What is safer sex?
As with everything else in life, sex also carries some risks. Various STIs and HIV can be transmitted when you sleep with other people, just as a cold can be transmitted if you sit on a crowded subway on your way to work.
Fortunately, there are different ways to protect yourself against HIV and STIs. We call it safer sex because there is no such thing as completely safe sex. But if you have a strategy to protect yourself and get tested regularly, you've done as much as you can to protect your own sexual health and that of your partners. So that you can enjoy yourself without worry.
Condom
Condoms are easy, cheap and without side effects. The advantage of condoms is that they come in a variety of sizes and materials. They act as a barrier between people to prevent bodily fluids and mucous membranes from transmitting viruses or bacteria. Finding a condom that fits well is a prerequisite for good sex and for the condom to work properly. You can read more about it in our text on condoms here.
As you know, we distribute condoms free of charge to our target groups of gay/bi men and transgender people who have sex with men. Order your condoms here!
PrEP
PrEP is a treatment with tablets that reduces the risk of contracting HIV. Condoms don't work for everyone, and with PrEP you don't have to worry about putting on protection just when you're about to fuck. PrEP protects against HIV and not against STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis. If you want to read more about PrEP, you can do so here.
To get PrEP, you need to see a doctor who can do some checks and write a prescription for the medicine. Here you can find your nearest clinic that prescribes PrEP.
Testing and HIV prevention
Everyone has an HIV status and part of protecting yourself and others from HIV is knowing your HIV status. The only way to know your status is to get tested. By knowing you have HIV, you can start treatment and well-treated HIV cannot be passed on to others. Medication has suppressed the virus so much in the body that it can no longer be measured in the blood. This means that if you are living with HIV, you can have lots of sex without worrying about passing the virus on to someone else.
Testing for other STIs such as chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis is important in order to start treatment. Even if you don't have any symptoms, untreated infections can cause serious complications over time. That's why it's always a good idea to get tested once or twice a year to stay on top of things. Try to think of it as a regular health check.
