STI Prevention Beyond Condoms

"Sarah, Kevin, are you ready to start your presentation?" "Yep, we're ready, Ms. Peters. Our presentation today is about STIs, what they are, and how to avoid them. When I first agreed to work on this presentation, I thought STI stood for 'Save the Insects,' a cause that I've always believed in." "Yes! Insects rule!" "True, but I was going to say that as I prepared for the presentation, I learned that STI also stands for Sexually Transmitted Infections." "So, no insects then? Sexually Transmitted Infections are infections that are passed through sexual behaviors with a person who already has an STI, when body fluids from one person come into contact with another person. Some STIs can be cured, while others can only be treated. Many are no big deal if they are caught early, but some can have serious effects on the body. So overall, it's important to learn how to avoid them." "Remember, you can only get an STI from someone who has already had one, and since they are pretty common and don't show any symptoms, you usually can't tell if a person has an STI just by looking at them. And anyone can get one, even if they've only had oral, vaginal, or anal sex just one time." "Just once? Harsh." "So, the only way to avoid getting an STI 100% for sure is by not engaging in any kind of sexual behavior with another person, which is sometimes called abstinence. Getting tested before having sex and limiting your number of sexual partners can really help too. Some people our age decide to wait to have sex because of their values and beliefs, or just because we already have so much going on and a sexual relationship can be really complicated. Other people might wait because they haven't found someone they want to be intimate with yet." "Some people choose to engage in behaviors that don't include oral, anal, or vaginal sex. This includes things like kissing, hugging, massage, or mutual masturbation. Basically, any activity that doesn't involve skin-to-skin contact of the genitals, anus, and mouth, and won't share sexual fluids like vaginal fluids, semen, and pre-cum." "Ew, please stop listing fluids." "Now, if you do decide to have sex, there are specific things you can do to practice safer sex, and reduce the chances of you or your partner getting or spreading STIs. Some examples of safer sex include limiting your number of sexual partners, getting tested, talking with your partner about your sexual history, staying away from drugs and alcohol, and educating yourself about STIs like we're doing now." "You can also use a latex barrier to help prevent fluids from one person coming into contact with another person. Most people know about external condoms, but you can also use internal condoms, which are inserted into the vagina, or dental dams, which are used for protection during certain types of oral sex. If you use these barriers correctly and consistently, they can go a long way to protect you and your partner from STIs." "Safer sex doesn't mean there's no chance of getting an STI, but if you're going to engage in sexual behaviors with another person, it's important that you both use these methods to reduce your risk, along with getting tested regularly for STIs. And no matter what you decide, remember to communicate clearly with your partner. Terms like abstinence, intercourse, and sex mean different things to different people, so you need to make sure you're on the same page." "So in conclusion, think about what works for you when it comes to sex and STIs. Remember that not having sex is safest. If you do have sex at some point, make sure to practice safer sex to reduce the risk of STIs. And communicate with your partner so you can each protect each other." "Thanks, Kevin and Sarah. Well done!"