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Safe Sex/Protection

I am amazed and astounded at how many people with resources (like, good educations and access to teh intertubez) don't know how STDs/STIs can be spread.

What resources would you suggest to people who think (for instance) that "You can't get anything from oral sex?"

What advice would you give someone who has been hiding in an underground bunker for the past 20 years?

Are there any new STDs/STIS that people should be aware of? Old ones that are more common than they used to be?

I recently started reeducating myself, because I found that some HIV tests can now be processed within 20 minutes. It made me wonder what else I don't know.

Tags: STDs, STIs, protection, safe sex

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Randy Rose on August 20, 2010 at 7:55am

pick up the book "The Guide to Getting It On." I used it a lot as a sexual health educator for Planned Parenthood back in the day.

Permalink Reply by Little Name Atheist on August 20, 2010 at 9:48am

I have that book, and love it. Highly recommended, in general. Great resource lists.

Permalink Reply by Prog Rock Girl on August 20, 2010 at 8:48am

Thank you for not using the lame PC term "safer sex". I know that's the new standard, but it just sounds lame. I usually just say "protection".

Actually, oral sex is the trickiest area. I don't mind using condoms but dental dams take most of the fun out of giving oral sex. One of my friends who DOES have an STD gave me a lot of info on the confusing subject of which type of herpes is which and what can happen from oral sex. I still would like to calculate the exact percentage of risk from one incident of oral sex, but my calculations would probably not be accurate.

Permalink Reply by Little Name Atheist on August 20, 2010 at 9:49am

Heh. Yeah. I'd love to know exact percentage risk, but I wonder if it might vary slightly from person to person?

Permalink Reply by Prog Rock Girl on August 20, 2010 at 10:09am

Probably. I tried to calculate by the percentage of people who have it times the percentage of risk of transmission if someone has it, without medication or protection...I think it came to about 12%, but of course that would vary greatly based on whether your partner has it or not! The person I know who has it has also said the stigma is the worst thing about it...the symptoms are not so life-ruining.

Permalink Reply by Noh Name on August 20, 2010 at 9:41am

Not a new STD but one that hasn't been discussed very often until more recently, at least around where I live. HPV, human papillomavirus. There are several types. Some types are not much to worry about, just gives person warts. Some can turn into Cancer. If diagnosed one should be tested regularly. It is so common that about 50% of men and women have it.(according to the CDC)

For some facts:
www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/stdfact-hpv.htm

Permalink Reply by Prog Rock Girl on August 20, 2010 at 10:03am

I had heard that 80% of sexually active woman have it, but the vast majority have no symptoms, and that the general advice is to just worry about complications and symptoms b/c the virus is so common.

Permalink Reply by Noh Name on August 20, 2010 at 11:44am

Yeah I heard about 75% for sexually active women. That was a few years ago. It is really common and is a variety of viruses. If you have warts on your finger you have a type of HPV. It's really a no shame disease. Women that have only one partner their entire lives have it. (Not that having many partners in ones life is shameful or people with STDs should feel shame, it happens to the most cautious too.) It's one of those things that you make sure you get a annual papsmear if your diagnosed to keep tabs on it. Most women are supposed to get one every couple years the older they get the more frequent. There are strains that are an issue for men too. So they should get regular checks too.
Men should get checked if they notice warts not sure about the process for them. But they can get cancer from different strains.
Basically it's not a very scary thing (for most people)unless it's cancerous.
One guy that had major problems is the Tree Man. His immune system does not work properly so his HPV is out of control. The link below is a video about him. If you haven't seen him before I must warn you it's not a pretty sight. It might be upsetting to some people. It certainly upset me a bit and I'm pretty tough when it comes to medical procedures and anomalies.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtl9gN0gTvs

Permalink Reply by Little Name Atheist on August 20, 2010 at 10:06am

Good link. HPV has been getting a lot more attention in this area, too.

Permalink Reply by Noh Name on August 20, 2010 at 11:45am

Good discussion. Spread the knowledge!

Permalink Reply by Little Name Atheist on August 20, 2010 at 11:33am

STI is used in other parts of the English speaking world.

Permalink Reply by Prog Rock Girl on August 22, 2010 at 8:30am

Either way it gets the point across...the spreading of unwanted things via sex.