Part of what makes sex, cruising, hooking up, dating and hanging out as gay dudes so exciting is that there are endless things to try and guys to meet — and all of them are unique!
A lot of us are in a network of guys having sex with each other, whether it’s small and local or across the globe. We all benefit when each of us takes care of our health, and takes care of each other — by getting tested for HIV or other STIs, fighting stigma and nasty attitudes, and talking about what we’re going through.
Everyone experiences sex differently. Some guys are kinky, some guys less so. Some guys have had lots of different kinds of sex with lots of different guys and others don’t. Some guys feel comfortable with getting their ass grabbed at the bar, and some guys would rather be asked before any touching. Some men know lots about HIV and STIs, and others are just learning.
Because of all of these differences, we’ve got to look out for each other and make sure we respect each person’s individual experience. We now know that our mental health is a very important thing when it comes to staying healthy and fighting HIV and other STIs. The way we treat each other affects how we feel about ourselves, and whether we’re making the decisions that are best for us. Being able to trust each other means everybody is better informed about what makes for good sex, healthy decisions and a general feeling of respect and support.
