We can all hope that the outbreak is over. According to http://aim-med.org/Quarantine.html all the 1st-Gen women, except for Miss Arroyo, Jessica Dee, and Laura (or Lara) Roxx, of course, have a negative test status at the present time.

As sdstud points out in his message  http://theeroticreview.com/msgBoard/viewmsg.asp?MessageID=93290&boardID=12&page=1 it is simply astonishing that all three women who are HIV-positive were involved in double anal scenes with James.

It follows, obviously, that no woman who had sex with James but did not do double anal with him is HIV-positive.

The obvious conclusion, no statistics required, is as sdstud says, "Don't EVER do double anal." Especially not unprotected and especially not with a male who is in his first month of being HIV-positive.

(Side note to Sully, who asked, "BTW- WTF is ... double anal?  Do anybody got 2 butts?" If you don't already know, you don't want to know.)

So for this community the HIV outbreak seems to prove little. We may take some risks but as far as I know double anal isn't one of them.

To summarize:

We already knew that condoms are good but do not make us completely safe.

We also already knew that testing was for the benefit of our partners and not for our own safety. Now we know that even a recent test can not completely assure that we are clean and our partners are safe.

On the bright side, we probably won't encounter many HIV-positive partners in this hobby as long as HIV in the population remains at the current level. Only about 0.5% to 0.7% of the population is HIV-positive and many of those are MSMs (men who have sex with men) and IV Drug users -- two communitities that I hope do not have a large overlap with our community.

If we do encounter a HIV-positive partner the chances of becoming HIV-positive appear to be very small in a single encounter (about 1 chance in 500 from a single act of receptive uncovered vaginal intercourse in the absence of any open genital sores and assuming that the HIV-positive partner is not in the very early highly infectious stage of the infection).

Note that although our community is called "high-risk" by public health officials that does not mean we are at high risk of becoming HIV-positive. Being faithful to a HIV-positive partner is much more dangerous than having multiple partners in a population where very very few are infected. We are "high risk" because if we do become HIV-positive we can spread the disease and someone who only has a single partner can't. In that sense we are a risk to public health and a person with a single partner isn't.  

Remember that with discordant couples (one HIV-positive, one HIV-negative) that the infection rate is about 7 in 100 person years if condoms are not used and 1 in 100 person years if condoms are used. (The study didn't say, but I assume that these couples do NOT normally bring in a male friend to do double anal.)

Male latex condoms appear to reduce the risk of becoming infected with HIV by about 87%. Female condoms appear to do slightly better. (As was mentioned in an earlier thread, "DON'T USE BOTH AT THE SAME TIME.") This isn't perfect protection by a long way but it is also a lot better than nothing. Condoms take a low risk of becoming infected with HIV and make it even lower.

All in all there doesn't seem to be a major warning (other than the "don't do double anal") for our community in this outbreak.

However, I still intend to stick to FBSM until June.

Mathesar


-- Modified on 5/6/2004 10:00:59 PM

....and taking the time to do the posting.  Hadn't heard that one about discordant couples and only (!?#) 7% chance of the HIV neg partner picking it up from the HIV + partner.....did I read that right?  The bit about the highest risk being anal seems like confirmation of  data from the very beginning of the identification of AIDS/HIV.  Can DFK, DATY and BBBJTC or birdwatching be really that much lower in risk?  Let's hope so!

Aren't you amazed that there hasn't been an "outbreak" in an escort community somewhere's in the US?  There was just an article about HIV (in "Science") in India and Africa....bad, bad, bad news.....

The female condom has a significantly higher failure rate than regular male condoms. The actual failure rate used to be on the box, but I'm not sure if it is now. It was in the range of 26%!

The easiest way to increase a condoms efectiveness is to add extra lubrication like Astroglide or KY. It will also decrease possible irritation and latex sensitivity for both partners.

Thanks for this well written and thought out perspective. It was easy to get carried away with paranoia and anxiety given the press over the recent outbreak.

Your statistical (fact based) data has been much needed in respect to the hysteria this HIV "outbreak"?? has caused.

 Ladies; Gentlemen; Grab your "gloves" and lets Hobby.

Thank you for the attention and the intelligence you've brought to this topic.

/Zin

Failure rate = pregnancy rate. I am on the pill and have been for years. Its never happening unless I take an antibiotic. These studies are done when no other contraception is used, and are solicitated from not providers but the general public.

I think the female condom's efficacy is related to how expertly one uses it. It needs to be positioned correctly, and lubricant must be applied several times during use. I can say that if you don't know what you are doing you can wind up getting pregnant: either by improper insertion, lubrication, withdrawal or if used in rough sex. In removal, it is important to twist it tight when withdrawing it from the vagina, so as to prevent the sperm from oozing out. For each sex act a new one must be used. If you are into vigorous sex, or if you are well endowed it is not for you. The ring (acts like a ring on a diaphram) must be hooked behind the pubic bone. Excessive plunging can pop this ring and the female condom could become dislodged. I have circumvented the possibilty of this occuring by first inserting my fingers into the condom with lube to position it, and extend it out, and up, then I have the penis enter my vagina with a few strokes, then pull out, and then add more lube. This works great for me.  

Personally I love the female condom. I think it helps prevent me from acquiring STDs in that it has a flared funnel shape that covers my clitorus and sides of my labia. A regular condom does not cover the base of the penis, and in deep penetration, this area can come in contact with the labia. I have never had a female condom break, whereas in the past I have had a male condom break and another roll off. The following day after it rolled up my vaginal tract I had to "birth" it out as I was not interested in going to the ER, nor potentially perforating my cervix by trying to grab it with my forceps. (Ladies: if this happens with a male condom, take a bath and the water will push around the condom when you get out, facillitating the "birthing" process.) I abstained from sex and got tested. So did my partner.

For the smaller membered clients it is difficult to keep a condom on, even with size "small" so I prefer to use the female condom, as I feel safer. It is much more expensive however. I bought them when they came out years ago, and I feel the ones on the market now are far superior. The only problem I have is that they are difficult to find!

When I am with someone I sometimes use a male condom sometimes I use a female condom. Sometimes I use a diaphram with the condoms as well. This way I feel safer from contracting cervical STDs.

In summation I believe the female condom to be stronger, more sensitive, and more pleasurable for me and my partner. It almost feels like bareback. I haven't had bareback for 10 years now when I was in a monogamous relationship with my ex-boyfriend of 5 years, so my ability to judge is hindered in this respect. Damn that was good sex. I wonder where he  is now? ~~

Thank you for doing a sevice for all of us I use your report all the time

that female condom is at least as safe as the male condom for common STDs and probably safer. The article is not available on-line but I typed in a fair portion of the article and posted it because I thought it was important. See link.

See link.

with references

A positively,penetrating,prolific,proclaimation!

Tally-Ho!

In a reasearch study, risk was associated with the improper use of the female condom vs the the male condom.

The female condon is safer for the most part, and it does not tear anywhere nearly as easy as the male condom.

Buy a box and test them with your nails, as hard as you can.

The female condom is much more powerful.

Men don't even feel it is there. The process of insertion is not the most seductive but that's where creativity comes to play.

Go home and take it for a test drive.


V~