HWN Suggests

Safe Sex Can (Still) Save the World!

At my very small liberal arts college in the late ’80s/early ’90s, talk of safe sex had just begun, trailing the growing HIV/AIDS crisis as public education efforts often do.

They weren’t yet handing out condoms in the student union, but our resident advisors regularly counseled us to “be safe,” and we were given plenty of bananas on which to practice our condom unrolling skills.

Out in the real world (beyond our college campus), movies like Long Time Companion, as well as the touring AIDS quilt were like a Scared Straight (as it were) for college sexual behavior.

Early commercials portrayed AIDS as a death sentence, and they were petrifying performances that…

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Featured

 Safe sex doesn’t just mean condoms anymore

Welcome to the golden age of STI prevention. Sure, condoms are still an effective strategy for lowering the risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) — but now, they’re just one of a smorgasbord of strategies for decreasing your chances of catching an infection spread by sex.

 What Is Safer Sex – A Comprehensive Approach

Sometimes ‘safe sex’ and ‘safer sex’ are used interchangeably, however, safer sex is a more accurate term and is preferred by sexual health experts.

Articles of Interest

Let’s Talk about Ebola Survivors and Sex

As more patients recover from the infection, what risk do they pose to their sexual partners?

Make Safe Sex Fun Sex

Safe sex is easier to preach than to practice...

Myths Versus Facts: Safe Sex

Safe sex is all about caring for you and your partners’ health. The benefits of safe sex include reduced chances of getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD) from vaginal, oral and anal sex and better protection from unwanted pregnancies. With all the wealth of information available, it pays to be informed.

New York Revamps Safe Sex

The phrase “Play Sure,” conceived by a marketing team, with its inevitable hash tag, suggests a new era in which medical technology has made it possible for public-health messaging to seem less anxious and reproving. Implicit in the phrase “safe sex” are the potential horrors of unsafe sex, a castigation of promiscuity.

People Are More Likely To Have Unsafe Sex If They Think Their Partner Is Hot

A new study looks at how attraction influences unsafe sex.

Safer Sex...for Your Heart

So, think of the following pages as preventative medicine for sexually transmitted infections of the emotional variety. If you get informed, keep a watchful eye and protect yourself and those you care for from the very start, you're much more likely to remain healthy and happy and sexually well, above, as well as below, the waist.

Talking Condoms Make Safe Sex Campaigns Acceptable in Conservative Countries

Using animation and humor to get important public health messages on the air.

The Ultimate Guide to Safer Sex

Here's what you need to know.

Think We've Heard Enough About Safe Sex? This Is Why Condom And STI Week Matters

Condoms symbolise adulthood, a sexual symbol of your right, responsibility and anticipated rewards of being a sexual person. Use them.

When Sex Ed Discusses Gender Inequality, Sex Gets Safer

A new study shows a "striking" difference in effectiveness between programs that address gender and power, and those that don't.

Resources

5 Safer Sex Mistakes

If you think you might come close to doing any type of sexual activity with another person, or are planning on it, always be prepared.

6 New Ways to Have Safer Sex

You #GYNEGirls are still confused about safer sex. I’m kinda surprised by this. So I know you #GENTs have NO CLUE! Get out your pen and paper ladies & let’s review!

7 Safe Sex Campaigns That Backfired Hilariously

The only problem is that sometimes the methods used to protect people from, or educate them about, the dark side of sex work out really, really badly.

Patient

"Safer sex" usually refers to having sex in a way which reduces your risks of catching a sexually transmitted infection. Although sex should be an enjoyable activity, it can put you at risk in several ways. Because it involves being very close (intimate) with another person, it may allow infections to pass from one person to another. Other risks to think about include pregnancy, emotional consequences and legal issues.

Planned Parenthood

Safer sex is all about protecting yourself and your partners from sexually transmitted infections. Safer sex helps you stay healthy and can even make sex better.

POZ

“Safer sex” is a term that can mean many things: •Avoiding bodily fluid exchange •Using prophylactics (such as male or female condoms) •Using HIV medications to prevent transmission of the virus •Limiting the number of sexual partners •Curtailing alcohol and drug use (which can impair judgment)

STDCheck.com

There are many ways to have safer sex. Learn about these ways to avoid STDs, plus information comparing condom and lube types!

The Well Project

Safer sex can be fun, exciting, and very pleasurable. It can decrease your worry about getting or spreading STIs, which can in turn make your sex more relaxed and satisfying.