January 4, 2010
Ever taken a guided tour of a gay men's sex club? Brace yourself. My friend Bill from Poz4Play.com (whose site I should warn you contains adult content) is about to do exactly that in my video blog below.
When I was sleeping around, I gladly shared my HIV status because I preferred other poz partners. It meant less anxiety and probably unprotected sex, which I preferred. While my sex partner count has been reduced to 1 these days, it turns out my former sexual strategy has a name: serosorting. Seeking out partners who share your HIV status.
In one of life's ironies, I remember alarmists in the 80s suggesting that HIV-positive people be sent to an island or otherwise segregated so as not to infect others. Today, many gay men are essentially doing just that, by limiting sex to other poz men.
It's risk reduction in an epidemiological sense, but does it simply allow for risky sex that might promote other STDs? And what of the more psychological effect, that is, limiting our bodies (and our hearts) to only those "similarly afflicted"?
I'll tell you where I stand. Any practice that a) promotes HIV disclosure to partners, and b) reduces the chance of infecting an HIV-negative person, is fine by me. Yes, people lie. But as a general practice I believe it is solid risk reduction.
Check out the video and join in the debate! And thanks, my friends, for following my blog (previous episodes are listed in the column on your right). Your comments and feedback are greatly appreciated. And have you subscribed to this blog? It's easy. Be sure to sign up to receive TheBody.com's weekly updates as well.
Meanwhile my friends, please be well.
Mark
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