Your Sexual Health Questions Answered by an Expert

In an era of sex-positivity where we’re finding ourselves talking more openly about sex and sexuality, the the topic of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) remains largely unchanged. Considering that 50 percent of sexually active people will have at least one STI by the age 25, it’s alarming that society struggles to talk about STIs comprehensively. The overwhelming shame and stigma associated with STIs is a direct reflection to the lack of access and availability to comprehensive sex education and sexual and reproductive health care.

This STI Awareness Month, a director of porn for women, I am campaigning for a more educated and open-minded approach to the conversation surrounding STIs and safer sex practices in an attempt to halt the criticism, unlearn the negative stigma associated with STIs and STI-positive folks, and redefine the fear-mongering narrative that has held us back from discussing STIs in a sex-positive manner.

We recently posted a call-out for questions about STIs on Erika Lust's Instagram. Here are the answers to some of your most asked questions:

In recent years, many sexual and reproductive healthcare organizations and professionals have stopped using the outdated term STD (sexually transmitted disease) in favor of the more scientifically accurate term STI. The reason being that not all sexually transmitted infections develop symptoms nor result in a disease. According to the American Sexual Health Association (ASHA), this holds true for chlamydia, gonorrhea, herpes, and human papillomavirus (HPV), to name a few. Remember, the most common symptom of an STI is no symptom at all. The term “disease” is more stigmatizing and can deter folks from getting the treatment they need in order to lead a healthy and well-informed sex life. You might still see the terms STI and STD be used interchangeably, but knowing the difference helps dispel the stigma.

It’s possible to transmit STIs through oral sex although the risk of transmission is lower than during anal or vaginal sex. There is no such thing as safe sex, since no sex can be considered 100% free of risk, but we can always practice safer sex. To reduce the risk of transmission of STIs during oral sex, using a condom, dental dam or other preferred body-safe barrier methods are recommended.

Some safer oral sex practices include, but aren’t limited to:

• Refrain from oral sex if you have cuts or sores in or around your mouth or experiencing an outbreak on genitals and/or directly surrounding areas.
• Don’t brush or floss directly before giving oral sex to avoid micro cuts on your gums which can increase the risk of STI transmission.

Recognizing that safer sex means different things to different people is key. Communicate what that looks like to all partners by negotiating beforehand the protocols taking place. Communicating boundaries and negotiating safer sex practices makes the experience much more pleasurable for all!

Some tips for safer sex practices during group sex settings include, but aren’t limited to:

• Receive STI screening before and after.
• Prepare a kit of essential contraceptives and lubricants that can be used for different types of sex.
• Remain mindful of the possibility of latex allergies and different sensitivities by having options available.
• Change barrier methods when/if switching between partners or types of sex (e.g. anal to vaginal, anal to oral, etc.)
• Sterilize toys before and after use and never use the same unprotected toy on different bodies.

All performers need to receive an STI screening if they will be having sexual interaction with another person, even if there isn’t penetration e.g. performing any form of genital-oral contact including oral sex/rimming/fingering/scissoring/etc. Performers are required to provide STI test results before the start of the shoot. If a performer receives a positive result, the performer can not perform until testing negative.

Performers also choose the contraceptive methods they wish to use on set. Which include barrier methods, such as condoms and gloves (both latex and non-latex), lubricants (water based and silicones based), gloves for fisting and fingering scenes, and all toys are sterilized to be body safe at all times to best protect all performers on set.

The main reason why the conversation of disclosing a positive STI status is so tough is because many of us weren’t brought up to discuss sex and our bodies openly. Along with the lack of sex education and misinformation, many aren’t even aware of the help and treatment that comes along with living with and treating an STI.

With the stigma of STIs on top of all this, this makes these conversations just as hard to navigate. Our culture often uses derogatory language when talking about STI-positive folks, especially those living with gential herpes. When a person tests negative for STIs we generally use the term “clean” to describe them. This associates a person who is STI-positive as somehow “unclean”. One way we can work towards ridding ourselves of harmful dialects surrounding STIs is using medically accurate, doesn’t assign blame, and is person-centered which focuses on the person, not the infection.

It’s not the easiest conversation to have, but disclosing your status pushes you to have the sexual health conversations we should all really be having routinely with our sexual partners. Proper disclosure should be a mutual conversation that involves listening, asking questions, and educating yourself and your partner on treatment and safer sex practices you can use to reduce risk of transmission.

If you have tested positive for an STI, disclosure is necessary with past, current, and future sexual partners. Depending on the STI, you should contact past partners you have had sexual contact with within 2-12 months of showing symptoms and/or testing positive. Even if your past and current partners are asymptomatic, it’s good for them to know their status so they can best protect themselves and their sexual partners.

Being open and transparent about your status is not only the responsible thing to do, but gives an opportunity to educate others and reduce the stigma attached to having an STI. Reminding yourself that contracting an STI is never a direct reflection of your worth, just a possible outcome of having sex is key to moving towards a sex-positive approach to sexual health.

Sources used:
https://www.ashasexualhealth.org
https://tellyourpartner.org

The Sexual Health 101 column pro­vides infor­ma­tion about sexual health related sub­jects but is not intended to be a substitute for med­ical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment. Any reader or per­son with a med­ical con­cern should con­sult with an appropriate doctor or physician.