
When using condoms, always check the expiration date and for possible holes. Remember to avoid using oil-based lubricants – oil can damage condoms and cause them to break.
Naughty Safe Sex Tips & Resources:
Not all condoms come from the drug store. There are tons of amazing brands out there that are changing the way we look at safe sex and making quality products more attainable for everyone. We handed out tons of Promescent condoms at our last event (as well as lube) and we absolutely love their brand. You can buy them in bulk so you don't have to worry about constantly visiting the drug store or worse—forgetting them!
Don't be afraid to talk about STIs/STDs. We're adults and being in the lifestyle, we need to be responsible for our sex lives. Talking to your partner(s) about STIs is imperative for everyone's safety, but we know that can be an awkward conversation. There is a new app out there called the "Safely App" which allows you to import test results from any physician, clinic, or lab, show your status privately in the app or with your partner, and even find a lab to get tested with one their 30,000 partner labs. Download the "Safely App" here.
Get tested. If you are sexually active, you should be getting tested at least once a year. Because of the Affordable Care Act, many insurance plans cover STD testing. So you can probably get STD testing for free or at a reduced price if you have health insurance. STD testing can also be free or low cost with Medicaid and other government programs. And some clinics — including many Planned Parenthood health centers — give free or low-cost STD tests, depending on your income.
HOW TO TALK TO YOUR PARTNER ABOUT STDs.
Remember that STDs do not equate to trust issues—people can have an STD for years and not know it or show any symptoms.
Overall health is the goal.
Pick the right time to talk about this—preferably before you have sex with them again or for the first time. Choose a time and place to talk about it where there won’t be interruptions or distractions and you feel safe.
Be ready to answer questions and give as much information and facts as you can.
Stay calm. Sometimes this isn’t the most comfortable conversation to have, remember to try not to take offense when they ask you questions and stay on topic. If you or they have a positive test come back during your relationship, revisit your rules and boundaries as a couple and remember that STD can show up on the body years after exposure.
Suggestion: get on the Safely App prior to big lifestyle events like Naughty N’awlins so you can share your results and show them to any potential partners you may find. It makes the conversation less awkward.
