Redefining Safer Sex Talks: Embracing Intimacy and Respect
Conversations with our sex partners, whether we’re “serious” or not, tend to frame the safer sex talk as awkward and uncomfortable. Many people dread it, most avoid it and even avoid getting tested due to stigma and misinformation.
It’s awkward because no one told us how to talk about it. It’s uncomfortable because society upholds stigma (we’ve all been a part of that at some point— it’s how education programmed us to approach STIs).
What is often lost about this discussion is the depth it can add to your physical and emotional intimacy with someone. Going into conversations where most struggle can be jarring. It can spark curiosity. It can offer respect and admiration. It could alleviate worry or pressure. It could allow your partners to be more vulnerable, too.
Whether you’re together for a night, a life, or a moment in time, sharing an STI status or recent screening result has the potential to create a depth that might surprise you.