STD's - reducing the risk of getting them
(8/15/02)Sexually Transmitted Diseases are a risk in many types of gay sex. It's easy to find information on STD's (as the
San Francisco risks or at www.cdc.gov), but more difficult to find information useful for gay encounters. The Risk List below is compiled from conversations with counselors and medical personnel. For more information on these risks, contact the national STD hotline 800-342-2437 or talk to a counselor at the Marin County STD clinic.100% safe - Solo JO or Abstinence (But how about some fun!)
99+% safe - Mutual JO, Kissing, Using condoms, Foreplay (except for genital-to-genital contact)
slight risk - Gential-to-genital contact can spread crabs or scabies living in pubic hair. It also gives a low risk of passing Jock Itch fungus (red patches adjacent to the genitals, easily treatable with Athlete's Foot sprays). These irritations are not diseases, but they can be more discomforting than some of the more dangerous infections, which may have no side effects. There is a risk of STD's from the mixing of pre-cum flows.
minor risk - Sucking cock. Pre-cum has the same bacteria and viruses as in cum, but the quantity is smaller. Neither type of cum is risky unless penetration is involved (into the mouth or anus). Cum fluids from activities like rubbing a hard cock between another's legs offer very low risk. Gonorrhea from cum can infect the back throat of the sucker. He can then pass it on to another partner when deep throating him. Sucking the tip of a penis may not be risky for that penis, but would be a risk for the sucker. Uncut cocks seem to be associated with slightly higher STD risks than do cut ones.
AIDS and Sucking: Saliva has natural anti-HIV factors and there have been no recent reports of HIV from oral sex. In terms of HIV, oral sex both ways is very, very safe. In a recent study of men in San Francisco who have only had oral sex there were found zero new HIV infections.major risk - Anal sex without a condom. If cum is deposited inside the anus, the risk to the bottom guy is greater than to the top. An HIV-negative bottom has about a 1 in 50 chance of getting HIV infected after one act of intercourse with an infected partner. As a top, that chance is about 1 in 500. Using condoms cuts that risk down substantially.
Marin County STD clinic - highly recommended
Call 415-499-6944 for hours open
No appointment needed
920 Grand Ave. (corner 4th St.) near 101 in San Rafael
Just $20 for a group of services worth several hundred dollars:
Counselor who will patiently answer all your questions;
Lab on-site to analyze your blood, urine, or other samples (as a throat or genital swab);
Doctor's exam of your genitals, plus discussion;
Medications recommended (offered liberally);
HIV testing included, with your approval.
Clinic recommends such testing every 6 months for those who have more than 10 partners per year. Or immediate testing when any symptoms are noticed (as urinary inflammation) or if you learn that a partner has tested positive for a STD.
OralMarin
tested negative 12/10/01 at the Marin STD Clinic for HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis, as marked in clinic documents shown to him. The Clinic also checked the accuracy of the information on this page on that date/FREE testing site: Steamworks in Berkeley -
Cost of testing funded by Steamworks and the city of Berkeley. On 11/29/03, Oralmarin again tested negative for HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis - this time at the Steamworks.
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