Is Barebacking Safe If Both Partners Are HIV Negative?
Saturday May 17, 2008
Dear Mona,
Is barebacking safe if both partners are HIV-negative. Can both partners safely have unprotected sex if they don't have any STDs or HIV, or do they still need to use protection when having sex?
-Curious
Dear Curious,
That's a great question. To help clear things up when it comes to bareback sex and HIV, I turned to About.com's HIV Guide Mark Cichocki, R.N. Here's what Mark had to say:
"While it is safe to bareback when both partners are disease free, the key is making sure both partners are disease free. The only way you can be 100% sure that is the case is by getting HIV and STD tests," Mark warns. "You cannot just go on someone’s word with this one. Many people don’t know they are infected and unfortunately people are not always 100% truthful when it comes to their sexual history."Monogamy is also an important factor in maintaining a disease-free relationship. Bringing up the topic of monogamy and commitment are not one time couple conversatoins. You have to check in with your man often... read more
Image © Phil McCarten/Getty Images.
Comments
Even if you have an HIV test, it can never be 100% safe since the virus has been known to show it’s ugly face up to 10 years after infection. Typically, you need to do about 3 tests in a 1 year period before you can be at least 75% sure that you’ll be safe. However, you can contract other things like E-coli and other natural human bacteria that can make you very ill.
Many gay men both positive and negative are having bareback sex. Unfortunately, the advent of effective HIV medications that are allowing HIV positive people to live longer lives are causing many to play Russian roulette with their health. If two committed indviduals are comfortable having unprotected sex, that’s a decision that the two of them have to make. On the other hand, one better be damned sure that both parties are being truthful about their health status and faithfulness.