December 1, 2008 marks the 20th anniversary of World AIDS Day, a day to raise the public awareness about HIV/AIDS issues, including the support and understanding for people living with HIV/AIDS. I would like to reflect on this for a moment.

The first case of AIDS was reported on June 5, 1981 and there are now 33 million people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide. Over the past 20 years, research has been undertaken to find a cure for HIV/AIDS and while some hopeful discoveries have been made, a cure is yet to be found. I give credit to those who have taken on the pursuit to find a cure and I am hopeful that one will be found in the future.

As someone who engages in bareback sex with my boyfriend, I am mindful of the risks involved with barebacking. I would like to point out that just because someone may engage in unprotected sex, it does not mean that they are being reckless, because there are various levels of risk involved with bareback sex. But no matter how careful you try to be, there is always an element of risk.

It would be great if men had the ability to make better informed barebacking choices and have access to a variety of tools to make barebacking safer. I would like to see a range of accurate Home HIV Testing Kits made readily available to anyone who wanted to use them, as this may be a tool to assist establishing HIV status prior to engaging in unprotected sex. It might sound a little clinical, however, with just a few minutes of testing between both partners prior to engaging in unprotected sex, it could mean that an HIV status is established.

The benefits of establishing HIV status prior to engaging in bareback sex is that both partners know where they stand without having to guess about HIV status. If both results show up as being negative, then the sex could actually be better, because the stress and worry about possible HIV transmission would be lowered. The same could be said if the tests were both positive because the men would know where they stood with each other. In the event that one partner is found to be positive and the other negative, then right there is the power of informed consent.

Before any of this could happen, more accurate rapid HIV tests would need to become available and also be affordable and accessible, similar to pregnancy test kits for women, which are available in various retail outlets for those who want them.

If men had the tools to test themselves prior to fucking, this would be an additional method of protection. Some men don’t know that they are HIV positive and the window period in some HIV testing methods can give a false sense of security, so care would need to apply. There is a strong emphasis on condoms being a method of protection and they are good at their job, but for men who prefer to have natural sex, I believe that alternative methods such as rapid HIV test kits would be an excellent resource to explore for the identification of HIV.

I have used this day to think about HIV/AIDS and I hope that a cure can be found in the near future. It would be awesome if better protection tools are developed such as easier testing methods where people can test themselves in the privacy of their own surroundings. Maybe this would help people understand their HIV status to protect themselves and others. I would also like to see everyone have a better understanding of HIV/AIDS to help end the discrimination and prejudice those who are HIV positive have to endure.

Sexual health is relevant when it comes to bareback sex, because as many of us know, having unprotected sex can expose ourselves to a higher chance of contracting a sexually transmitted infection. The purpose of this article is to discuss sexually transmitted infections to increase your awareness of them and to give you an understanding about the risks associated with barebacking, as awareness may help limit your exposure to them.

This article may not be of interest to you, but I feel that it’s important to discuss all elements related to barebacking and sexual health is one of them. Below you will find a brief version of the information displayed on the Health page and further information can be found by visiting the sexual health section of Bareback Resources, Wikipedia and Skin Disease Image Atlas.

Anal Warts
Anal warts create a bothersome condition that affects the area around the anus and may also affect the skin of the genital area.
Symptoms: Appear as tiny blemishes around the anus and and can grow larger than the size of a pea.

Chancroid
Chancroid is characterized by small painful bumps in the genital region that rupture and secrete a foul smelling discharge.
Symptoms: Chancre-like ulcers on the foreskin, shaft or head of the penis or on the scrotum.

Chlamydia
Chlamydia is a tiny bacteria that causes an infection in the genital area.
Symptoms: A burning sensation during urination, penile discharge, heavy sensation in the testicles, scrotal inflammation, and/or small hard swelling at the bottom of the testicle.

Genital Herpes
Genital Herpes is a viral infection of the skin which can infect the corners of the mouth, the outer parts of the genital areas and even the anus.
Symptoms: Periodic outbreaks of small blisters, usually on the penis, fever, painful urination and headaches.

Genital Warts
Genital Warts are fleshy growths or bumps seen most often in moist areas in and around the genitals and anus including the inside of the opening of the urethra, and may also be inside the anal canal.
Symptoms: Cauliflower-like warts around the head or shaft of the penis or the scrotum.

Gonorrhea
Gonorrhea can cause a yellow or white discharge from the cock, along with pain when pissing. When infecting the anus, there can be a similar discharge.
Symptoms: Inflammation of the urethra resulting in thick white or yellow-green discharge and burning sensations during urination.

