[tymejumper]

Originally Posted by scott snedeker

In short, While using a condom every time is the best way to prevent transmission, I feel it is important to educate other options for prevention.

One time receptive anal sex with an HIV positive untreated man, the highest risk sexual activity for transmission, has a 1 in 50 chance of infection with HIV.

While no longer universally fatal, HIV is commonly fatal and a damn dangerous and life-complicating disease. Also Survival benefits depend heavily on early detection by testing followed by treatment

So Would you Drive on the highway without a seat belt? (A lot less than 1:50 risk of death)

On the other hand, Not every male is sexually functional with a condom.
The "use a condom every time no excuses postition" for such individual's comes across as a little like Nancy Reagan's "Just say no" approach for such men.

...And some people ride motorcycles on the highway.--(no seat belt)


If you know your partner(s) you can reduce risk of transmission. Ask yourself knowing the risk, "is the risk acceptable and is this worthwhile intimacy before engaging in bareback anal sex?"

If the answer is no, then move on. If it is yes then at least you are not making a fatalistic all or none risk decision.

(Just as a motorcyclist can wear helmet to reduce potential for fatal or disabling injury)

Live freely and don't fear to love. I recommend being reasonably careful for yourself and others. We do not have to choose fatalistic unaccountablity to have intimacy.

Sorry if I came off a bit over zelous with the condom wear!

I do have to agree with you that we need to make decisions on if we have sex or not by how risky is it? Things such as do we know this partner? Do we have a commited relationship with this person? Can we trust this person?

There is no reason to fear love or intimacy. However, good comon sense should prevail. My admonishment of wear a condom every time was aimed at the men who would go bar to bar or into any high risky situations and not know a partners history or care to find out, just notch his bedpost. Condoms still remains the best way to lower your risk for HIV, but it does not prevent it 100%. The idea behind it is to cut your risk as much as possible. You and I know this. However, the general populace does not know this, and they take the attitude of "gonna get it and die so there ya go, dont have to be safe...." Education is key, but still many will eschew it entirely.

I also realize that there are men whom can not perform with condoms, for legitimate reasons, but to be honest with ourselves, some of the lack of condoms use is pure laziness, selfishness and not wanting to be put out about it. You have to weight your risk factors and decide how safe it is to do that behavior.

As for driving on the highway without a seatbelt? No way! I actually use mine every time. Not a closet risk taker I guess. .