quincampoix asked: how do you feel about bareback sex? especially the growing trend of young gays practicing it?

Education is key. I’ve had unprotected sex, and I tested negative in my check up. It’s not a wise thing to do - and by that I mean playing Russian roulette with your health.

I don’t think that people who have unprotected sex should be demonised if they catch an illness, purely because they made the choice to have bareback sex. It shames people into not getting tested and lying about their sexual health.

As for young people doing it raw, I think that’s been fuelled by the downplay of the impact of HIV - people have been told it’s like living with diabetes, but I don’t know if it is the same. From what I know (being told by HIV+ individuals), the changes to your life are quite intense - you change your diet, your lifestyle, you have to take pills on the regular.

To be honest, I can’t speak about living with HIV as I’m HIV-, but I can talk about bareback. I’ve done it, I practice safe sex now, but will I have unprotected sex again? Probably. Some may say I’m being immature, but, it is something that I enjoy. I accept the health risks involved, but I don’t do it regularly.