Hepatitis
Hepatitis can cause as little as a flu-like illness or as much as total destruction of the liver. Typically, it will cause different degrees of jaundice (yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes).
Symptoms: Fever, fatigue, jaundice (yellowish skin or whites of the eyes), vomiting, or liver tenderness.

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus that can lead to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
Symptoms: Swollen lymph nodes, night sweats, diarrhea, weight loss, fatigue, increased susceptibility to infectious diseases such as Genital Herpes, Human Papilloma Virus, or Kaposi’s sarcoma.

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV)
Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) causes abnormal cells or tissue growth on the body. Men only show symptoms in extreme cases, usually when the disease has developed into genital warts.
Symptoms: Cauliflower-like warts around the head or shaft of the penis or the scrotum.

Non-specific Urethritis (NSU)
Non-specific urethritis most commonly means there is an infection in the urethra. If left untreated, non-specific urethritis may lead to inflammation of the testicles and be painful during sex.
Symptoms: Thin discharge from the penis and burning sensations during urination.

Pubic Lice
Pubic lice are brown or grey in colour and shaped like tiny crabs. They live in hair of the pubic area, body and armpits and may also live in strong hair of the face such as beards and eyelashes.
Symptoms: Itching in affected regions, visible lice or eggs.

Scabies
Scabies is a skin infestation with a mite. These mites burrow into the skin where they live and reproduce.
Symptoms: Small bumps and rash at infestation site and itching.

Syphilis
Syphilis is curable and is caused by a microscopic parasite, which is highly infectious, which at first causes sores or ulcers on the genitals.
Symptoms: Painless chancre on the penis or scrotum during initial phase. Later phases include a body rash, hair loss, heart and brain damage.

Note: This article has been produced for informational purposes only. The author is not a doctor or health care professional and this article has been compiled through online research. It is important if you believe that you may have a sexually transmitted infection that you seek professional medical advice.

Bareback porn can be a safer way for those watching to indulge in their sexual fantasies, because watching bareback porn usually goes hand in hand with masturbation and not actually having unprotected anal sex. For a number of men, watching bareback porn is as close to bareback sex as they get. Some men enjoy the concept of barebacking, but are concerned about the health risks associated with not using a condom, including HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI’s), also known as Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD’s).

Of course the health risks increase when viewers of bareback porn actually engage in bareback sex themselves, which many of us do. But what about the risks the models performing in bareback sex films take when they engage in anal sex without a condom with another porn actor? There are certainly risks associated with this, so I thought I would examine the subject further, because often we do not think about the health aspects of barebacking when we are watching bareback porn.

Before I continue, I would like to say that I am not a doctor, health care professional and I do not work in a similar field. I do however, find sexual health an interesting subject. I am writing this article using research I have discovered along the way, so I would like to point out that if my information sources are inaccurate, then what I am saying may not be totally correct, but I am using various sources to improve the quality of this article.

Producers of bareback porn flicks vary when it comes to health standards and testing procedures. Some producers test models before each filming to ensure that their models are HIV negative and they only work with HIV negative models. Other studios may test before each filming, but pair models up with other models of the same HIV status and this is called sero-sorting. Some studios may not test at all and may ask the models to sign a release form stating that they are aware of the risks with HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections.

As testing requirements can vary between producers and because some models may rely on what they are told about the sexual health of the other models they are about to have unprotected sex with, this can sometimes be a Russian roulette kind of situation, because an HIV negative model may accidentally be paired up with an HIV positive model and seroconversion may result. Some models may be prepared to take the risk and chance their health.

Sometimes even when extreme care is taken, an HIV negative model may still become HIV positive and this could be due to various factors. If a porn production company tests all of their models and if they use the Elisa (Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay) test as their preferred method of testing, then there is a window period before the HIV may show up and this can be up to three months and even up to six months with some people. This means that a recently HIV infected model may have a negative HIV test result, which may increase the level of confidence with those involved thinking it is relatively safe. Unfortunately, this can be where the level of safety is impaired and the test may give a false level of security.

There is a more expensive HIV test called the PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test where the window period of infection is significantly reduced, meaning that the results are more accurate. This would be a better option for all concerned, however, due to the higher costs involved with this testing method, it may not be a popular choice. Models who engage in unprotected sex should be given as much information as possible about sexual health and the testing methods available.

There is a significant amount information available relating to bareback sex and sexual health, but some of this information may be confusing to some and the outcome can be that a HIV negative model can end up becoming HIV positive. I would encourage any model who wishes to participate in bareback sex films to research HIV and other Sexually Transmitted Infections before participating in unprotected sex and becoming a bareback porn model. I will cover more sexual health articles in the future, as I feel that this is an important balance needed in the world of bareback sex.

Further resources relating to bareback sex and sexual health can be found by clicking here.